Ôhashi, Kita-Senju (Tokyo)

Kita-Senju's neons Kita Senju (Tokyo)
Here is an off-centered neighborhood of Tokyo (Kita Senju) which seems to have hidden gems, at least for the unsuspecting foreigner, as the Tokyoite probably knows about the pleasures of this area. For a Parisian like me, all the neighborhoods beyond the Yamanote line are akin to the suburbs beyond the périphérique, and I am awakening to the fact that these areas are home to many islands of pleasures, Japanese style, including some that you could tag as red-light-district type...

This picture probably doesn't arouse a Japanese viewer's excitement, but from a European perspective, this pachinko parlor on the side and those neons signaling various venues and pleasures mean fun and happy drinking among an unrestrained crowd of salarymen and mixed-gender partygoers.
Kite Senju is a direct connection from either Ueno, Nippori or Nishi-Nippori, using the Chiyoda line, the Hibiya line or a JR train. Kita Senju is one of the busiest stations of Tokyo, and you know what a busy train/metro station means in Tokyo : lots of lights and venues so that the exhausted workers and employees can let the steam off before going back to their home where their wife has been waiting stoically all the evening while preparing dinner (another Japanese cliché, I know, but it always works...).

In a dark stretch of the street... I got tipped on that one by John W., an expat who has a comfortable experience and knowledge on what I'm only babbling right now. If it was not with the help of T., I'm not sure that I would have found the izakaya, although it may have been on the main pedestrian street departing from the station. But you know how all these subway/train stations look like here : you can exit to the west, the east and each exit has its pending pleasure streets...

When we reached the place, I understood that we were in for a serious one, I didn't bring my tie and jacket but I almost felt like shy before sliding the door open.
This izakaya is an old classic in the field. It was founded in 1877, the 4th generation of a family business that could retain it's spirit and authenticity. If not warned, you'll not immediately spot the differences with an regular, generic izakaya, but there is a long history here, and if the outside was not enough to convince me, the inside did.. The room I don't know if you can feel it through this picture, but we're here in another level of izakaya. This venue is the result of a long family tradition and with it, there's a feel of exclusiveness and authenticity that is maybe lacking to more casual izakayas. Even the patrons seem to be more like old school, classic salarymen and executives.
The place doesn't seem old in spite of the deep roots of this institution but the building was built in 2003. The asymetrical shoe-horse shaped counter is a good idea as it gives an interesting balance between the staff area and the patron's. At the other end of the room, you can guess the neon-lit kitchen lab where the izakaya's specialty dishes are prepared. Seats facong the private bottles cabinet Before telling further about what we ordered there, take notice that this is a venue where regulars keep their bottle of shochu for the next time they visit, like the old Japanese way, with the patron's name written on the bottle with a large pen. This cabinet facing the seats halfway across the room is filled with opened bottles left beghind by visitors. And I'm pretty sure that for many of them, the next time they come here, the waiter will not even need to ask their name and he will pick the bottle and put it on the table. I'd love to do that in france but there would be little chance that I can hand them an opened bottle of wine with still something inside in the first place.... A regular with his bottle of shochu I try to imagine the routine in the evening after work, coming here for a break before heading home, sipping shochu and eating a few things. Not bad, I think I'd adapt pretty fast... Knowing that this place has been around almost for ever does make it feel like a second home.
I don't have the list of all what is available here but I read (see link below) that a 600ml bottle of shochu cost somewhere around 1250 Y. This shochu is made by Miyanoyuki, in Miyazaki (Kyushu). This brewery also makes sake.
We ordered a jug of sake from Yamagata for 400 Y and a plate of nikomi for 320 Y (there are many different dishes, you need to read Japanese, they're displayed in vertical signs on the wall.
Soeaking of sake, it is said that in the aftermath of the big earthquake of 1923 in Tokyo, there was no water in the city and in shitamashi (the working-class neighborhoods), and the region of Yamagata sent for free lots of water to help the suffering population of shitamashi. People in these neighborhoods never forgot and many still drink only the sake from Yamagata by gratitude for this generous move... Shochu wall What was interesting to notice was that there were a few couples in that room, including at our table (we weren't sitting at the counter). Otherwise the profile was lots of salarymen, including older types, sort of old school. The couple were normal people, I mean no bobos or hipsters but classical mainstream Japanese. People smoke freely here, some patrons look very red with the symptoms of asian blush, and on the whole lots of laughs and happy shouts.
From my European point of view this place looks very authentic, beginning with the location which is not on the expats radar, I think.

Ôhashi Kita Senju Article about the izakaya phone 03 3881 6050‎ open 4:30pm to 10:30pm Closed on sunday Location on map Tokyo subway map sketchy video on Ôhashi

Drinking birds -- Blackboard (Kita Senju)

Comments

[Dan]

It's interesting how the "grass is greener on the other side." I live and work in Tokyo. The last thing I want to do at the very late end of my working day is spend more time with a bunch of men in suits. The women and non-suits are probably downtown in a French bistro. Oh, and there are definitely some ex-pats up that way. We aren't all living in Roppongi. You know? By the way, I really enjoy reading your blog.

[Bert]

Hi Dan,
I'm very aware of the "greener on the other side factor" (B. often reminded it to me) and I thought about it from time to time, like wondering if I'd really enjoy all these places if I had been living here for long. that's the magic of plunging in a different culture for a short time without speaking the langage and reading all the social codes...