It’s exciting to hear another fine wine bar just opened in Ishikawa-cho, which is becoming a bit of a bar-hopping hotspot. The name of the bar is UGAN, and for those who know much about this area of town, you might instantly think of similarly named sake bar, SAGAN–and you’d be on to something! Both are run by owner and Yokohama native, Mr. Maeda Masamichi.
Opened in March, UGAN welcomes guests with its bright interior and wide glass entrance. The bar has about 15 seats, but customers can also stand at the counter for friendly banter with the staff. All the food is catered from nearby Italian restaurant Papa Davide in Motomachi. From savory lasagna and risotto to omelets and prosciutto, all are offered at ¥300 to ¥500 yen in small-portion sizes. Quality wines come by the glass (¥600) or reasonably-priced priced bottles. All wine is professionally selected by another local, Satoshi Kimijima, of Yokohama Kimijimaya.
“It’s not easy to find a bar where you can start drinking at 3pm,” says Yokoyama Toyoko, the restaurant manager. As a Yokohama native born and raised in Ishikawa-cho, she loves hanging out locally and proudly talks about the charms of her hometown with a warm smile. When describing UGAN, she says, “We’re a cozy, homey place and customers often just walk in alone.” As wine bars go, it’s quite casual.
UGAN is non-smoking and sets additional seating outdoors for summer. Parents with small children are welcome and dogs are allowed to relax on the patio. If you feel like switching gears from wine to sake, UGAN is actually connected by a hallway to SAGAN, so you can pop in next door for sake and fresh sashimi and then return. What a great option for lovers of fine drink! Enticed? Ishikawa-cho is beckoning.