If you want to know more about Buddhism in Japan, your first instinct may be to visit a temple. But a group of monks in Tokyo have brought their religion to a more casual setting.

Fittingly, Vowz Bar is tucked away in an unassuming side street of Yotsuya, Tokyo. As I walked around conspicuously with a camera, a restaurant owner asked me if I was going to Vowz Bar. When I asked how he knew, he informed me it's world famous. The reason for its fame is not their original cocktails (which are great too), but the fact that the bar is owned and ran by Buddhist monks.

I entered on a quiet weeknight to find a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The bar is small and intimate, a jumble of Buddhist paraphernalia adds to the coziness.

Forgoing the pleasant decor around the tables, customers rush to the counter for the best seats in the house. Despite working hard as the bar staff, the two monks also take time to chat with the clientele offering a unique perspective to their queries about life and utilizing their diverse backgrounds to offer a few interesting stories of their own. Short Buddhist ceremonies and sermons are also held daily.

The staff are completely serious about promoting Buddhism in the modern day, but that’s not to say there’s no room for jokes at Vowz. The original cocktail menu was formed with some playful references to various teachings, with names like ‘Nirvana in the Pure Land’ and ‘Never Ending Suffering in Hell’.

You can also get an ‘omikuji’ (a sacred lot), this little slip of paper can tell you your upcoming fortune. Even for Japanese language pros these can be difficult to understand, but the staff were kind enough to explain it in simple Japanese for us.

Apart from the main bar there’s also a room across the stairway which is utilised for meditation groups. In this room, the owner demonstrated calligraphy of the bar’s name that patrons can buy as a souvenir.

With the bar's chilled atmosphere and friendly reception, you don't have to be a Buddhist, or even religious to enjoy the zen charms of Vowz.

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Address: 160-0007 Tokyo, Shinjuku, Arakicho 6 (AG Building 2nd Floor)