What a Japanese Neighbourhood Bar is Like
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- Опубликовано: 7 окт 2023
- We visited Okubo Izakaya, a small 13 seat bar (address maps.app.goo.gl/TR9LJouJpT1qA... ). Like many small, independent Japanese izakayas, they offer a bottle keep service where you buy a whole bottle of alcohol and then they keep it on hand for the next time you come.
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“Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name…and they’re always glad you came…”
Cheers!
Bum bum bum bum you wanna be where you can see troubles are all the same
Well said😂
Agree.
Yet it's often called jail sometimes or your neighborhood pub.
@@tfoen7678 No, jail is when you gotta go back home to the wife!
Thats not a pub, thats a home away from home. Small izakaya is my favourite way to eat in Japan. Mama is a gem.
I love the tiny bar/izakaya thing in Japan. I found a 4 person standing only bar in Osaka and can't wait to go back. I look forward to going to おくば next time I'm in Japan.
She truly is lovely.
It is the Japanese Cheers
Actually it's not a pub because it's not a home.
This is fairly close to what the original pubs were like. They were the anterooms of private homes where the woman of the house (usually) would earn a small side income by brewing and serving their own beer/cider.
I'm really impressed by these women. They're basically running a household for all their guests; every day making a menu, buying groceries, cooking, cleaning and then also socializing with everyone. This is really hard work. I would be exhausted, but for them it probably gives them energy as well.
its almost like a public house or "pub" if you will
It is not consumiung food, its labor. Labor burns calories. Caloires are our only energy source.
@@corysanderson6177 I didnt see anyone defecate at the bar, 0 cig ends on the floor outside, not even a wif of a donner and there probably isn't coke all over her toilet. Its definitely nicer than a pub, can you imagine if all the locals had access to your bottle at any pub 😂 best case scenario ends with you drinking piss.
@@MRU112 100% I wouldn't step foot in a pub in the UK but I'd gladly live at this place
When I lived in a small city on Shikoku there was a place just like this. A snack bar where all the foreigners would go. Mama was such a kind hearted woman who would make us takoyaki or gyoza as things went late. She'd host our birthday parties. We served ourselves when she was busy or had to step out...we'd even serve the other guests. Some of my fondest memories of living in Japan happened at Miwa's Snack Bar. I hope Mama is doing okay!
This video brought back so many wonderful memories.
Thank you for sharing, that sounds like such a warm and welcoming place you found!
nice place to hang on, strangers become your family 😊
This was a wonderful video. What a wonderful, warm place to visit, and be cared for.
Stuff like this is exactly what makes me want to come visit someday
This lady is with a dustpan and hand broom walking down the street cleaning. Its no wonder that Japan is so clean.
Dude you have no idea. It's insane how clean and relatively quiet the major cities are.
in japan its normal for shopkeepers to tidy outside their shop and a little up and down the street as well
Less than 5 minutes in and there's the overwhelming sense that what this lady provides is a home away from home, an extended family, a place to feel welcomed when you're feeling alone. It's honestly inspirational to see what people can do with a small venue. So much of the space is taken up just by people leaving a bottle almost as a guarantee to come back
Thank you so much for doing this video! I've wanted people outside of Japan to see what an izakaya is like for a long time. I always think that izakayas are like small town pubs in the UK. They are meeting places for people. I moved to a new town in Shizuoka about 3 years ago and when I went the local izakaya for the first time, I was introduced to everybody -- just the same way when I moved to the UK many, many years ago. These days, if my wife is out of town visiting her mother, or if I'm just feeling lonely I walk down to the izakaya, sit down at the bar and I know I'll be chatting with people for hours. You captured the feeling perfectly!
You still live in Shizuoka?
@@s70driver2005 Yep. Not moving any more. This is my home :-)
@urouroniwa すごい！if you don't mind me asking what do you do for work there?
@@s70driver2005 I'm a software developer. I do contract work mostly for overseas companies.
