「Tenbun Closing」One Year Anniversary, pt. 2: Tenbun People See the Photo Essay (the subjects become the audience once again)

The gang got together for the first time in months. Some have gone through hardships and losses. But it was good to get together at this Italian restaurant. Everyone was happy and thrilled with the photo essay!

For more information on Tenbun and the project: 「Behind the Scenes:「Tenbun Closing」Presentation @ Anthropology of Japan in Japan Annual Meeting 2020」

http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2020/12/behind-scenestenbun-closingpresentation.html

「Eat, Drink, and Stand in Japan」at Anthropology News (oneline version)

https://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2021/01/08/eat-drink-and-stand-in-japan/

「Tenbun Closing」One Year Anniversary, pt. 1: Empty Space

March 28, 2020 was Tenbun's last day of business. One year later the location of Tenbun is empty space. The red circles on the floor guide for エルくずは (Elle Kuzuha) show where Tenbun was (lot 5) and that no new shop has opened there.

The Norengai is no more (only two shops seem to have a small noren now). This shot was taken at 5:30 PM last Thursday. The renamed エルくずは is no longer a busy and popular corridor like it once was. The demise was likely caused by the refurbishment/gentrification of the area by Keihan Densha, higher rents, more chain restauraunts, the close of the pachinko parlour and finally the close of Tenbun. COVID-19 was the last nail in the coffin. In all, three shops have gone out of business and remain vacant. At least one shop seems to be at least temporarily closed.

Shuttered and closed. But not forgotten...

For more information on Tenbun and the project: 「Behind the Scenes:「Tenbun Closing」Presentation @ Anthropology of Japan in Japan Annual Meeting 2020」

http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2020/12/behind-scenestenbun-closingpresentation.html

「Eat, Drink, and Stand in Japan」at Anthropology News (oneline version)

https://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2021/01/08/eat-drink-and-stand-in-japan/

I received some extra copies of my photo essay (Thanks Nat@AN) to give to the folks at the tachinomya along with a Japanese translation of the text. But don't tell, it's supposed to be a surprise...

For more information about Tenbun and the tachinomiya project (special multimodal bonus edition):

http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2020/12/behind-scenestenbun-closingpresentation.html

To view the story online (with a different layout):

https://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2021/01/08/eat-drink-and-stand-in-japan/

AAA Weekend Reads - popular stories from the world of anthropology

Eat, Drink, and Stand in Japan: https://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2021/01/08/eat-drink-and-stand-in-japan/

Checked my postal mail: the print copy finally made it to Japan!

Anthropology News,

November/December 2020,

Volume 61, Issue 6, p. 12-15

ISSN 1541-6151 

Available online (but without the cool cover): https://www.anthropology-news.org/articles/eat-drink-and-stand-in-japan/

The Tenbun/tachinomiya project: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2020/12/behind-scenestenbun-closingpresentation.html

"Anthropology News Online Content January 1–15" announcement released

Check out the other great articles as well. #anthropologynews
https://www.anthropology-news.org/

「Eat, Drink, and Stand in Japan」featuring the tachinomiya Tenbun is the cover story for the print version of Anthropology News (November/December 2020)

Also available online: https://www.anthropology-news.org/articles/eat-drink-and-stand-in-japan/

My text was severely edited (for brevity and to appeal to a wider audience I suppose) but I think the photos look great! I like the layout in the print version better. Send me an e-mail if you want a pdf copy.

The original pitch:

In Japan, food is prominent in documentaries, cooking shows, travel shows, variety shows, dramas, manga, anime, books, magazines, blogs, Facebook and Instagram. This food, not eaten but consumed, provides entertainment, enjoyment and knowledge. Many of these presentations are set in izakaya (Japanese-style pub) and tachinomiya (Japanese standing bar) located in shitamachi (“lower city” associated with common people) neighborhoods that serve B-kyu gurume (B-rank food)—comfort food and/or local food. These are fascinating shops and sites to explore the production (cooking) and consumption (eating) of food. The portrayals themselves are another form of production, that of knowledge and enjoyment that is “good to think” (Levi-Strauss 1962), “communicated” (Barthes 1966; Dusselier 2009) and “shared among people” (Cheung 2002).

