Discovering Tsukasa: A Quaint Hideaway in Yokohamabashi's Back Streets
Location: Yokohamabashi, Minami Ward, Yokohama, Japan
Timestamp: 18:40 on December 19, 2023
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1.0 sec. at ƒ/6.4
Astia/Soft film simulation
Venturing into the dark, narrow alleys branching off from the brightly lit main drag of Yokohamabashi Shotengai shopping street, I discovered a quaint bar and eatery named “Tsukasa.”
The establishment, run by an elderly woman, served homemade dishes and drinks to customers engrossed in the sports news broadcast from a tiny TV perched atop a refrigerator in the corner behind the kitchen counter.
Inebriated salarymen in business suits and equally red-faced blue-collar workers, still in their factory uniforms, laughed loudly and became vocally excited about the baseball news emanating from the small screen.
This shop, absent from Google Maps with zero online reviews, barely seems to exist in the modern world. The only way to discover it is through word of mouth or by stumbling upon it while meandering through the back alleys branching off from Yokohamabashi Shotengai’s brightly lit main street.
As mentioned in previous posts, I appreciate the wide variety of noren curtains, particularly those with charming, traditional designs that hint at the owner's character, the establishment's vibe, and sometimes reveal a shop’s heritage.
I love the understated noren of this shop with its classic indigo blue called “ai” (藍) in Japanese. This indigo, made from the leaves of the Japanese indigo plant, was initially used by aristocrats and samurai. It can now be found adding color to everything from kimonos, blue jeans, linen, and of course, noren curtains.
The young bamboo plant motifs in the noren blend well with the real potted bamboo plant positioned just below it.
The storefront sign indicates “Sapporo” (the type of beer served at the shop) and, from top to bottom, right to left, reads “家庭料理・katei ryōri,” which means homemade cooking, and “つかさ・Tsukasa,” likely the owner’s name. Next time I visit, I hope to remember to ask about the origin of the name!
Explore other shops near Yokohamabashi Shotengai, and find references to related articles for further reading on my blog post: https://www.pix4japan.com/blog/20231219-yokohamabashi
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