Izakaya...I think epitomizes what every bar should be like. Not everybody wants to go to a bar just to get drunk or just watch sports or sit there drink and feel alone. People like to feel at home and interact with each other. Love this.
I go the bar to get drunk AND be with people. I haven’t found my spot yet, but there is a place by me that does open mic comedy every wednesday and has cheap pitchers. The bar in this video is awesome but I think all the commenters saying they wish they could visit should look in their home country in the meantime. There are good places to eat and drink in every corner of the world.
Akko did a great job!! The video gives an authentic view of a local izakaya. I’ve been to a chain izakaya in Kyoto and it didn’t have the friendly atmosphere. We got a through picture of who comes and why. Such a lovely cross- section of people from the neighborhood. More like a neighborhood family. I was a bit slow to read the subtitles but that’s what repeated viewings are for. Thank you Greg and Akko!! I’ve loved Japanese culture and visited twice. LWIF gives a true picture of Japanese life.
I did find a tiny 4 person standing only bar in Osaka that was awesome!!! Maybe a 5-6min walk from Dontonburi too.
Absolutely gorgeous slice of life. It's that third place that is so often missing in the anglosphere. The sense of community is amazing, and the humanity of not having a giant corporation owning and running everything is great. There's some things the Japanese really do well. Thank you so much for showing us this.
It wasn’t missing it used to be called the pub
We still have them here dive bars
It feels the completely opposite to a bar in Europe. Here 90% of bartenders are young people. I found it cute
Not necessarily true. I see a lot of middle aged and older people holding bars.The young ones are mostly in the party or tourist trap areas.
@@Bionickpunk I don't know in your country, but here in Spain, most pubs/bars/chiringuitos are attended by young people under 30. There are, of course, bars with older people in charge but most of the stablishments specific for drinking, not coffee shops, have mainly young workers, even if the clients are older.
90% of izakayas are like this too in tokyo since there's so many chains.
In Germany, neighbourhood bars (called "Kneipe" in German), are usually run by middle-age to older people.
And they serve the same kind of function as their japanese counterparts. A place for the neighbours to meet, to socialise. For many, it's also the go-to place for personal celebrations.
Unfortunately, most of them no longer serve food (thanks to ever stricter food safety rules).
@@Alicia-ag Well our own unique bar culture is part of country˙s traditions for centuries. A place where you drink, eat, listen to live music. Even some of the most pivotal events in our people´s history started in these types of locals, since it was a popular gathering spot for people from all walks of life and classes. The relative age of the waiters and bartenders is way older than in more westernized bars and pubs. So yeah, Europe has a far more diverse third space culture than you are personally familiar with.
I envy you, having a neighborhood bar/pub that has a sense of family, a sense of community.
Comunity of drunks
I really wish I knew enough Japanese to go to an izakaya and talk and order comfortably. This level of warmth and wholesome interactions is such a great atmosphere for enjoying drinks. Loved the videos! You guys have been doing amazing with the recent videos!
I was fortunate enough to go to one where the owner and some customers spoke English (and my best friend was a regular there). They are really awesome. The owner closed up early on a quiet night and took us all out for karaoke and visiting his friends bar. He even had a gift for me on my last day. These spaces need to be protected and encouraged in other countries.
@@stevenc123 These kind of places would be so great to have around but I don't think they'd be financially viable where I live 🥲
If you know about 30 common phrases of Japanese you can make it work. Also small izakaya I went to in Harajuku had a English menu to order from. But nobody in there spoke English it was still an absolute blast to go to and we had some of the best chicken skewers we've ever had and the beer was cold and sake cheap. $35 for an absolute amazing night stumbling to the train station.
The elderly Japanese people in pubs generally cannot speak or understand English, so I would like people from overseas to make an effort to speak Japanese to them.
@@gwingggg5 I tried my best!!!
