A Local Night Out for Local People

Posted on 2006/04/15 05:03:14 (April 2006).

[Friday 14th April]
Normally when we go out in Tokyo, we'll go to one of the larger centres like Shinjuku / Ikebukuro or occasionally Roppongi / Shibuya. Tonight for a change we decided to try going out in the area around one of our two nearest stations - Sasazuka.

There's a newish building with a ten pin bowling alley, right next to the station, and we spent most of the time in there. On the second floor there's a selection of bars, restaurants and izakayas (somewhere between a bar and a restaurant). So Chie and I started off in an izakaya place where we had dinner. It was full of gimmicky food, but actually quite nice. We had the root vegetable chips, which came served in a brown paper bag, the idea being you put on the seasoning and shake it up yourself. Very reminiscent of Salt n' Shake crisps, for those of you living in the UK.

We were going to go home after that, but just on the off chance Chie phoned Haruka-kun, her friend from university who has just recently moved to within a stone's throw (quite literally) of our apartment building. As it happened he wasn't busy, so he came over and joined us, and the night continued.

We went first off to a nice foreign beer bar - I would definitely go again, and I could see it becoming a bit of a regular haunt for that "one quick drink" on the way home from work.

Next off we went to play pool for a bit, at a place a few doors along. The first game was England vs Japan, and I'm pleased to say I didn't disappoint blighty. The second game was the rather more obscure Suginami-ku vs Setagaya-ku - as we live on the opposite side of a big main road to Haraku-kun, we actually live in different districts of Tokyo. Having a somewhat lesser feeling of pride for the Tokyo ward I live in, I was happy to let that game slip.

The evening was rounded off with - fabulously - some completely vegetarian ramen in a ramen restaurant. This kind of food has always been off limits to me because they normally always use animal or fish based stock in the soup. Amazaingly though, this shop advertised an entirely vegetable ramen dish (even the stock was explicitly vegetarian). It was very nice, and it felt great to be able to finally join in with this great Japanese tradition of ramen after a night out.

The time just flew by somehow, and it was getting on for 2AM by the time we got back to our flat... and no need for any trains or taxis! I was very impressed by the "facilities" on our own doorstep, and I look forward to more nights out in the local area like this.

Well, thats the reason people go and live in big cities instead of the countryside where there are no decent restaurarants.

Posted by Mum at 2006/04/15 18:44:53.

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