I’ve taken a photograph of this incredibly small bar before. Back then, both the proprietor and the sole customer were passed out. This time, presumably due to space restrictions, it was two sleeping drunks inside, and one relegated to the outside.
Food and Drink
The quiet intimacy of an old Tokyo bar
Last year, I posted this series of photos from Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho, or Piss Alley as it’s often known. Along with the images, I also tried to explain how the huge increase in tourism over the last few years has changed it — or at least sort of changed it anyway.
Basically it’s way busier than it used to be, and yes, the atmosphere can be quite different. But then again, go there on the right day, at the right time, and the alleyway’s former intimacy can still be found, complete with fascinating hints at conversations that will remain forever unknown.