Situated in a former ryokan in Kumamoto's old Minamitsuboi-machi entertainment district, Yakoboku stands out with a dramatic cypress front wall that rotates open to the street. Inside is a long camphor counter, just 15 seats, and a room that's all wood and restrained, ambient-lit minimalism. Shinya Koba's cocktails are deeply rooted in local culture — employing homemade amaro, hinoki wood, and haze tree wax from Kumamoto's candle artisans, a dying art he wants to help sustain. The name refers to night jasmine — a flower that only releases its scent after dark.