The masks are a bit of a giveaway of course, but those aside, the scene, and indeed the people seen in it, are surprisingly timeless.
Food and Drink
An old Tokyo restaurant then and now
One day, this colourful, 45 years in business little restaurant was on the corner as usual.
Then come sunrise on another day, it simply wasn’t.
A not to be messed with Tokyo mama-san
Tokyo’s many mama-sans are almost always kind, welcoming and fun to be around, but running a bar on your own requires a tough nature in addition to such charm, and a little bit of that steeliness was definitely on display here.
Tokyo drunk and indifference
Total oblivion and the completely oblivious.
A Tokyo dog that’s a best friend and a drinking buddy
Sometimes, some scenes seem to exist for the sole purpose of simply making people smile.
A Japanese septuagenarian in his half-century-old restaurant
The warmth and laid back nature of this septuagenarian restaurant owner resulted in the sort of welcome one always hopes for. That lovely, and in this case immediate feeling of being completely at home in a place you have never even seen before, let alone set foot in.
As the second generation chef in his family to run the business, it’s clearly something he grew up with, but still, such natural charm and good-naturedness can’t be taught. Of course cooking can be, and unsurprisingly, his skills in that department were comparable to his kindness.
But all that will end in 2 years time, as the restaurant, along with other buildings on the same side street, are set for demolition. So after what will be 58 years in operation, his little eatery will close for the very last time, and master-san himself will be forced into retirement at the grand old age of 78.
