GG

Ichi-ban gai, step back 50 years.

Sixth year anniversary at Bar Bran.

Harusame; Awamori from Okinawa. Thinking about a label-of-the-month spot.

Sometimes it's just better not to know.

What could be more natural than a cherub sitting atop a snail blowing a trumpet?

Going home... mind your back.

7AM

Tassj and Dale, Japan'd Right UP: Pre-snow, Post-Kabukicho, Outside Berg in Shinjuku. Think they'll be back...

Tori no Ichi

This November saw two Tori no Ichi festivals at Hanazono Jinja in Kabukicho. I gave Hebi-Onna a miss this year so haven't been able to add to the three year's worth of snake-skin tucked in my wallet. 

Lots of eating and drinking though watching the punters buying bears claw (kumade) bamboo rakes hoping to rake in the money over the coming year. You can start with a tiny little starter claw about the size of a cocktail umberella but have to upgrade every year. 

Some of these folks have been coming for 40 years or more and can barely carry the bigger ones home.

A guy I know got into the buying-a bigger-one-for-luck cycle about 10 years ago, spending more and more hundreds of dollars at the same stall every year


This year though he didn't want to bother but since the stall owner had his business card the usual reminder emails started coming in a few weeks before. 


When he didn't turn up for the first festival the reminders got a lot heavier and on the final day they were basically demanding stacks of cash with threats and reminders they knew where he worked.


He caved in and paid up.

Ramen

Hakata Tenjin Ramen shop in Kabukicho

After a few bevs, you can't beat a bowl of ramen…

Japan's version of an after-hours curry or a kebab.

and like all drunken late-night eateries, there’s nothing wrong with the staff having a cheeky smoke while no-one’s looking.

Farewell

After 17 years tending the bar at Half-Time, the best shot-bar in Tokyo, last night was Nagayama-san's last.

The same photographer who drunk too much Tequila and lost his camera with all the photos from the last night at the old location across the street 18 months ago was there, but this time he was drinking tea so we might have some better photos than this one...

Barlife

Late night at one of four thousand bars in Kabukicho

Hot-flash Pasty? Inter-stellar cigar? Lightsaber snack?