Food and Drink

Personally, I don’t think TVs in small bars or restaurants are a particularly good idea, as regardless of what’s being shown, it’s almost impossible not to be distracted by them. But as a man who doesn’t do distractions halfheartedly, the drinker below would presumably deem such diversions a plus.

Restaurant food preparation being done out on the street isn’t all that unusual in Tokyo. In some cases it can be more than a little uncleanly too. The place below, however, wasn’t especially dirty, and it also had the added benefit of extra spice.

For a country well known for its low levels of obesity, a surprising amount of Japanese food is fried. There’s the traditional tempura to start with, along with the likes of deep fried pork cutlets, similarly oil heavy croquettes, and of course the incredibly common, chicken karaage. But in regards the latter, rather than frying small pieces of meat, this old school place opts for half the bird. An approach that perhaps not surprisingly is hugely popular, as along with a lengthy queue for the small eating area round the back, there was a steady stream of customers calling in for takeout. All good for business of course, but not necessarily good for the poor bloke in charge of staring into boiling oil all day and skewering suitably crispy chickens.

Some girls’ nights out,

are bigger than other girls’ nights out.

Over 30 years ago, when he was a relatively young buck in his early 40s, the fella below opened his own bar. Yet despite his age, and all those years doing pretty much the same thing every day, his enjoyment and commitment to carry on remains completely undimmed.

Fairly inexpensive drinking spots are plentiful in Tokyo, but this area under the train tracks is probably about as cheap and cheerful as it’s possible to get.