Comments on: Kamiya Bar—A Small Story

By: Dan Ryan

Dan Ryan — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:25:23 +0000

Thank you, sir. Your wife’s grandmother sounds like a very wise woman.

By: Our Man in Abiko

Our Man in Abiko — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:54:36 +0000

Good tale, well told. I’m often taken aback by the lack of animosity by people who have every right to be angry, but choose not to be.

My mother-in-law’s mother lived through the fire-bombings of Tokyo and I asked her how she felt about sitting now, years later, with a gaijin who had married her granddaughter. Was she not upset with her conquerors?

“No, of course not. In those days, death was everywhere on the streets. Death was just a way of life. It’s different now.”

And that’s all she thought needed to be said.

By: Junichi SAGISHIMA

Junichi SAGISHIMA — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:41:51 +0000

Hi! Your story is very interesting for me. I think Kamiya bar has the special power of gathering people. After reading your story, I have made a plan to go to Kamiya bar

Anyway, I manage a fun page named “We Love ASAKUSA!” on facebook. Please visit and join our community. If you have a good photo taken at ASAKUSA, please feel free to upload it to our wall.

http://bit.ly/wl_asakusa

By: Mark Williams

Mark Williams — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:24:59 +0000

I was searching for more information regarding Kamiya Bar and came across your story here. This is just wonderful. I work in Akihabara now and pass through Asakusa on the way home back to Inzai every day for the past 4 years and have yet to make a stop into the bar at 1-1-1. I will make a point to do so now.

I love this story. When I lived in Matsusaka in Mie Prefecture back in the early 90′s as an ALT I found the feeling you are talking about here in a small coffee shop where I became a regular. I loved the place so much I married the daughter of the owner. We still go back there today.

Thank you for this!

By: Dan Ryan

Dan Ryan — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:06:14 +0000

Thank you, David. That means a hell of a lot to me.

By: David Caldwell

David Caldwell — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:35:17 +0000

Gives me a few shivers in my spine that the first of your stories I read should resonate so strongly with me. Of all the places to write about, in a far-off country, it should be one about a place I have not only been, but also had a wonderful experience (fueled in part by Electric Brandy). Very different Japanese company, but strikingly similar feelings. For the company you met, I’d have to tell you about a small town in Germany.

I did have a father who was a soldier in the war and similarly know almost nothing about his experience – and that mostly from my mother. The grandchildren of that Japanese gentleman will learn about the war from history books, but not from him.

Lovely story – I felt like I was there with you.

David.