Food and Drink

I posted photos from this fabulously dated old Tokyo coffee shop early last year, so this is an update of sorts. Happily not an establishment update, as nothing much has changed in that department during the six decades it’s been in operation, making a mere twelve months almost no time at all. Instead, it’s simply the addition of a few new images from a recent visit, along with a slight re-working of the older ones.

Entering the place is genuinely like stepping back into a different era, and the passage of time is evident everywhere, from the patched up seating and torn light shades, to the almost comically worn carpet. A truly wonderful subterranean space where the cups are heavy, the smell of smoke ever-present, and the sense of escape utterly priceless.

When putting together the previous post’s selection of Showa era shops and businesses, I was constantly reminded of the similarly dated bars and restaurants I’ve visited over the years, so this set of photographs nicely compliments the last one.

Each and every establishment was special in its own way, both in looks and ambience, but while there are a few I’ve visited several times, for regulars, they are a part of life rather than just a memorable experience. An element that makes the demise of at least six of them all the more disappointing. Little enclaves of comfort and escape, along with the decades long commitment of the owners, that means when they do inevitably disappear, way more than simply a building is lost.

That said, happily a good few remain, so for now at least they can be enjoyed to the fullest, with these photos providing merely a brief record of a much richer past.

Laughter and conversation are regular finds in local Tokyo bars. Opera glasses, on the other hand, are much rarer. An unexpected addition that made this already wonderful little establishment even better.

Once part of a chain consisting of ten bars owned by the same person, that connection has long since broken, with the business shifting to multiple, and completely separate ownership. That said, the majority now no longer exist, with this and one other the last two hold outs. However, with a relatively young proprietor who has already been there for a couple of decades, this particular place will hopefully be around for many more years to come.

In Tokyo’s western suburbs, this local restaurant has been in business for 50 years. Its owner opened the place when he was only 24 years old, making the small interior a truly massive part of his life for the last half a century. How much longer he’ll keep cooking for he doesn’t know, but for now at least things will carry on like they always have done. A situation that clearly doesn’t concern him in the slightest.

Generally I post photos with a theme, or as a way to try and tell a story. However, quite a few images don’t really work that way, and this selection is along those lines. Photographs taken during recent walks that if nothing else help to highlight the sheer variety of sights and scenery one can find in a city the size of Tokyo.