Photographs from a small group of islands
Exactly what the title says, along with a colourful, but rather carelessly placed parasol. A sight that needless to say is not something one sees everyday. Or indeed the vast majority of days. Making the slightly surreal scene all the more special.
In older parts of Tokyo, and especially out of the city itself, faded fashion shops are far more common than any big brand stockist. Businesses that are stuck in the past both in the clothes they sell, and the kinds of customers they occasionally attract.
This particular place, however, made up for any lack of visitors with the odd addition of some similarly odd foreign mannequins.
Figures that while definitely on the disturbing side, at the same time draw you in. Tempting you deeper and deeper into the shop’s deceptively large interior.
All of which is perfectly safe of course, provided you don’t blink.
Away from the bright lights and busy streets, Tokyo boasts a huge number of local bars, many of which are run by senior citizens. Fascinating, often grubby little places that are filled with as much character as their unflagging and friendly hosts.
And this small bar and eatery is no different, along with the added bonus of a design that blurs the ideas of inside and outside.
But age can, at times, catch up. And with all the serving and cooking that had to be done, the master began to visibly wilt.
Determined not to be defeated, however, he sneaked in a few naps during the occasional downtime.
Resulting in him still going strong when we were looking at getting the last train.
Tokyo’s streets may well be reasonably clean and orderly, but for the large number of people who live on them, along with those in temporary rooms one precarious rung above, they are scenes to be forgotten. Or at least attempted to be forgotten.
