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Oct 07 2022 8 Comments

Karaoke and clutter in a tiny old Tokyo bar

Down a narrow, now mostly abandoned old alleyway, this cluttered little bar is a world away from the often touted Japanese traditions of design, subtlety and minimalism. And yet, in its own rough and ready way, it’s arguably just as traditional in regards this less exalted but still important part of everyday culture.

singing in a cluttered little Tokyo bar

singing in a cluttered little Tokyo bar

singing in a cluttered little Tokyo bar

Categorized: Food and Drink, Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Denise says

    10/7/2022 at 10:56 am

    It is also very cozy! 😮

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/7/2022 at 8:49 pm

      Yes, not a lot of room to say the least. There were 7 of us and it was full.

      Reply
  2. Günter says

    10/7/2022 at 3:05 pm

    I always find it interesting to see people still smoking in bars. That is something I haven’t seen for many years.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/7/2022 at 8:52 pm

      Yeah, I can imagine. It’s not something I think about as it never really went away here. That said, there is definitely a lot less of it indoors than there used to be.

      Reply
  3. cdilla says

    10/7/2022 at 11:12 pm

    Ah, that brings back memories of a happy evening almost three years ago now in a very similar place. Great to see these small places surviving.
    Pubs are closing at close to 20 a week in the UK at present.
    However since the individual characterful pubs we had a plenty were replaced with cookie cutter franchise pubs they have had little enough appeal to me, and with warnings of the £20 pint on the way I can’t see that changing. Sheesh, that’s 80 times my average student pint!
    And there goes my dream of a regulars stool by the fireplace in codgers corner at my local hostlery. Sigh.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/8/2022 at 5:27 pm

      Yeah, lots of similarities. Karaoke the one big difference.

      Many thankfully do seem to have weathered the pandemic storm, unlike so many pubs in the UK. And now there’s the cost of living crisis to hit the remaining ones even harder…

      Reply
  4. Richard says

    10/8/2022 at 8:44 am

    How do 7 people fit Inside?!?

    They look like they are enjoying themselves.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/8/2022 at 5:31 pm

      There was a fella taking up the remaining bar area on the left, then the three of us were squeezed into the corner from where I took the photos. Hardly roomy, but it wasn’t in the least bit uncomfortable.

      They were. The mama-san is the one on the right, and the others seemed to be friends and regulars. Just what you want I suppose with it being so small.

      Reply

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