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Oct 13 2023 8 Comments

An old Tokyo bar on borrowed time, over time

A friend and I first visited the wonderful little bar below almost 4 years ago. Back then it was already clear that the area was changing, as a large number of buildings had already been pulled down to make way for numerous new apartment blocks.

Fast forward to the present day, and the redevelopment has progressed considerably, with the bar itself one of the last original structures still standing. The nearby train station, which makes the land so precious, now clearly visible behind it.

The lovely owners, however, are simply carrying on regardless, cheerfully serving food and drinks just like they have for the last 52 years. Something they are intent on doing until the demolition crew can be deterred no more. And from a customer perspective, once seated inside, everything felt exactly the same aside from the natural passage of time.

An old Tokyo bar over time

An old Tokyo bar over time

An old Tokyo bar over time

An old Tokyo bar over time

Categorized: Food and Drink, Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Denise says

    10/13/2023 at 10:12 am

    I love the last one. They are so adorable together! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/14/2023 at 9:48 am

      Thank you. Very pleased I could get that photo. A very natural moment. And yes, they really are. All those years living and working together, and they are still as happy as ever.

      Reply
  2. Richard says

    10/13/2023 at 7:32 pm

    Here’s hoping they continue for a few more years!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/14/2023 at 9:50 am

      Yes, that’s a very nice thought. Being realistic, it’ll likely be a lot less than that, but they are intent on enjoying their time there to the last.

      Reply
  3. Paul says

    10/13/2023 at 8:19 pm

    I love so much little houses and buildings with a lot of details that have been added or missing through time. It tells passerby “there is LIFE here”. It tells a story that everybody can try to guess.

    Thank you very much for sharing.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/14/2023 at 9:52 am

      You are very welcome. I feel exactly the same. Those things fascinate me as well, so it’s always a pleasure to see and photograph them.

      Reply
  4. YTSL says

    10/16/2023 at 4:00 am

    Your photos of them really do convey the sense that the bar’s owners are lovely. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/16/2023 at 6:55 am

      Thanks a lot, that’s very good to hear. Something I really wanted to do. It’s such a relaxed, welcoming little bar that reflects their personalities perfectly.

      Reply

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