Right in the middle of Amazake Yokocho is Sasashin. While I’ve seen it before, I was never that clear what they do – it’s not explained that well from the outside, nor that welcoming. Actually, it’s not that welcoming inside either; very atmospheric, but a little dirty and desperate By way of illustration, here’s the […]
izakaya
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Tsukimikura, Kita Senju (月味座)
Must have been over 2 years ago I saw this place and mentally marked it as something worth trying. I don’t get to KSJ a lot, OK? On this trip, as soon as I saw it I remembered, and more rolling around didn’t produce any other place we wanted to go to as much. The […]
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Kaeru, Kitasenju (居酒屋 かえる)
‘Puerile’ is the word you’re looking for here. No, in fact, while we were eyeing this spot, the master of the shop was taking out some trash, saw us, and said “Oh, go ahead and park there.” As usual in Japan, flexible enforcement. After stumbling (rolling?) upon an entire kilometer of previously unexplored shotengai, it was an […]
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Edoichi, Otsuka ( 江戸一)
After mixed feelings at Konakara, Woodchips and I were keen to try another venue. I attracted a lot of laughter for my preparedness (when I went to Otsuka before by myself, I made a map showing the 5 likeliest places, and I had it with me tonight too), but I also knew exactly how […]
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Konakara, Otsuka (こなから)
Well well, we check another off the list of ‘Tokyo’s greatest sake pubs’. This was decent, just uninspiring and a bit expensive. Having been to a good sampling now, I can safely say that the ‘Gauntner list’ was written around 10 years ago, and that the 10 recommended drinking outlets on there no longer apply […]
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Sakagawa, Kyoto (阪川)
Ahhh, Sakagawa. How do I feel about you? Bruised, perhaps. Not cheated, but worked hard… Gion at night is absolute magic. You should see it. The cobbled streets, unremitting stretches of old buildings, lanterns marking places you’re never going to be allowed in to, and odd twists that leave you confused as soon as you […]
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Kyomachi, Kyoto (京町)
Pontocho. Part two for this evening. Better than part one. Contrary to all my protestations, this place faces the main alley and is bright and a little commercial-looking. Not too much though. And as soon as you get inside, it’s dauntingly old-fashioned, with a proper entrance leading up to a tatami area behind closed doors, […]
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Kyona, Kyoto (酒と味 京菜)
The Kamogawa, at night, looking north. Learned an interesting thing about orienting yourself within the (already very sensible) street grid of Kyoto: you always have mountains on three sides, and the ’empty’ side is south. The bright lights on the west bank are the outward-facing manifestation of the much-beloved and little-penetrated Pontocho district. Maybe it’s […]
Nezameya, Kyoto (祢ざめ家)
Not everyone is fascinated by Fushimi Inari, Japan’s greatest shrine to the fox god. Some people, in fact, just get sleepy walking through all those gates. For propriety, you’re supposed to walk through them off-center (humble), and bow as well, but with thousands of gates, it ain’t happening. In fact, it never happens. I can […]
Fukagawahama, Monzennakacho (深川浜)
Fukagawahama. It’s not Fukahama, although that’s not far away (and very worthwhile; in fact,if you just came back from Kyoto I think you’ll agree the cost performance at Fukahama is amazing). Fukagawahama is just a normal izakaya in a normal back alley of Monzennakacho. It’s always been there, at least within the approaching-7-years that I’ve been there. […]