After S'ayak（アフターサイヤック）

After S'ayak is a tucked-away bar in the backstreets of Harajuku, co-owned by Jamie and Jasmine Schmitz alongside their friend Yuki Magoroshi. Finding it is part of the adventure: it sits down a dimly lit alley off a neighbourhood shopping street lined with small sake bars and eateries, and you really need to know it is there to spot it. This elusive quality is precisely what gives the bar its devoted following. Inside, the atmosphere is warm and unhurried, with a compact counter that encourages conversation between guests and the bartender. The drink menu leans towards expertly crafted cocktails, with a selection that rotates seasonally. The owners bring an international sensibility to the experience, making it one of the more cosmopolitan drinking spots in the neighbourhood. The bar opens at 19:30 each evening and continues until around 01:00, Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Sundays. Given its hidden location and limited seating, arriving early in the evening is advisable. The bar is a few minutes' walk from Meiji-jingumae Station, though first-time visitors may wish to study the route in advance.

原宿の裏路地にある隠れ家カクテルバー。シェイクしたカクテルを親密な空間で。