00:00:04 John Daub: Hello everybody! Welcome to Sendai. This is considered to be the capital of Tohoku, the capital of Miyagi Prefecture. It's the biggest city in Tohoku, and they have a pretty vibrant nightlife. Despite this being a pandemic, COVID-19, we were invited to partake in a tour that will take us to some of the bars but in a safe way. I'm really excited about this. I think Japan's situation is going to be a little bit more difficult.

00:00:34 John Daub: Japan's situation is a lot different than other places around the world, especially here in Sendai. We're going to take all the precautions because I want to be okay. This is a shopping street called shotengai (covered shopping arcade). Good evening everybody. Through this shopping street, I'm going to be taking you to another world, a retro world, an alley full of little bars. Right now it's still pretty early, about 6:30, 6:45 p.m. in Japan. All our friends in the United States are asleep; they're going to wake up to this one.

00:01:05 John Daub: Sendai is a place I used to come to quite a bit. I used to live in Iwaki in Fukushima; Sendai was one of the closest big cities. Look at the trees inside this covered shotengai. I'm going to be meeting Jess. Jess is living here in Sendai and kind of a tour guide for this area. I'm excited about that because having local knowledge is the best way, right? I hope everybody's doing good and ready for this. We're going to visit a couple of bars and eat some food, and we're going to do this really quickly.

00:01:40 Jess: Here it is. Check this out. This is Bunka Yokocho, right off the main shopping street. And I believe this is Jess right here. How are you doing, Jess?

00:02:10 John Daub: Yeah. Yes. We're taking you on a trip through time back to Showa Japan, Showa Sendai. The Showa era ran from before World War II all the way to about 1989.

00:02:23 Jess: Pretty much. Yeah. 70 years of history in this one little area alone. But are you hungry and ready for some drinks?

00:02:29 John Daub: I'm definitely thirsty and I certainly can use a bite to eat.

00:02:33 Jess: Okay. Today I'm going to be taking you on a bit of a bar hopping cruise around the local alleyway areas of Sendai. It's a much lesser known area than the main central city area. Not many foreigners tend to drink here. It's more for salarymen and workers after a long day; they'll come here for a quick drink before going home. Today I'm going to take you on a walking tour and we'll visit two different izakaya bars. Hopefully you've got an empty stomach or an empty-ish stomach.

00:03:07 John Daub: I have to admit, I've been eating quite a bit on this trip, but I always have a little bit of space for a lot of food. It's really interesting because you said not a lot of international tourists come here, but it's right off the main shopping street.

00:03:21 Jess: People just don't really know what to expect, so they're hesitant to come on their own.

00:03:27 John Daub: I can see that. This place really does look retro, starting with this sign that says Bunka Yokocho.

00:03:35 Jess: This area actually used to be next to a cinema called the Bunkan Cinema. People would come here to have a bite to eat before and after the movie, before World War II. This alleyway was named after this cinema. Bunka means culture, and yokocho (alleyway) in Japanese. If you're in Japan and you see yokocho anywhere, it's usually a good place to get some good local food.

00:04:12 John Daub: Knowing the history of this place sort of changes it a little bit. It's more than just a drinking place, although it is a drinking place, right?

00:04:15 Jess: It is definitely a drinking place. A bit of a history lesson, a bit of local culture lesson. Pretend that you're a local for the night.

00:04:24 John Daub: Michael Sassano is joining us. Asahi Super Dry, thanks. Peter from Vienna, how you doing? Jeff Ang is here. Get a cold one. We might get a few of those. Jess, where are you from?

00:04:38 Jess: I'm from Australia originally.

00:04:40 John Daub: She's Australian, so there's a couple of Kiwis said no. Australians are pretty cool too. Down this one alleyway alone, we've got about 50 different restaurants. Any kind of Japanese food you can imagine is around here. There's just a vibe to it. I want to soak this in for a second.

00:05:04 Jess: You come down Bunka Yokocho and it sort of dead ends here.

