ここって、何屋さん？スパ銭？いえいえ地元の方々の使い勝手の良い大箱居酒屋でした。 : Raka Aju

Located quite far from the west exit of Takasaki Station, this is a large Izakaya (Japanese-style bar) with a mysterious white-walled Japanese-style building. At first glance, it makes you think it's a spa bathhouse (is it just me?) and it's hard to tell what kind of place it is. You can't see inside, so it's a bit hesitant to go there for the first time. When you go inside, it seems that in the past you had to take off your shoes, but now you have to wear your shoes inside. It's a pretty large restaurant with two floors, and the interior is a beautiful mix of Japanese and Western styles with high ceilings. It's reminiscent of the early Heisei period at the end of the bubble economy. Restaurants have recovered from the coronavirus pandemic, and Takasaki City was packed with customers on this Friday, but the second floor is so large that it was pitch black, perhaps because no one was there or it was reserved for parties. There are counter seats and private rooms to the right of the entrance, and the refrigerator in front of them has a selection of good local sake. The menu doesn't seem to be particularly focused on the local Gunma area, and it's just a regular Izakaya (Japanese-style bar) menu. You shouldn't expect high quality in this kind of restaurant, such as the taste, the place of origin, or the freshness. This is a place where you should just order whatever you like and eat and drink until you're full, so it's best to just order whatever comes to mind. But the building is wonderful. I hope they do their best because these big-box establishments are going out of business one after another. You can't spend so much money on the interior these days. The appetizer is oden, which is fine, but it's normal. After finishing the draft beer, I'll order a Kimusume, which I've never tried before, as a sign of respect for my hometown Gunma. When I ordered sake, they gave me a chaser. Thank you. Yes, it's easy to drink. This is a good place to drink leisurely. It's comfortable. There's a distance between the staff, so you can relax without being bothered. There are private rooms, and it's not particularly good, but it might be a convenient place for locals. However, the staff guy, who seems to be a part-timer, doesn't seem to have much knowledge about alcohol or food, so he often has to check with the staff in the back, which is a bit disappointing. Also, I had soy sauce Ramen, but it was really bad. The noodles and soup were no good. I wish they'd put more effort into it. I'm not a local so I don't really know, but I wonder if they're not interested in anything other than the legendary revived meat miso Ramen? I wasn't expecting much from the food, but the lean horse meat sashimi was quite delicious. The plate was so big that it looked like there wasn't much to eat. In conclusion, I thought it was a big Izakaya (Japanese-style bar) that's easy for locals to use. For outsiders from outside Takasaki, it's probably not worth coming to Takasaki to eat and drink at. But personally, I like big Izakaya (Japanese-style bar). I hope you'll continue to do your best and stay rooted in the local community. Thank you for the meal.