This old Tokyo off-license has fascinated me for years. From the signs to the crates to the suitably askew awning — there’s just so much to like and take in. The trouble was, the shutters were almost always down, and even when they weren’t, there was never anybody about. Until last week that is, when the owner finally appeared, and with his retro helmet, traditional apron and trusty Honda Super Cub, it was all suddenly well worth the long wait.
ellen says
I love this. There are so many matching colors and it’s just sooo peaceful! 🙂
Lee says
Thank you!. Definitely a scene I was happy to photograph. A bit of day-to-day Tokyo life that doesn’t always get shown that much.
YTSL says
So… I gather he does deliveries and that how the shop makes money for the most part? 🙂
Lee says
It certainly seems that way! Would explain the scooter of course, but also why the shutters are usually down. More than anything though I was just happy to finally get the kind of shot I wanted.
cdilla says
Great photograph of everyday life. I like the stack of red crates in the narrow space on the right.
The guy sure has a prime location there, right next to a student dorm. I imagine he uses the sack truck for those deliveries 🙂
Lee says
Thanks. Exactly the thing I like to shoot. Mundane, and yet also so much going on. Haha, indeed. Maybe even a door out the back to simply pass goodies across.
Arne Anka says
And the Super Cub is in a slightly better shape than the one in the mountain village…
Super Cub 1
Super Cub 2
Lee says
Yeah, just a bit. Although I reckon that a drop of fuel and the most minimal amount of maintenance and the mountain Cub would be ready for action once again. Well, that’s my little fantasy anyway. A bit like the VW in Sleeper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ctin21yrfcA
Richard says
If the shutters are almost always down, I wonder if this is a front for some other, more nefarious business activities.
Lee says
It’d definitely be interesting to think so and that would add a very different feel to the photo. But the fella appearing when and how he did probably puts an end to such speculation. Unless of course the activities are so nefarious that they have to go as far as pretending to deliver drinks to cover their tracks!
Linda says
Everything about this is perfect. I keep coming back to it because there is so much going on – the scooter and the bike, the two signs on the shop, the red crates on both sides of him, and the context of the wall, tree, apartment building instead of just the shop.
Lee says
Thanks. Lovely to hear you got so much out of it. It was very similar for me. Having finally bagged a photo I was happy with, looking at it properly afterwards presented so many little details I hadn’t noticed when passing.