Food and Drink

When sliding open the door to enter a little Tokyo bar, there’s often no way of knowing what the interior will be like. One can make some educated guesses of course, but the outside isn’t always a good indicator of what’s on the inside. Sometimes that results in disappointment, but sometimes it’s quite the opposite, and the tiny establishment below most definitely fell into the latter category.

The grubby windows meant seeing in wasn’t possible, and even getting in wasn’t easy due to the door being so old and twisted, but once seated, the stained walls and glass made for a sight to behold and then some. A bar that’s as small as it is interesting, and without a doubt the perfect place to sit, relax and take in all the intriguing little details.

These previously posted sights and sounds from a Japanese drinking alleyway were taken in a place that is as unique as it is atmospheric. Unfortunately the little spot below can’t match that anymore, as even at night it’s a lot quieter than it used to be. Half of it has been demolished, and a good number of the remaining bars are no longer in operation. The Drinkers’ Alley sign at the entrance, on the other hand, still looks as incredible as ever, and its rather precarious appearance is only added to by the cluttered and suitably shabby surroundings.

Towards the end of last year I posted the same exterior photo, offering a glimpse inside this little yakitori place. At that time it was our second visit, and also the second, increasingly frustrating occasion to be denied entry. Such small bars are great in so many ways, but their limited space does mean that securing an empty seat isn’t always the easiest. Timing is very much of the essence, and on both evenings we’d clearly been way off.

Thankfully the third time was indeed the lucky one, and as expected it didn’t disappoint. The mama-san has been quietly holding fort there for over three decades, while the bar itself has been in business for about half a century. A further fifty years is obviously out of the question, but with the owner still positively youthful compared to many of her peers, it’s likely that everything will remain pretty much the same for many more evenings to come.

This shop has long been a favourite of mine. Sadly its stunning old sign — which I’ve included at the end — got destroyed in a typhoon several years ago, but even without it remains a truly wonderful looking little place.

A fella who lives opposite once told me it has been in business for 100 years or so and supplies some top-class restaurants. While feeding the wealthy, however, it’s still very much a local shop, and the woman in the photos came out of a house a few doors down. Perhaps unsurprisingly, no selection was necessary — they just chatted about the weather while he put her usual order in the Tupperware container she’d taken with her. An admittedly run-of-the-mill, everyday occurrence, but at the same time one that was lovely to see and somehow quite reassuring.

Somewhat inexplicably, this young fella decided to take off his belt before drunkenly falling asleep. Yet despite what was clearly a very long Friday night and Saturday morning, he did maintain the necessary social awareness to keep his immaculately white mask perfectly positioned.

Japan’s many old school bars run by similarly aged owners are always a pleasure to spend time in. The trouble is, what makes them so special also means there’s the very obvious element of the clock ticking ever louder down to those final last orders. Of course some do carry on for a truly incredible number of years, but ultimately time can never be defeated. All of which rather sadly brings me to the little drinking spot below.

In business for over 50 years, and the owner well into her 80s, it’s amazing it kept going for as long as it did. Originally a ramen shop, the mama-san at some point made the sensible decision to switch to a simpler menu of yakitori and beer, then in the last few years, more or less just beer. Now, however, it’s simply closed.

After the enforced break due to Tokyo’s pandemic-related state of emergency, it’s entirely possible she thoroughly enjoyed the time off and decided to retire. That’s what I hope is the case anyway, as a bit of rest and relaxation is the very least she deserves. Yet whatever the reason, the memories of visits remain as full of warmth as the welcome always was.