Food and Drink

Old stores run by elderly owners aren’t unusual in Tokyo, with one of my most memorable visits in recent times being a lovely looking little sweet shop managed by a 94 year old. A business that’s even more amazing considering he opened it when only 20 years of age.

In a very different way, this one is also incredibly special. I’ve photographed it before, but on this occasion I finally got to speak to the proprietor and take his portrait. He’s 85 and has been running the shop for half a century. A place that sort of sells everything, but at the same time absolutely nothing. And yet despite all those decades and the decidedly ramshackle surroundings, he shows no sign of giving up any time soon.

Of late I’ve quite enjoyed putting together small series from long and meandering photowalks. Some of the photos only really work as part of a set, whereas others could possibly stand alone as single images. Put together, however, my hope is they give a feel of sorts for a certain part of Tokyo. Or failing that, at least a sense of a day out and its varied discoveries.

There are no shortage of tiny old restaurants in Tokyo, and yet despite such competition, this place still stands out. In business for half a century, with the current owner having taken over from his father, its clutter and grime speak of each and every year it has been open. A true step back in time along with the added inclusion of a bit of baseball memorabilia. The latter I know nothing about, but what I do know is that the food is absolutely top notch, and the atmosphere always relaxed. Like a home from home in many ways, albeit one with a decidedly carefree attitude to cleanliness.

I photographed this lovely old take-out yakitori shop towards the end of 2022. A place I’d previously tried to capture on several occasions, but the light had always been unhelpful, and one time it had rather frustratingly been shut. So to finally record its real, retro beauty was genuinely pleasing. Even better was the ownership situation, prompting me to conclude my write-up with these uncharacteristically positive words:

“A little shop that has been serving freshly grilled chicken for 45 years. Another near half a century is hard to imagine, but with a younger family member now on board, many more years do remain a distinct possibility.”

Optimism that was sadly very much misplaced, as returning recently at a slightly different time of year, but at the same time of day, we found nothing except an empty plot of land.

This fabulously dated bit of Tokyo’s subway system has featured on Tokyo Times before. A fascinating taste of the past that somehow still survives amidst the network’s otherwise modern and mostly immaculate passageways. Parts of it remain unchanged for decades, with the DVD shop in particular a real novelty in this day and age, especially as it rather comically still boasts a slightly tucked away selection of adult titles. That said, a good number of businesses have changed over the years, with the bars featured here now looking quite different. The same goes for the oddly located vending machine, which was removed a while ago, and the abandoned space at the side of it is now incorporated into a cool little clothes shop.

However, such changes aside, its unique atmosphere remains intact, making it like nowhere else in the city, let alone just the subway system. The same goes for its distinctive smell too — a rather less appealing feature that can be particularly pungent during the summer months.

Finally, many of these photos were used in the last set, but others are new, or just new additions. A series of images prompted by the area appearing in Perfect Days, Wim Wenders latest film. An apt spot in so many ways, and a title very much befitting this truly wonderful location.

Quite a few of these old-style Chinese restaurants have appeared on Tokyo Times over the years. Some are still going strong, whereas others have sadly succumbed to the unrelenting passage of time. The latter is an increasingly common occurrence of late, as these types of places flourished in the post war years, so many are now both old, and run by similarly aged owners.

This one, however, is happily very much still in business despite opening way back in 1955. Needless to say it will eventually come to an end when the current, and final family member decides to call it a day, but until then, it’s a place that is an absolute joy with its quiet charm and old school simplicity.