This photo essay is a multimodal visual ethnography of a 40-year-old tachinomiya in Osaka called Tenbun. Tenbun features many kinds of food and drink, a lively and relaxed atmosphere and plenty of colorful characters including the owner, employees and regular customers. Based upon over two years of participant-observation and photography, a photo exhibition and other post-fieldwork encounters, the text and images explore the intersection of food anthropology, recent research on drinking establishments in Japan and the plethora of “foodie” media productions.

The Tenbun/tachinomiya project: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2020/12/behind-scenestenbun-closingpresentation.html

「Eat, Drink, and Stand in Japan」@ Anthropology News - photo essay and visual ethnography about Tenbun and tachinomiya

Link to Anthropology News: https://www.anthropology-news.org/

Direct link to photo essay: https://www.anthropology-news.org/index.php/2021/01/08/eat-drink-and-stand-in-japan/

The Tenbun/tachinomiya project: http://visualanthropologyofjapan.blogspot.com/2020/12/behind-scenestenbun-closingpresentation.html

Izakaya 「Daruma」in Monzen-Nakacho

My Tachinomiya research has been greatly influenced by Yoshida Rui and especially his Sakaba Hourouki TV show on the TBS networks. Yoshida calls himself a 「酒場ライタ」 or "Tavern writer." In a typical 15 minute show he starts out at an easily accessible train station, explores local landmarks and/or rare shops in the area before arriving at an izakaya or "traditional Japanese pub." Here he drinks, eats, interacts with the owner of the shop and regular customers, typically getting a little drunk in the process. While Japanese TV is full of food shows, Yoshida's approach is interesting/entertaining and real. He then leaves the izakaya with some final comments and then presents a haiku about his adventures that day. Remember, this is all in a 15 minute show. He's been doing it since 2003 and he is still popular. I have called his approach ethnographic, in the spirit of autoethnography and Gonzo Anthropology.

So, before my recent trip to Tokyo I researched the records of all the izakaya that Yoshida has visited in Tokyo. I have never had any luck finding a good place (in terms of good food, good drink, friendly atmosphere) in Tokyo as opposed to my many successes in Osaka. I remembered one episode in particular about a shop called Daruma in Monzen-Nakacho. It was featured on episode #226 first aired on December 3, 2007. It seemed to meet all of my criteria so I went to check it out.

And it was great! All that I wanted! Everyone was very nice and friendly. Lots of regulars were there. The place was packed on an early Monday evening. It was like a big family.

I tried Hoppy for the first time. Hoppy tastes like beer but is considered a nonalcoholic beverage. You are supposed to mix it with shochu (which is usually 25-30% alcohol). Hoppy is popular at izakayas in Tokyo. I have never seen it in Osaka. If you like beer, you should like Hoppy...

I left Daruma both happy and sad. Happy that I finally found a great izakaya in Tokyo and that I made new friends there. But I was sad to leave. I was sad that I didn't go to Daruma earlier in my visit (and then return every night). As I walked to the train station I looked down a few narrow streets and saw lots of interesting looking izakaya, tachinomiya and other shops. As it turns out (I didn't see it during my trip) The Japan Times ran a story about Mozen-Nakacho while I was in Tokyo.

"The little curiosities of Monzen-Nakacho," The Japan Times, 8/2/19.
url: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2019/08/02/travel/little-curiosities-monzen-nakacho/

Monzen-Nakacho is considered to be a shitamachi, an area not destroyed in the war, are associated with common people and have a retro feel. To me, this is the real Japan. So much to explore in this area...

See also "Exploring Old Tokyo: 4 Best Areas to Experience a Different Side of Japan! - Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and Monzen-Nakacho"
url: https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-ueno/article-a0001610/

When I have to return to Tokyo, this is the area where I will stay.