Greg, I know you're into urbanism, so I wanted to say that izakaya like this (especially independently-owned ones) are great examples of a "third place" - a "familiar public spot where you regularly connect with others known and unknown, over a shared interest or activity". They can be a home-away-from-home, and "third" because it's not home and it's not work, the two main places people spend a lot of time
I need a third place in my life. Bad.
@@drek7361 i think alot of people do nowdays
I absolutely loved this video, what a fantastic and friendly place to eat, drink and be around people. I really liked the feel of genuine community and that people visit the other places along the street including the owners shows how friendly and welcoming it is. Thank you Akko for sharing this excellent video with everyone. Best wishes to you, Greg and your families
I wish bars and pubs were like this where I’m from. This seems like the ideal experience.
When I was a young sailor in the mid seventies the bars kept our bottles the same way, waiting for us to return in 3, 4, 5, or 6 months time, depending on the route our ship had.
I don't go to bars but I'd go to one like this so nice and such a safe feeling.
We have something similar with older and smaller bars called værtshus in Denmark (translating to host house). They usually have a smaller clientel of loyal customers who come everyday. In the old days people used to be loyal to a værtshus, but that generation is dying out, and going there on a weekday is generally something for students and lower parts of society.
I honestly think, that "the værtshus" is doing a comeback at the moment. We have been through the fancy craft beer phase and now people are looking for nostalgia, comfort and cheaper beers. There are places here in my town of Århus, which are thriving right now. Let's hope it stays that way. Still my favorites, when I go out.
Most places in the U.S. will not allow you to bring in outside food IF they serve food. I LOVE this concept. It's similar to a 5-table restaurant where it's cozy and the locals can come to relax. Here we call this a "dive bar". It's usually small. What we'd call "dingy (dark, unkept)". But the locals love it because it is where "family" gathers. Thank you for sharing your culture! This made my day!
Japan has myriad small izakayas like this, but there's less and less of them every year. Chain izakayas are taking their place, and the non-chain bars are mostly artisan style places that are certainly nice but are quite different from this homey style. I can only hope that there will always be a place for this specific kind of down-to-earth establishment.
I've never seen anything so... pleasant and homely besides home itself. in the Netherlands, it's all money, no connection, even in personal relations. This just looks... incredible. I hope to be able to visit a wonderful place like this some day.
They're so cool! Go visit, Japan is waiting!
Same for US I’ve never seen a shop/bar like this.
The personality must be around there but maybe it's hard to find. Definitely common here in Scotland but good luck with the food side of things xD
@chexmix0101 I have a place kinda like this in Dallas Texas. It's got the same look and feel as おくば but maybe not the super family vibe. But still a blast.
I'm 28 years old and never really experienced a good night out at a bar/pub/izakaya before. It actually warms my hard and made me smile seeing how happy and friendly everyone was to each other, and they showed so much respect and love for mama! In my country, 4 fights would have broken out in the time this video aired which is why I don't go out much. Japan seems so amazing in this way ☺
But where do you live? I'll take you out for a good time and no fights!!!
There are good comfy bars all over the world! Maybe not with a grandma serving red bean rice but still. Get out there. It’s on you.
I love places like this. There’s a bar that’s pretty similar to this one on the way to my local train station, which is always tempting after work. It’s a really great way to get to know the locals, especially since people tend to be more open and talkative when they been drinking a bit. (I should mention that it really helps to have a decent level of Japanese places like this, since it’s unlikely anyone will be able to speak English… at least in a small town like where I live!)
Akko did such a good job on this! I also love that she narrated it! 🩷
Akko's voice-over caught me off guard 😆 It's like when a foreign language course suddenly decides you're good enough at the language, so everything is in German now. It really fits the vibe of the video though! Less documentary, more "dudes, check out this interesting thing."
Love it! Love the new direction the channel has been taking for the past few years. I would like to see more from Akko in a similar vein. Especially videos about communities and people from a Japanese person's point of view.
Seemed very different from your other videos but in a really good way. Like friends talking with friends. Not as a independent piece on a topic.
