Bar Doctor Smuggler and the Sakura Incense Stick
Written by Aaron BrittWhat began as a laugh—cocktails at the improbably named Bar Doctor Smuggler in Atami, Japan—ended with a long, boozy, Google-assisted chat about Japanese baseball with the natty, voluble barkeep Mr. Sato and the sweet smoke of sakura incense.
Bar Doctor Smuggler has been around since 1979, and Mr. Sato's joint has the undeniable appeal of a post-war watering hole caught in amber. Tony Bennett and Blossom Dearie played on unseen speakers, old booze ads from yellowed magazines bedizened the bathroom wall, and a rows-deep array of brown liquor, all of which Mr. Sato claimed are his favorite, give drinkers the feeling that there's always another Scotch to try.
All fine ingredients for a mellow Tuesday night in Atami, but the highlight came when we inquired about the incense burning in his bathroom. The impish Mr. Sato was on his feet and quickly returned with several sticks of sakura—cherry blossom—incense.
Though the Ask the Ages braintrust landed in Japan for a sourcing trip in early April, looking for some onsen time, a bunch of new incense, and of course a chance to eat loads of Japanese food, incense-inspired encounters are why we really came, and Mr. Sato didn't disappoint.
It was amazing to see how thoroughly incense is stitched into Japanese life. Our hotel in Tokyo has its own blend burning in the lobby and sweet sandalwood smoke wafted from the back of an outstanding tempura restaurant we visited. Our best in-the-wild encounter was Mr Sato's cherry blossom, though.
The sakura were blooming outside, but they never smelled better mixed with old Cognac, old cigarettes, and a grand old barkeep.
