Theres a bar in Omiya; well more of a spacious wardrobe pertaining to have drinks available that Tokyo Review stumbled into one night. We ordered a drink from where the shoe rack should have been and regretted it almost immediately for when the cloakroom attendant returned with our drink it was more like an icecream and at 800yen a pop left us short and rueful. The cloak room attendant apologised and explained that the tap was broken and handed us what we thought were complimentary nuts for the trouble. Drunk and in surroundings that one couldn’t possibly imagine could require a seating charge, we mixed our froth to distil what little liquid we could and called the bill. It came with a 500yen a head seating charge – what for the ambience, the nuts and the service of 800 yen foam. Unimpressed Tokyo Review reflected and thought the most moral thing to do was pay for the foam but not the seating fee and bolt into the night. If you have a faculty to speak of you won’t go there.
0/5
Yoshinoya > Restaurant > Under 500 Yen
Matsuya > Restaurant > Under 500 Yen
Tokyo it is reassuring to know that wherever you are in you are never further than walking distance from a two course hot meal for 350 yen. It’s not fancy but then that’s not the point when you’re flat broke in the most expensive city on earth. For your money you get a decent serving of boiled rice with scratchings of fried pork, a miso soup and hot tea. The pork might look a little dubious and certainly the ratio of meat to fat is extremely variable (check your horoscope in advance) but it will fill you up and warm your stomach for the lowest cost in Tokyo.
Note – There are other things on the menu – vegetable curry, beef and salad – all similarly basic and cheap but if you are really counting the 1 yen coins then pork is your future.
***/5
Note – There are other things on the menu – vegetable curry, beef and salad – all similarly basic and cheap but if you are really counting the 1 yen coins then pork is your future.
***/5
Turn Table Sushi > Restaurant > 1500 Yen
Sushi connoisseurs will tell you its not “real” sushi but they don’t know anything – its 120 yen a plate! Fill your boots and stuff your face with Tuna, Salmon snapper jack and all manner of raw fish of until you are blue in the face. Watch it being made in front of your eyes by a crack squad of ultra fast and dexterous sushi chefs helping yourself to whatever takes you’re fancy from the rotating counter in front of you. Don’t worry, unless you are some sort of food eating professional we guarantee you it won’t come to more than 1500. One cautionary note, if the place is near empty then steer clear as there is no telling how long those fish eggs have been going around and around… There are loads of these places scattered around Tokyo so keep an eye out.
*****/5
*****/5
Late of the Pier > Shibuya O-East > January 2009
'Weird, weird, weird, weird' - the words of Late of the Pier bassist Andrew Faley (aka Francis Dudley Dance) shortly after leaving the stage at Shibuya O-East last night. Why weird? The band's performance of their supernaturally synthesised, off-kilter sci-fi pop come glam-thrash sound absorbed the capacity strong audience like a McDonald's advert would a small child. It was intense, ruthless and ultimately successful.
So why weird? The band had a forty minute set, the venue management required a ninety minute set, so their usual set-list has a DJ set/dance-off placed delicately in the middle of it. Faley provided the tunes, whilst lead vocalist Samuel Eastgate (aka Samuel Dust) and synth queen Sam Potter (aka Jack Paradise) entered the crowd attempting to find 'the best dancer in Tokyo'; drummer Ross Dawson (aka Red Dog Consuela) presumably went somewhere and rested his arms. On reflection, the band were unsure as to how this impromptu interlude had fared, suggesting that from then on 'there was a strange atmosphere'.
TR disagrees. In fact, upon the band returning to the stage the crowd were ready to respond to their every whim, with Potter emerging wielding a Bowie-esque power of persuasion as the clap conductor, the crowd controller. Indeed they were twice as hyped with 'Hot Tent Blues/Broken' working the whole place into a frenzy, only to be topped by 'Bathroom Gurgle' as their finale.
www.lateofthepier.com
www.myspace.com/lateofthepier
****/5
Snodeck > Bar/Restaurant/Accommodation > Asagai Gelande, Niigata > Beer 600 yen > Pizza 1350 yen > Bed 3000/3500 yen
Location
A mere two hours from Tokyo, the Snodeck sits comfortably at the foot of Asagai Snowboard Park, ten minutes walk from the main ski resorts of Naeba, Niigata. Having heard good things about the 'deck', we thought we would send our own bunch of intrepid incompetants on a two day ski trip to fully test out its credentials.
