Food and Drink

The beer was cheap, the decor faded and the clientele all incredibly friendly.

The warm hues of late autumn, and the cold, temporary bed of a Tokyo drunk.

In his tiny kitchen, in his similarly small restaurant that seats about 7, this old chef has been cooking 6 days a week for the last 46 years. And while he obviously can’t work forever, he’d very likely go on for another 46 years if he could.

I’ve photographed this place many times — my favourite shot up to now being this portfolio one, I think. But due to the bar’s timeless looks and large array of regulars, the quest for a new favourite happily continues on.

When asked how the food was, I bowed deeply, and in the most reverential tone possible, told him it was the best I had ever tasted.

Sights such as the one below never cease to intrigue me. Not only do they contain unknown stories, but personally I feel they have a very distinct, melancholic beauty about them. To add to their interest, they are also the exact opposite of almost everything that Tokyo is famous for. An element that in some ways makes them even more special.

On the theme of older, lesser seen Tokyo, I have just started offering photowalks round the capital. So should you be interested, or know somebody who might be, the details are on my portfolio site here: Bespoke Tokyo Photowalks. There’s also a link on the top menu of these pages.