No, I’m not talking about what is arguably Bob Marley’s best album, although there is a pretty good chance that you’ll hear it playing at some point here.

What I’m talking about is Exodus the bar. And restaurant. And club…. This spacious establishment is a stunning example of differences amongst the bevy of bars in Osaka, and is the perfect place to unwind from that hectic city life.

The brainchild of former motorcycle mechanic Kazuhiro Watari, the décor is amazing, with imported Indian and Thai ornaments gracing the walls and ceiling. And hand crafted wooden furniture direct from Yakoshima is a definite discussion point.

“During my travels around Thailand, India and Australia I found so many bars with a similar style and feel to this” Kazuhiro explains. “I realized that there was nothing really like this in Japan, so when I got back I decided to open one myself.”

Apart from the interesting selection of world beers on offer, Exodus boasts an extremely large collection of spirits stacked around the bar. These include a rather dangerous bottle of absinthe, weighing in at a healthy 85%. Coffee, tea and lassi shakes are also on hand for the drivers amongst us.

If you’re feeling peckish not to worry, there’s plenty of food on offer. Most dishes range from ¥500-800, and are again representative of the bars multi-cultural feel. Choose from Mexican quesadilla’s, salads, pizzas or try the highly recommended Thai green curry. For the sweet-tooths amongst us there’s even homemade cheesecake and pudding to top it all off.

Celebrating their two year anniversary with an outdoor party at Furubokke Natural Park near Himeji at the end of July, Exodus is a big supporter of the Psy Trance scene in the area, and holds regular monthly parties at the bar itself. Clearing away the huge tables leaves a surprisingly large space, and I’m told a fair number of people can be packed into the events.

On a different note, you can also check out the local market Exodus holds on the last Sunday of every month. Starting at 13:00 and running until 20:00 that night, you can find all sorts of goods, ranging from clothes through to hand made drums and didgeridoos, so you can get your groove on too.


EXODUS
1-2-27 Kitahorie, Nishi-Ku, Osaka
(06) 6532-9385
18:00-03:00 daily
http://sound.jp/exodus728/