Room the Melon (Takamatsu / Kagawa)

364

Room the Melon : The Bottom Line

Perhaps because Room the Melon was packed, maybe I was tired, or maybe because it was the second attempt at getting here, but I felt a bit let down by the bar. That’s a shame because it seemed to be a fun little communal place for people to come and drink at, but I was shoved in a corner and unlike other places, there was barely any interaction with others. That’s a shame but I guess a different time, or a different day, then I might have enjoyed coming here. The whole place is non-smoking and has no table charge either.

Room the Melon : Background

Room the Melon originally began life back in 2015 under the name 芽論 (MERON) with the idea behind it being a tachinomi – or a standing bar – before changing its name after Covid-19 hit the area. The bar is part of a small-scale “standing-bar” tradition in the alleyways of central Takamatsu, representing a counter-culture / alternative nightlife option away from typical big clubs or touristy bars.

It’s located less than a five minute walk from Kataharamachi station on the Kotoden Kotohira Line though you can easily get here from other bars in the area, with Ohloy Store just around the corner from this place.

Room the Melon : Atmosphere & Interior

As you approach the bar, you can’t help but notice the at-home vibe from the front – a small wooden bench that is used as part of a drinking area when inside fills up. Inside as well, there’s a rustic, DIY vibe to the place that lends itself to some cosiness – plastic beer crates repurposed to be hold a flat piece of wood for a table. With this being a standing bar, there’s no seating inside – you’re either leaning against walls or some wooden piece of furniture that feels like it could fall over at any minute.

There was a lot of lively conversation going on the day I went here, but unfortunately I was shoved into the corner of the bar and felt a bit left out, in spite of trying to join in with the others. I guess it’s a real local bar and popular with the community though as the owner fluttered between the groups, telling stories about school days and how people had moved on, gotten married, or passed away. There’s no table charge here and the whole place is non-smoking. Finally there is some free WiFi though it’s a connection supplied by the local city government,

Room the Melon : Beer & Tap Information

While I thought Room the Melon had some taps of craft beer, it was only cans on the day that I went here, with all of them available to be drunk in-store only. There was a decent selection of beers in the fridges though, and if you can read Japanese, plenty of descriptions as well about the beers. If you don’t drink craft beer, then there are also some Japanese sake, natural wines, and non-alcoholic options. There’s no happy hour either here.