If you liked it, we did another one that I think has a similar feel ruclips.net/video/BcPGdM76O2U/видео.html
Akko, You did a great job here! Keep going!!
I wish Canada had a pub like this. But pubs here is big and very commercial, especially in newer community.
It is warmhearted, hardworking people like Mama that keep everyday society together. And they get far too little praise for this.
Young drinking along with elders and listening to their experiences, and that all in a very good atmosphere, what more can You ask for.
Reminds me of experience of being on a tapas crawl in Madrid with everyone out from babies in strollers to elderly.
That is what a good "Kneipe" in Germany was too. Unfortunately much of these old fashioned bars closed already, but there are some true gems left. It's amazing to see that this culture is still such popular in Japan. People today waste too much time with social media but never get in contant with real people.
I live in the states have been in the restaurant business for 45 years and I’ve loved Japan for 55 years. My friend keeps asking me to open a restaurant in the states with him. I won’t do it. Too many variables. But in Japan, I could run one of these and I would absolutely adore it. People of Japan of the most beautiful souls. They’re so respectful and friendly when they get to know you. This would be so perfect for me. And I love how they respect and help those of a certain age.
Loved this video! Really like the communal aspect of these small izakayas. I'd be wary of going inside on my own, though, not knowing Japanese 😅
On the other hand. This are the best places to learn Japanese. If you know enough to get by. just being there will help you learn by just listening.
If you would go with someone else do agree with each other to only speak Japanese where you can. the people there will often enjoy helping you to become better. If you become a regular guest you would become from just a guyjin to there guyjin.
besides alcohol will make it much easier for all, For one Japanese people will loosen there ways a bit. They show more there true selves in a pub then anywhere.
Don't worry! It takes a lot of courage to go in, but you will have the best time. Often these small places don't have pictures on their menu, or English and they probably speak no English. They may panic a bit and say "No English!". Just smile, say "Okay!" and ask for a recommendation "Osusume wa?" Make sure to make it clear that you're enjoying the food, etc. In 99% of the cases they will get a big kick out of it and will probably have lots of fun getting you to try a lot of interesting dishes. The other 1% of the time, they will be too embarrassed to let you know that they are annoyed and so you won' t know anything about it 😀Obviously, the more Japanese you know, the better, but it will be fine.
One other way to do this, though, is that if you go to Japan, hire a guide to take you out to small places like this. They are usually quite affordable and you will get a much more interesting experience because you will understand what you are eating ;-)
@@urouroniwa well said. I would say good advice is to go in with a friend so that you can talk to each other and the bar owner doesn't feel they have to keep up conversation with the language barrier, can just make it easier the first time. But it's great to do and they're very accommodating 99% of the time!
DO IT!!! My wife and I had an absolute blast at a small izakaya we found in Harajuku. Best $35 I've ever spent!!!
What a lovely place! I wish I i had something with this atmosphere where I live. I've never heard of bottle keep before, what a cool idea.
First time I saw it in Japan I was so confused, but it's really cool!
I'm finally in Japan on holiday after postponing my 2020 vacation due to covid. I have been watching LWIF during the long and lonely days of covid and during the months leading up to this trip. I'm in Takayama right now and I am going into the mountains tomorrow to go to an onsen. I pinch myself every day because I still dont't truly realize that I'm finally here. Thanks Greg and Akko for helping me to keep my spirits up and making this vacation so special. You are a cherished little part of my daily life! 🎉
HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME. I spent si weeks in Tokyo/traveling while I taught a poetry class in 2003 and I still think about all my experiences. I would LOVE to go back, particularly to visit a traditional onsen for a weekend
Thank you, made me feel happy to see such a nice atmosphere and friendly people. That sense of community and togetherness seems so rare and precious in this day and age.
Awesome idea. Like visiting a relative, mom grandma, aunt. Love the friendly, family like feel. In this age when people are more and more lonely, alienated this is a shining example to follow and replicate. Would be great to see places like this in Europe too.