00:05:10 John Daub: That's really interesting. Roads that lead nowhere.

00:05:26 Jess: One place which I would love to take you when you come back next—unfortunately we can't get in there today—is Genji. If any of your followers are coming to Sendai, I highly recommend finding this. Genji. This is probably one of the oldest restaurants in the area, about 70 years old. You actually have to turn off down this tiny little alleyway. There's actually no real menu. You order sake or beer or a drink of your choice and you get a small little dish with each drink. There's a three-drink rule—usually after three drinks you're out, but to make sure new people can come in and so people don't get too crazy and ruin the atmosphere.

00:07:13 John Daub: That could be me. This is actually another one of the oldest restaurants in the area. Might go back to the times of the GIs in the occupation, postwar Japan. What do they got on the menu? Soup, nama beer, rice, omurice. It's kind of like Japan cafe-style food, teishoku style.

00:07:48 Jess: This is another one of my favorite places, Hassen. They're famous for the gyoza. In another half hour, you'll have a line out the door. The gyoza here, you can get yaki gyoza for 580 yen and sui gyoza for 650. That's a pretty good deal. The other great part about drinking in this part of town is it's really quite reasonable prices for decent food.

00:08:36 John Daub: We're going to head back into modern Sendai for a minute before I take you to the next alleyway.

00:09:39 Jess: This is our next main highlight of tonight. We're going right here, a big sign that says Hyaku Markets. After Sendai was pretty badly bombed during World War II, this was the first part of town to recover as a local open-air market, hence the 100 market sign. Over time it developed into more shopping, a permanent shop. You've got a really interesting mix of bars, restaurants, specialty stores, fresh food stores, tea shops. It's a bit of a different vibe to the last alleyway. A lot of the restaurants are really tiny, so they don't have toilets inside. Most of them have history, some dating back 50 or 60 years, some opened just last week. A pretty good mix of old versus new Japan. Lots of yakitori, okonomiyaki, izakaya bars.

00:11:47 John Daub: Before we started this tour, Jess took my temperature and gave me some alcohol; we're wearing masks and protection. Sendai's situation is a lot different than the US and other places. It's very important to point that out, but that is not a reason not to take precautions. I've been monitoring my temperature for this trip for the last two and a half weeks. I'm going to be doing a tour of this campaign with the JR East Welcome Pass, which is pretty cool. I came here on the Shinkansen. Sendai is only 90 minutes from Tokyo. People think of Tohoku and Sendai as really far away, but it's just up the road.

00:12:40 Jess: This is a remnant of the old market. Apparently back in the Edo period, there were about 2,000 of these wells across the city. They used to wash vegetables and fruits. This is some more postwar Sendai. This is from the Tanabata Festival, one of Sendai's most major festivals, the Star Festival. In Sendai it's actually in August, the first week from the 6th, to come in line with Obon.

00:14:06 John Daub: What is the name of your company?

00:14:09 Jess: Tohoku Local Secret Tours. Off the beaten track, local experiences.

00:14:24 John Daub: I've been smelling it for the last ten minutes. It's time to eat. Mushrooms! Today I've been picking mushrooms in the forests of Yamagata. This area's kind of more for nijikai, after-parties. A lot of people go have dinner first and then come here for a drink or something light.

00:15:50 Jess: My favorite place in the whole Yamagata area. This is a traditional Japanese izakaya, a pub. This is called Nidaime, which means second generation. Karino-san, he's the second generation owner of this bar.

00:16:27 John Daub: Whoa, they got it already decked out for us! Welcome to a very cramped and beautiful looking bar. Konnichiwa! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. He's prepared some delicious local treats for us tonight. Look at this! What do we have here? Is that tebasaki?

00:17:16 Jess: Going with the theme of your travels today, we've got a bit of a vegetarian theme. Lots of mushrooms, lots of local wild vegetables that are in season. You can eat as a vegan or vegetarian here in Sendai with enough warning.

