Yokohama Kannai: The Norwegian Bar - Bar Norge (バーノルゲ)

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Yokohama is a city that can boost of a long history of trade with the outside world during a time while most of Japan still remained closed. After the Port of Yokohama opened up to foreign ships in 1859 an area of Yokohama known as Kannai (関内) became a particularly popular place to settle down among the foreigners, and to this date their presence has left a mark on the atmosphere of this part of the city.

In Yokohama Kannai you can find among others a number of foreign bars that used to be frequented by foreign sailors, and one of them is the Norwegian bar known as Bar Norge. This bar has a history stretching back to 1972, and is according to word of mouth a bar that was founded by a Norwegian sailor and his Japanese wife. The two of them have long passed away, but the bar was bought by one of their regular customers, and the spirit of the old bar has been kept alive until today.

At the bar you can enjoy a wide range of drinks, most of them not really related to Norway, but if you are up for a real viking drink they do serve some cocktails based on the traditional Norwegian/Scandinavian liquor called akevitt (also known as akvavit or aquavit).

A map of Norway inside the bar

As a Norwegian living in Tokyo this bar is one of the places I like to stop by while in Yokohama. My great-grandfather was actually a sailor too, and he and my great-grandmother lived a couple of years in Nagasaki and Kobe in the early 1970s working for the shipping industry. So who knows, maybe they've even enjoyed a drink or two at this bar during a visit to Yokohama?

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below
Anette

Basic information

Bar NORGE (バーノルゲ)
・Address: 〒231-0023 Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama, Naka Ward, Yamashitacho, 217
・Opening Hours: 4:00PM - 12:00AM
・Homepage: http://www.bar-norge.com/

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About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.

About Me

A modern-day shield-maiden who loves to explore the unbeaten paths of the world. From her base in Tokyo, Anette takes on both rural and urban challenges, and on her path, she has overcome anything from natural wilderness and cultural barriers to commuting in overcrowded Tokyo trains.

Life is too short to be stuck on one page, and this mindset reflects the diversity of Anette’s blog.
Besides being a career woman she is also a globetrotter, with 39 countries and counting.
No challenge too big, no adventure too small!

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