"Whales of August" Bar for Movie Buffs in Shibuya

There is a bar in the middle of Shibuya called Hachigatsu no Kujira (八月の鯨), Whales of August, which features original cocktails named after movies. I chose this place at random, lured by images of movie stills posted outside and by the name, which is adopted from a Bette Davis/Lillian Gish film.

The underground interior is snug and pub-like, with a traditional wood bar and simple decor of movie posters. As soon as I entered I was informed there was a 500 yen cover charge (about $5). Drinking establishments in Japan often have cover charges so it's good to ask up front - but this usually includes some type of snack, and just remember you don't have to tip so it all balances out. Drink prices ranged between 900 and 1200 yen (about $9 to 12).

The bartender (whose name I never got, I'm sorry to say) wasn't only excellent at his craft, but also a gifted mixologist utilizing the "hard shake." It was worth the price of admission to watch him put the cocktail shaker in motion with a fluid flick of the wrist and go into a near-trance of mixing with his eyes closed. He seemed befuddled at first when I just ordered a martini, but warmed up to me when I started sampling his special creations, and became even more congenial when I was able to converse with him about movies. He takes requests, too - so try going in with your most offbeat film and see what he comes up with.

Of course, I had to start with the Blade Runner. Generally I'm against blue drinks, but this contained just the right amount of liqueur de violette to give it a fabulous electric blue hue, and was quite refreshing and mildly fruity.

The Oldboy, named after the Park Chan-wook thriller. I don't remember what was in it but it was a well-balanced drink, vodka based. The bartender seemed impressed that I knew the film.

I asked what they had for Hitchcock since I couldn't find anything on the list, and the bartender asked what I wanted. So I requested The Birds. He whipped up this breezy concoction containing a hint of Curaçao and a sprinkling of powdered sugar, to represent flight.