What a fantastic place. And AKKO - good job !!!! This was soo enjoyable. Ive added it to my new places to visit xls. Have been to Japan 6 times since 2018. New places like this is what interests me rather than just Ramen shops or Chain stores. Good job too Greg..in the background Im guessing :)
Akko shot everything 100%. Akko did the first edit and then we did the second edit together. My wife and I did the subtitles.
This was so heartwarming. I literally teared up a bit. A lot of the world has atomized itself that such camaraderie isn’t as common anymore, at least where I am at. I’d love to visit this place sometime 😊
RIP Greg.
You will be remembered.
Oh no!!!!!
Who's Greg?
This place as it is shown in the video. Is more resembling as if this place is the livingroom of the fixed clients. To the extent that going to the other bars in the street is more like visiting your neighbours.
You might see this in some very local Dutch bars in a village that might have two in total on the same square.
This is a great example of a third place. [first place will be your home second place is where you work]
Last night I finally got the chance to visit Okubo (it was my second attempt as unbeknown to me, Sundays are closed). It was on the bucket list since this video came out, and saw it as an opportunity to practice my limited Japanese too. Tomoe-san and the other patrons were very welcoming, kind and generous despite communication challenges. The food was great (natto & fried seaweed otoshi, tuna sashimi, garlic pork on shredded cabbage and okonomiyaki from the shop next door), was offered a taste of two kinds of imo shochu, and even got the chance to hang out with one of the regulars at the bar across the street (thank you Sakamoto-san for the offer). It was the highlight of my trip to Tokyo and would recommend it to anyone just to see Tomoe-san and the rest of the gang light up as you walk through the door.
I would love to visit here. The people are so warm and kind, and everyone just enjoys their time and each other's company. Very heartwarming ❤
I've noticed that behind the scene other family members are instrumental in producing your videos. It's nice to see one completely narrated by your wife or perhaps your sister-in-law? Since,I watched the midnight diner series on Netflix the subject is very relatable. Well done 👍
The community Japan foster is amazing and should be regarded as such, this is such an amazing atmosphere and I don't think you can find such a cozy place like this in the States.
I've found a couple kinda similar place in Dallas, TX. One is a izakaya style and the other is a sushi place. They both recognize me when I walk in. Helps knowing a little Japanese and having a Japanese kei car though.
Now this is a true third place. Wonderful to see!
Wow, I think this is the only country in the world where this concept would work. Such a beautiful community to support each other like a second family.
Japan is so amazing for that. To have your entire country basically in harmony with each other is so beautiful. I just sit here and watch in awe since 99.99% of these community concepts would never work in the U.S. lol
'Youths' would destroy it in the US in a millisecond.
Sure man. Why bcaz ? No racial inclusion. Lmao. No gulf muslims no blacks from Africa. They Bing chilling
I guess you have never been to Texas. 🤠 And by Texas I don't mean Dallas or Austin.
It's very much like a traditional British pub
My absolute favorite part about this is the genuine sense of community you can feel so present there.
My whole life I have been admiring japanese people. I truly wish I was japanese. They are hard-workers and they are so smart, so peaceful, classful, graceful, well-mannered and educated. They litterally gather all the qualities I usually look in people before wanting to do anything with them.
May they never change. Their souls are so beautiful ❤
Recently watched a Japanese series called Midnight Cafe which was about a place like this, it's Master and the customers. Never imagined such places actually existed. Very appealing.
I'm a fan of Midnight Diner (the name I know it by), too. One of my favorite series ever. It's great to see such a place in real life.
I've been to one of the izakaya restaurants in Tokyo about ten years ago. It was my first time with this kind of restaurant, it was near the hostel where I stayed. Mama-san and another girl who I think was the daughter dressed in kimono and I remember the atmosphere was fun. We interact with other local guests with zero Japanese. We order pork, squid, and stuff by acting or producing sounds alike. There was a TV where guests could sing karaoke. It was amusing that night.
