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Oct 06 2017 10 Comments

Old style Tokyo singing and drinking

Much is often made of Tokyo’s modernity, along with its early adoption of new technology and trends. But that doesn’t really give a true image of the capital, or at least not a fully rounded one, as the simple act of entering a bar can often lead into a very different kind of environment indeed. Places where time appears to stand still, and any real sense of the fast moving metropolis beyond the four walls simply fades away.

old style Tokyo bar with karaoke

More shots of this older, quieter side of Tokyo, can be seen on my portfolio site, here.

Categorized: Food and Drink, Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Al says

    10/6/2017 at 1:29 pm

    I love this. They looks so …… emotional! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/6/2017 at 5:45 pm

      It was an interesting little place. The fella was much more drunk than emotional!

      Reply
  2. Harry says

    10/7/2017 at 10:54 am

    Gotta love the old tv in the background. I’m very impressed you captured a woman in a kimono on there too! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/8/2017 at 10:04 am

      Amazing how many TVs like that it’s possibly to still see. As for the kimono on the screen, however, I’d love to say it was planned, but it was pure luck!

      Reply
  3. Once an Expat says

    10/7/2017 at 10:44 pm

    His glass needs a refill.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/8/2017 at 10:06 am

      It did, and yet it didn’t. He was absolutely wasted. Once that song was over, he promptly staggered out.

      Reply
  4. Squidpuppy says

    10/8/2017 at 10:17 am

    This looks like hanging out in someone’s kitchen – can’t get much more homey, or comfortable than that. But then, that’s kinda the local appeal of these joints, isn’t it?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/8/2017 at 4:38 pm

      It really does, doesn’t it? And yeah, I couldn’t agree more. The moment we walked in we felt comfortable and relaxed. Like being at home, basically. A feeling that, like you say, obviously appeals to other customers of such places.

      Reply
  5. scruffy says

    10/8/2017 at 4:29 pm

    The image of Japan in my mind is sleek and minimalist. The clutter in these teeny tiny bars never fails to amaze!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      10/8/2017 at 4:41 pm

      To be honest, despite long since realising that such minimalism has little to do with real life here, the amount of clutter in places like this still amazes me.!

      Reply

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