Drinking Alone in Hiroshima: What Makes a Bar Feel Safe
2025.9.13
Going to a bar alone in Hiroshima.
For a lot of people, that’s a small hurdle.
“Walking into a place I don’t know, by myself, makes me nervous.”
“How am I even supposed to order?”
I’ve heard both of those many times.
What makes a bar feel safe
To drink alone in Hiroshima and actually enjoy it, I think a few things need to be in place.
- Clear pricing: prices written down, properly.
- A settled atmosphere: more people drinking quietly than shouting.
- Room for someone on their own: counter seats, and service that keeps a sensible distance.
- Freedom from being drawn in: not being spoken to by whoever is sitting next to you.
With those in place, drinking alone stops being loneliness and becomes freedom. That’s what I think, anyway.
My own experience
The truth is, I couldn’t drink to begin with, and I was no good at walking into places alone either.
- Am I out of place here.
- How much is this going to cost.
- I don’t understand how this works.
- I’d like to look at a menu and take my time.
But most bars have no menu, the person beside you starts talking, and sometimes they buy your drink.
You came to enjoy things on your own, and somehow the evening goes to entertaining the person next to you.
The bartender frets over you and talks more than necessary.
You work hard at going along with it, and more drinks keep coming.
You’re a bit drunk by now, and you can’t choose what you actually want. Ask about something and it feels like you have to drink it.
That’s what made me decide.
This would be a place where you’re safe coming alone.
What this bar holds to
Every item here has its price shown.
So that visitors to Hiroshima, and anyone drinking alone, have nothing to worry about.
What matters most in how this place is built:
feeling safe, being safe, and being clean.
At the counter, quiet conversation and empty space both matter.
I’ll talk if talking is wanted. I won’t push conversation on anyone.
Being able to drink comfortably alone matters more than anything else.
For that reason, we ask guests not to strike up unnecessary conversation with the person beside them, or cut into other people’s conversations.
Going to a bar alone in Hiroshima isn’t anything unusual.
It’s a simple, luxurious choice: to have time that belongs only to you.
An evening choosing whatever whisky or rum you like, without having to manage anyone else.
An evening where something catches you — I didn’t know a whisky like this existed.
An evening of just sitting there, in your own time.
Or an evening with a bit of conversation across the counter, if that’s what you want.
—— I’d be glad if you could have that kind of evening here, safely.
Frequently asked questions
A. Yes.
If prices are shown and the atmosphere lets you sit quietly, you can enjoy your own time without worry.
If anything, it’s a luxury — drinking at your own pace, with no one to manage.
A. If there’s a menu, pointing at what interests you is enough.
If there isn’t, say what flavours you like, how you want it served, and roughly what you want to spend, and they’ll find something for you.
At Bar Little Happiness we use a digital menu, so everything can be ordered intuitively.
(All 1,000 rums and whiskies are listed with price, description and photograph.)
A. In some bars, yes.
But a bar where you can spend time alone safely won’t talk at you excessively, or press you into conversation with the guest beside you.
If you want a settled evening, choose somewhere with that kind of atmosphere.
A. It varies by bar.
Many charge a seating fee or a small compulsory appetiser. Bar Little Happiness has no cover charge.
Everything is priced clearly, tax included, so first-time guests can come in without worrying.
Every encounter is meant to be. Welcome to the world of Rum & Whisky.
Bar Little Happiness — Mika Tanimoto
