Deathmatch Bar

Only a night out with John would have us end up at a bar in the Golden Gai district. Well, district would have you imagine vast area but in actual fact, golden gai only stretches one block as far as the eye can see. Yes, it's a small block jam packed with low-rise post war looking buildings that are filled with bars. Golden Gai is in Shinjuku, within kabuki-cho. Ok that doesn't make much sense to you... but that's where we ended up after a sinfully orgasmic yakiniku dinner filled with wagyu beef, more beef, kimchee and too much beer... and more beef. YUM! :)

Only a night out with John would have us end up at a bar like 'Deathmatch'. A bar that will sit no more than ten Japanese and certainly no more than six Americans lol. It's small... you get it. Of course, the first thing I NEED to do upon entering this space is look for a bathroom. Bathroom? Uh-oh... no bathroom? My first thought was - don't tell me I'm gonna' have to do the in-the-public stunt (again)?! That's another story for yet another day lol. Yes, of course there's a toilet. But I kid you not, it could barely fit me! None of that turning around and get comfortable deal. Ok, I don't usually do the dosy-doe in toilets but when you've had a couple too many, you never know what you're capable of doing sometimes lol. ...and of course, much like the complicated locks in Szombothe Hungary (yet another story there lol), I needed John's help to get me in, then again, yell for help, to get me out when I was done lol. Bloody embarassing man!

The decor inside the bar -a baseball bat wrapped in barbwire, the crazy wrestling belt, 'ren rou man tou' dvd (roughly translated; human flesh bread dumpling). For more pics go to the husband's flickr site.


Only a night out with John would make you feel like you're absolutely exhausted at a little past midnight when all you from 7pm till then was eat, drink and laughed all night. Good times! Guess what(!?) - we're repeating all this again on Friday night. Same people, same country, different restaurant and bar I'm sure and probably different drinks - can you imagine I have yet to have a drink of sake or shochu yet!? Speaking of which, owner-bartender- toilet- scrubber, Tsuyoshi-san (who lived outside Shanghai for a few years and does speak some Mandarin) makes a mean gin tonic.

NOTE: ...and just for my memory sake, we also met Kaburi-san (shit who knows if this is her correct name - I'm just horrible with names - it's as close to the right one as I can remember) who just returned from a job-related trip from Malaysia... had to write it down in case I see her back at the bar. Notes, guys, we always need notes.