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.
ellen says
He looks like such a sweet old guy. I hope he enjoys his retirement.
Lee says
He really is. A genuinely lovely fella. And yeah, me too. He certainly deserves it.
Stephan says
I love the light and bicycle of the outside shot. So cool!
Lee says
Cheers. It was all set up beautifully. A real gift of a photo.
Marcin says
Really nice photo and a guy!
Lee says
Thank you, and yeah, he really is a nice man!
Sean says
What do you end up ordering when you visit these types of places? I wasn’t bold enough when I visited Tokyo.
Lee says
Just depends what they have on offer to be honest. It varies obviously, but at the same time there are generally a few standards that many of them have. Totally understand your reticence though, as the menus are often handwritten, and understandably they have no English versions. When I can’t read them it’s easy enough to ask, but even then you have to know what the dish is. That said, they are almost always kind and helpful, so a bit of pointing and the like should get you at least some food to eat. And drinking in such places is definitely worth some initial awkwardness.
YTSL says
Master-san looks to be a very young 76! It must be his lovely smile… 🙂
Lee says
He really is. Trying to guess the age of Japanese people is something I find very difficult, but still, I’d never have said 76. And yeah, that lovely smile has to be a contributing factor!
Bernadette Loftus says
This is why I continue to subscribe to your emails after seven years (at least). I feel like I’ve been given a snapshot (pun intended) into the lives of these often quite average but still fascinating people. His smile is heartwarming. And the bottom picture is so darn inviting. It reminds me of the mom & pop coffee shops I used to frequent in Pittsburgh.
I am so sad (and a little frustrated) at the demise of so many of these places that are so full of flavor (again, pun intended). I feel lucky that I know that they existed even if they are now no longer there.
Thank you for sharing these lives in such beautiful ways.
Lee says
You are very welcome, and thanks a lot for the kind words. That’s a long time, so very nice to know why you’ve stuck around.
Increasingly I find that the ordinary is so often exceptional in its own unique, invariably humble way. This fella being a perfect example. And yeah, it is sad that such places are disappearing. Many things can be replaced, but little establishments like this most certainly can’t. Just a case of enjoying them while we can I suppose.
john says
He could either hit that thruster (the oufit looks vaguely naval), or take to covering Susumu Hirasawa tunes at Karaoke if he look more serious.
What a shame though; he’s only just got set up!
I like the pipe, the bike and the low level mellow yellow sign.
Lee says
Definitely a likeness there, but I suspect master-san wouldn’t be able to stop that smile sneaking into performances.
I know eh? Just when he gets comfortable he has to shut down, but maybe the bike and sign will show up again in a new location…
cdilla says
A wonderful welcoming smile. How could you not want to return on a regular basis.
And the soft yellow glow you have captured outside. It reminds me of the colour of Inca Kola.
Lee says
I know eh? Such a lovely fella. Such a lovely place too. And yeah, the colours outside were great and only added to the whole vibe.
Had to look up Inca Cola. Interesting. Somehow I’d never heard of that.
cdilla says
Back in the early eighties I used to correspond with Jeff Minter and after his first trip to Peru he couldn’t say enough about how wonderful Inca Kola was. It took me many years to find a UK source of it (a little Peruvian food shop in London) and managed to taste it for myself. These days you can get a US manufactured version of it in cans, which isn’t bad, but not quite the same as the Peruvian bottled original.
Lee says
No way, Jeff Minter. That takes me right back to my ZX Spectrum days. This previously unknown (to me) beverage gets ever more interesting, and I don’t even drink regular cola. Don’t expect it’s easy to get here, but I shall keep an eye out for it and let you know if I do find some.
cdilla says
Amazing what you can find on the internet. Here are the final lines from a 1985 Computer & Video Games magazine interview with the Yak himself…
“It was certainly the best holiday I ever had, and two weeks in Peru are worth an eternity on the Costa Brava, believe me. I returned to England laden with llama gear and two litres of Inca Kola (which has since run out), the idea for my next game, a refreshed brain and a burning desire to return.”
I have a itch to get up in the attic and dig out those old letters now.
Lee says
I bet. It must be quite a treasure trove if that quote is anything to go by.