Hidden in the largest metropolis in the world are the central contributions to modern Japanese cuisine. Tokyo and the Kanto region specialize in distincting what is celebrated as the food of Japan, from the new fad fluffy pancakes to traditional foods such as sushi and soba.
Izakayas, or Japanese pubs, are places hidden from the typical tourist or passerby. These places, made for Tokyo locals, consist of various shop fronts serving food right to your table. The difference with these pubs is there is no inside seating. Izakayas have the air of a typical style bar, sending out fresh soba bowls as well as a distinct smell in the air of ginger and cigarettes.
One izakaya is Matsu Sou. It is hidden underneath a railway, far from the typical tourist’s eye. Old beer crates and wooden tabletops make the tables, while the layman and everyday businessman sit and relax with similar peers around them. The food comes directly from the fryers and woks to your table, making a creaking sound as the wooden grinds against the beer crate holding it up. The cooks have made any number of dishes ranging from the typical (ramen and soba noodles) to the downright bizarre (octopus and squid salad).
Laughter and chatter resound throughout the alleyway creating a restaurant atmosphere without all the pomp and circumstance. These types of areas and the comfort food they serve is what Japanese culture truly is: finding a way to bond with others in the wide world of Tokyo.