Great work, Akko! I thoroughly enjoyed your Okubo Izakaya story. Keep up your amazing work!
Akko-san's videos are so fun, fried chicken and alcohol! Haha, sincerely though, I love how there are many perspectives in these videos. It's not snooty, like "this is the PROPER izakaya experience," it's just showing a glimpse of real peoples' lives and what works for them. Mama-san and her regulars seem very sweet, and I love how they take care of each other. It makes me want to have a drink with them!
The vide is like real life Midnight Diner. So happy to watch this one
You can tell she is a very sweet lady, and this is what brings people back.
As far as I know there is nothing close to this where i am. Maybe there are some small bars with similar atmospheres but ive never seen one andmthey can't be common.
Even so, this whole video and the izakaya are very comforting. I can tell it's like visiting with family or very close friends. So lovely!
Really enjoyed this video, thank you for sharing it.
Thankyou for another beautiful video. Bars are nothing like that in New Zealand. It is another reason that makes me want to visit Japan.
Places like the one in this video are the best.
Like a Japanese version of "Cheers" with fun and interesting costumers and kind and friendly service.
I love how the mama dynamic is present at these izakayas. Its like you enter their home and they host you
I can feel the warmth through the screen, this is true community work
I just have to say I love this format of short documentaries about the real life of locals. The lack of music really allows you to focus on what the vibe would be like in real life. The random conversation of the crowd, the bugs in the park, or just the silence conveys so much of what the atmosphere is truly like. No busy music overlay is awesome! It reminds me of the old PBS specials by Rick Sebak, such as “Sandwiches that you will like” or “a hotdog program”.
I like this kind of content that shows the regular, normal life of Japanese people instead of the tourist things. Keep up the good work 👍🏻
wow, I really like how close everyone is. The store owners all know each other and seem to have a good relationship with each other + support the business of others and their customers do the same. This area feels very homely and cozy :)
Arigato goasaimasu! Fantastic video, and amazing to see so many people getting along together in a small space, and even more friendly than a local pub in the UK. Great to see seniors working and enjoying the interractions with others. It does keep you healthy, and long lived. Excellent.
I want to say that I like this video format, which is calm and allows the content of the video to present itself well, rather than an obnoxious narrator constantly talking and distracting the viewer. It's quite nice. The topic is nice as well.
Bars have come to mean loud places where young people congregate because there is nothing else to do. I wish more countries had these izakaya-style bars where people could actually relax and hang out, even when attending alone.
This almost reminds me of those party hangouts at a friends or families house and everybody is over having fun chatting, eating food listening to music, playing games and such until it's late out midnight.
日本語のヴィデオおもしろかったです。ありがとうございました。🤩🍶
This was an amazing video that really managed to capture the feeling of the place and the people involved. Also, Japanese narration works extremely well.
Excellent video. It is so nice to see a local community meeting place being shown on social media, with people of all ages coming together to have a goid time, without the egotistical attitudes being prominent. ❤🙋♀️
We live outside of Vancouver, BC and have visited Japan at least 6 times. I was a high school teacher and on one visit we met up with one of my ex-students whose wife’s father owned a small izakaya, much like this one. In Vancouver over the past 10 or 15 years a lot of izakayas have sprung up, but they are more about the food, and less about drinking. The more popular ones have more than on location. I know where Aoto is. Our favourite place to stay in Tokyo is just one station away at Tateishi. We’d love to visit Mama!
Wow! This bar seems very friendly and has such a relaxing looking atmosphere! I never drink at outtings, but only with my parents at home because I get a little worried otherwise. But, I think I would not mind drinking at a bar that is like this...a home away from home! The customers giving drinks and food to other customers was really interesting and nice to see!
