I’ve always wanted to create a place where drinkers from all over the world can gather. With that thought in mind, I’ve recently been expanding the languages we use in the bar, little by little. I decided to start with English and Russian.

Being in the port city of Yokohama, there have naturally been times when I’ve shared a glass with guests from overseas. But I find myself wishing I could talk directly with even more people. As for English, having lived in the United States in the past, it comes back to me relatively smoothly. Russian, however, is a language I am in the middle of studying right now.

If you ask me why Russian, it might simply be because I want to connect more deeply with people from a wider variety of countries. While opportunities to speak English come up reasonably often, chances to converse in Russian just don’t happen in everyday life. That is precisely why I feel that making this small challenge of speaking in my own words is so important.

In the space of a bar, there are moments when hearts connect across language barriers. Even if you cannot speak perfectly, if you have the desire to convey your feelings, I am sure they will get through. Today, with a few new words in hand, I look forward to welcoming you from the other side of the counter.