00:18:15 John Daub: Yeah, okay, so what would you like to drink? Bar hopping. I always start off with the beer though. All the old timers do that too; they don't go straight to the sake. Baseball's on right now, Rakuten Eagles, our local team. The stands are half empty because of the times we're in. Nobody puts Travis in the corner.

00:20:33 Jess: To the second generation. Maybe the third generation in 30 years. They're still young. They have to earn it.

00:20:55 John Daub: Let's take a quick look at the food here. We're gonna try to eat as much of this as we possibly can quickly. Gobo, burdock root. Konnyaku right here. On the right is the original sweet and sour sweet potato, daigaku imo, original satsuma imo cooked thing for this place, Nidaime. Daikon, Japanese radish. In the middle is kinoko nibitashi, mushroom dish. On this side, white celery, spinach, and shungiku. This looks great, so healthy! I have not eaten this healthy in ever! Since Kanae last cooked. This tempura looks amazing. This is gobo burdock root and daikon tempura, konnyaku, gelatinous potato. Chew it well, choking hazard. Potatoes, white celery, mushrooms. Every time I come here, it's a different menu, seasonal, whatever they've got on hand. Sendai's a big city but really close to the countryside, so ingredients are super fresh. Ocean 30 minutes away, Matsushima Bay.

00:23:21 John Daub: Kanpai to the local! Kanpai to all of you out there, wherever you are. Probably Europe, since US is asleep.

00:23:47 John Daub: What is a tour like these days because of the pandemic? How are things going?

00:23:55 Jess: Pretty slowly. Not a lot of international tourism. Shops were closed for a month, but things are getting back to the new normal. Locals are out drinking again. We've had some guests from other parts of Japan.

00:24:43 John Daub: All of this is grown locally in Tohoku. The tempura has some oil, gives it juiciness. Burdock root is crunchy; tempura-ized softens it a bit but not mushy. This satsuma imo, love it, like miso with sesame, skin gives tension. Today is vegetable focused, but they usually have sashimi or salad. One of Karino-san's specialties is raw chicken dish, chiri chiri wasabi, completely raw chicken, safe because fresh.

00:26:47 Jess: Tohoku has the best mushrooms. Mushroom season, so lots in autumn cuisine.

00:27:21 John Daub: This rice ball is really good. Konnyaku hard to pick up, so stab it, spicy mustard. Crying tears of joy from mustard. Why not raw chicken? Basashi, raw horse meat? They make basashi here in Sendai. This white celery with ginger so good, aromatic. Daikon radish really good, some spice like kimchi. They're not stingy with servings because business with repeaters.

00:31:03 Jess: The beer was served with an English head all the way to the top. In Australia, strict two-finger rule, not too many bubbles. We serve cold.

00:31:51 John Daub: What part of Australia?

00:31:53 Jess: Canberra, the unknown capital city, ACT.

00:32:20 John Daub: ACT between Sydney and Melbourne. In terms of beer, Toohey's New or VB? Craft beers now. When I was in Australia pre-millennium, border war: Toohey's Sydney, VB Victoria, Cooper's Adelaide, 4X Queensland. Foster's represents nowhere.

00:33:42 Jess: Turning into oden season. Oden wari, sake mixed with oden soup, delicious.

00:34:41 John Daub: Gochisousama deshita. Thank you. I'll be back.

00:35:36 Jess: A little bit of a walk before the next place. Karubi, yakiniku. That banner hasn't changed since Showa era. Some places members only.

00:36:42 John Daub: Sendai famous for gyutan, beef tongue. Really good, soft, tender, salty.

00:37:02 Jess: One of my favorite places, stand-up drinking bar with fresh oysters. Oysters huge product in Miyagi, main producer in Japan. 100 yen for one fresh oyster. Wash down with local sake.

00:38:52 John Daub: Retro things in the window. All these places look intimidating, no English. First step hardest.

00:40:33 Jess: That's what we like about this tour, show the system so they have confidence to go back. Back in the day people lived on the second floor above their bar.