I was a US Marine stationed in Okinawa about 30 years ago. We had a little place like this just outside the gates of my base (MCAS Futenma). Mama-san kept bottles for us behind the bar. Sometimes one of the guys from my barracks would bring his guitar and we'd all sing. There was a big projection TV up on the wall that played only "Ren & Stimpy" episodes nonstop.
It was an incredibly quirky place, and nothing like all of the other typical military bars on Okinawa (many of which were quite tacky/sleazy, TBH).
That place felt like a home away from home for many of us.
I still miss that place. This video brought me right back there.
I definitely need to go back to Japan again. Awesome culture, beautiful land, fantastic food, and absolutely wonderful people. ❤🙏
Truly loveable & heartwarming video.
This is what supposed to be Izakayas in the old days Japan.
this kind of Izakaya was usually only in Rural or suburb area. it's very rare to find on central Tokyo
And the street, so walkable and cozy!
I love the vibe! It's like you're going to hang out at a nice old lady's house to chill and eat and drink.
The best of both worlds. A cold glass of beer and a grandma's home cooking.
What a great video! As a student who takes Japanese, I get very excited when my eyes leave the subtitles and I understand *some* of what is said! Such wholesome content :) Thank you LWIF
I'd love to experience an izakaya like this. It's like a home away from home. Thank you for sharing this slice of life with us :)
Where do you live?
In Canada.@@s70driver2005
This is a cute story. It's the ultimate neighborhood bar where it's more like a family gathering.
This video makes me happy. Let’s be thankful for small business and the people who find a place there
1982-83, MSG wandering the side streets hitting every bar walking back from duty. great days.. Roppongi Raiders
Love your video. No Izakaya in Belgium...some "Taverns " but the atmosphere are very different.
This place, make me wish to live close of it...❤❤❤
I guess you could be less lonely with that kind of place...
I love watching this! Okasan once operated an Izakaya (Drinking Snack/Diner Bar) in Tomisato Chiba Shi back in 2007-2008. This brings back memories. I couldn't help much in the bar because I had a day job and was very tired at night but the times when I'm Genki or special occasions like birthday events on the bar was exciting. Bottle keep is a normal thing, customers come back to their unfinished bottles. We serve mainly Philippine "pica-pica" foods there and the Japanese customers loved them while doing drinking and karaoke.
“Where everybody knows your name!” This reminded me of “Cheers,” but obviously Japanese.
It’s like going for a drink at a friends house! How lovely! The owner seems like everyone’s mom or grandma ❤
This is probably my most favorite video on this channel and I have watched almost all of them.
It’s like a tavern of antiquity but alive and well in Japan. Fascinating things, I wish the US had places like this. Another reason to visit Japan, I guess 😄
This type of place is so cute. I love the intimacy.
In Greece, there are ouzeris ( restaurants that specialize in serving ouzo or other alcoholic drinks with side dishes , "meze" ). Sometimes, it may be a coffee house ( kafenio ) too. You get a similar vibe in every mom & pop shop that sells food in a no frills style, especially to working class people.
I love Akko-san, and I'm so happy to see her doing her own video! This was a special slice of life video.
i used to always watch your channel when i was in middle school i just remembered it now
This must be a completely awesome place for the regulars. I love the atmosphere, and the homey feeling they get from it. It's their own private club.
(But it's so "tight" that I could _never_ walk in as an outsider.)
I just fell in love with the whole street. I have tears in my eyes. It's so beautiful.
ahhh more video with akko san narrating please, she's so well spoken, her japanese is easy to understand
Good idea to have the clients hold some of your inventory! Nice sense of community too.
wow - i never leave comments but i wanted to say here that this was such a special episode to watch. truly. it's heartwarming, informative, and motivates me to continue to learn japanese language more to be able to be included in conversation like this.
My new favorite episode. This should win awards, and I really really want to go there now!!
The street looks just like that show "midnight diner"!
Reminds me of 'Midnight Diner'. What an awesome place.
I love this. Greg, your SIL did a great job. It's so cool to see a local interacting with other locals.