Secret Bars In Tokyo

[onemancult]

"In Sunday’s travel section of the New York Times, there was a great article about the resurgence of secret bars in Tokyo, which used to be a staple of Japanese night life.

Hidden in the maze of urban Tokyo, these bars are intentionally hard to find and maintain a certain intimacy that exudes exclusivity. They are Japan's equivalent to Western red velvet ropes - the smaller and more obscure they are, the more exclusive.

These tiny bars are reminiscent to pre-war Tokyo, when the city was packed with "counter bars" called Nomiya. These bars only sat about a half dozen regulars and the host was as much a bar tender as a confidant. Today, a younger creative class is reviving nomiya culture, which the author refers to as a "postmodern nostalgia for pre-Sony Tokyo."

According to one patron:

There's a new focus on traditional culture developing among my Japanese friends...They are starting to wear kimonos and reject the Western ideology pushed on them by their parents' generation. I think it's the new punk.â€

With plenty of hidden speakeasy type bars popping up in New York and a layer of nostalgia being painted on nearly every new development, it looks like Tokyo might also be struggling to hang onto to their not-so-distant neighborhood spots."

NYT

-ripped from psfk.

[cuddlysheep]

shiet, where are those bars that serve sushi on naked hot biotches.?

[Guest jmatsu]

i don't know if they're really meant to be "secret." they're probably just unknown or difficult to find.

there are alot of member's only bars. regular non female companion industry oriented bars that is...

[Jammond]

That's definitely a cool idea, but isn't it just an extension of all the other brand ideas with the twist that they are reverting back to tradition. Look at the secretive nature of Streetwear and compare the two: obscure locations, unmarked stores, a distinct lack of advertising.

[homi29]

shiet, where are those bars that serve sushi on naked hot biotches.?

my uncle worked at one of those body sushi places in chicago

[insomaniac]

im a bit confused; is this article refering to the 'ga-do shita aka-chochin' type of 'nomiya'?