Photography

Personally, I don’t think TVs in small bars or restaurants are a particularly good idea, as regardless of what’s being shown, it’s almost impossible not to be distracted by them. But as a man who doesn’t do distractions halfheartedly, the drinker below would presumably deem such diversions a plus.

Restaurant food preparation being done out on the street isn’t all that unusual in Tokyo. In some cases it can be more than a little uncleanly too. The place below, however, wasn’t especially dirty, and it also had the added benefit of extra spice.

For a country well known for its low levels of obesity, a surprising amount of Japanese food is fried. There’s the traditional tempura to start with, along with the likes of deep fried pork cutlets, similarly oil heavy croquettes, and of course the incredibly common, chicken karaage. But in regards the latter, rather than frying small pieces of meat, this old school place opts for half the bird. An approach that perhaps not surprisingly is hugely popular, as along with a lengthy queue for the small eating area round the back, there was a steady stream of customers calling in for takeout. All good for business of course, but not necessarily good for the poor bloke in charge of staring into boiling oil all day and skewering suitably crispy chickens.