Travel
Being woefully unprepared, we had to take the more expensive Shinkansen route from Tokyo Station to Echigo Yuzawa, followed by a local bus to Naeba Village. The Snodeck is within walking distance from here for those wearing decent shoes. Those wearing ski-boots or carrying heavy bags will need to get the bus up the road. If you are incapable of any of the above then you may be lucky (as we were) and get collected by the Snodeck.
A warm welcome in a cold climateGet your kit on
The Snodeck has a limited amount of kit available for cheap rental and there are various other rental outlets in the area all offering complete kit for around 2500-3000 yen a day. A complete whole area ski-pass costs around 5000 yen although cheaper ones are available for specific areas.
There is more information, maps, videos, photos etc on www.snodeck.net. Check it!
****/5
Friendly Fires > Shibuya O-East > December 2008
St. Albans' finest, the Pop/Disco House inspired Friendly Fires made a swift but essential visit to the city earlier this month in what arguably turned into one of the most defining dates of their world tour. With no support act it was left to Jack Savidge (drums) to flex his cross-fader, placing the crowd on a steady, simmering, slow boil in preparation for what was to come.
With the arrival of lead vocalist Ed MacFarlane, bassist Edd Gibson and percussionist Rob Lee (live only), Shibuya O-East errupted. Female crowd members were unable to contain their enthusiasm towards MacFarlane's hip-driven moves, lacing the event with a level of euphoria one would imagine akin to a Backstreet Boys concert on Helium. Post gig, the delirium spreads online in a flash, with one fan describing the moment MacFarlane greeted the crowd early on in the set: 'I touched his hand and hair, and actually he was just in front of me – that moment was like a movie! Thank you Ed Mac'.
Hysteria aside, it was a stunning performance, with the venue's soundsystem clearly doing the band's percussion-powered sound justice. They were tight and clearly well rehearsed given the extensive touring the band have done over the past year. And what a year it has been with countless TV appearances, a UK Top 40 Album and a Top 20 Single. Post gig Gibson agreed, stating how 'a year ago we could have never predicted to be ending this one like this, we're very lucky'.
www.wearefriendlyfires.com
www.myspace.com/friendlyfires
*****/5
Insomnia Lounge > Bar > Shibuya > Cocktails 900 yen > 6pm - 5am
A cosy bar with tasty cocktails and wall to wall red velvet. Food served. Get your friend to pay.
***/5
***/5
Bar Galaxy > Bar > Omiya > Cocktails 700 yen > 9pm - 5am
Sixth floor bar just outside Tokyo in Omiya, Saitama. If U.S commercial hip hop hits your spot then head on down and take a look around. Female dancers and an extensive array of...well...drinks.
**/5
**/5
La Fabrique > Club > Shibuya > Cocktails 600 yen > Entrance 2,500 Yen (incl. one drink) > 10pm - 5am
Coco Curry House > Restaurant > Everywhere > Curries between 500 and 880 yen
Don’t change a winning team so the old adage goes. Coco Curry House are staunch followers of this mantra. They’ve got one flavour and it’s a good one; it's brown and it's called curry. Have it with bread crumbed chicken, pork, prawn, horse, sausage, mutton, cheese. In fact anything, but thou WILL have it with ‘Curry’.
***/5
***/5
The Hub > English Pub > Across Tokyo > Pint 680 yen > 10am - late
A vast chain of English themed Pubs that are situated across the breadth of the city. The Hub is an institution. When in Rome go to Mcdonald’s. Mock at will, but when you live in Tokyo at some point you will almost certainly yearn to speak to someone who has heard of Eastenders. The Hub represents your best chance of finding that person. If you’re homesick you can get (a very small) fish and chips and settle down to watch The Premiership shown live throughout Sunday night and Monday morning.
Special note - whilst you will find an assortment of beers served by the pint (including Guiness), if you want to get drunk then the Long Island Ice T is lethal (6 shots in a pint glass with a splash of coke) and most cost efficient during one of their many generous happy hours.
***/5
Special note - whilst you will find an assortment of beers served by the pint (including Guiness), if you want to get drunk then the Long Island Ice T is lethal (6 shots in a pint glass with a splash of coke) and most cost efficient during one of their many generous happy hours.
***/5