00:41:26 John Daub: Vintage clothes, barber pole. Quiz: This is Iroha Yokocho. Iroha old Japanese one-two-three. Why name alleyway Iroha? Hint nearby.

00:42:22 Jess: Ichibancho Nichome-san. Address 1-2-3 Aobaku. That's why 123.

00:43:12 John Daub: Getting hungry again? Hungry for raw chicken and sake.

00:43:23 Jess: Chicken of the non-raw variety. This is Kushikawa, yakitori, grilled chicken on sticks.

00:44:55 John Daub: Cramped. Upstairs. Smell chicken, still hot.

00:46:46 Jess: What would you like to drink? Local sake, cold.

00:47:01 John Daub: For happy times, make it Suntory time. Story of hot sake in Hiroshima: Drank six or seven, went to restroom, never came back, got purikura with yamanba girls, bought Snickers, woke up with melted bar on chest.

00:49:12 Jess: Downstairs counter, upstairs chill area. Really good selection of chicken. Deal is selection of five different types, skewers. Half the menu pork, buta. Not halal or kosher, but vegetarian option.

00:51:34 John Daub: This vegetarian for Chiara. Enoki mushrooms. This liver huge and delicious, only liver I like in Japan. Pork belly in sweet tare sauce. Thigh meat. Chicken hearts. Tsunagimo, gizzard. Salted konbu kelp with cabbage, sesame oil. Nihonshu, Urakasumi brand. Don't pour your own drink.

00:55:00 Jess: Roughly 180 ml, four glasses.

00:56:32 John Daub: Kanpai. Really good, easy to drink, neutral, semi-sweet, light bite. Thigh and onion go-to, but here chicken heart and liver. Tsunagimo chewy, bouncy. Don't think about what part. Cartilage good deep-fried. Get daring in Japan. First year shy about baths, now never pass up onsen.

00:59:47 Jess: If I moved away from Japan, miss onsen most. Few in Australia, not like Japan.

01:00:03 John Daub: Push the liver while hot. Charred outside, soft inside, sauce great. Baguette of meat.

01:03:02 Jess: Thigh in sweet sauce.

01:03:55 John Daub: Spicy mustard good. Fresh wasabi farm in Yamagata. Hitchhiking story 2003: Old guy in Akita made me drink sake like a man, samurai style, clear your soul, ah at end.

01:07:27 Jess: Spontaneous local interaction, make friends at counter, taken to their favorite bar.

01:07:56 John Daub: Japan's situation not as bad. Go-to-eat, go-to-travel campaigns. Regional, outside cities not impacted much. Monitoring temperature, masks. Follow news in your country.

01:09:11 Jess: Lucky in Sendai and Tohoku, less people, beautiful countryside. Good to escape crowds post-pandemic.

01:10:15 John Daub: You've been doing this drinking tour two years, 200 people last year. What do people like? Breaks ice, local interaction, authentic Japan off beaten track.

01:11:44 Jess: Down by station like Tokyo, chain restaurants with English menus. More fun to challenge yourself, venture where only locals.

01:12:47 John Daub: Guide important if new. Fortune favors the bold. Rewarded with incredible experience. Japan safe, even leave wallet, comes back.

01:14:30 Jess: Sendai feels like real Japan. Only 1.3% international tourists. Hidden part, have Japan to yourself. Good base for Tohoku.

01:16:01 John Daub: JR East Welcome Pass opens Tohoku, 12,000 yen three days unlimited Shinkansen. Go to Aomori, ferry to Hokkaido. Encourage passes to inspire travel. Get lost. Sendai stacked: oysters, gyutan, chicken, sake, morning market, zunda mochi (sweet edamame paste on rice cake).

01:18:57 Jess: Come visit Tohoku Local Secret Tours. Vegan and vegetarian tours too.

01:19:23 John Daub: Stay safe, stay positive. Thanks for joining live stream. Thumbs up, subscribe. See you tomorrow morning market.