Enjoy Tokyo

Long-term residents, not to mention new arrivals, are likely to get lost among the winding backstreets of Tokyo. Even people who have spent decades in Japan's metropolis may pass small eateries and coffee houses every day that they might never enter but would be a good hideaway in which to read a book or enjoy a beer after work.

As the appeal of these places is that they are an oasis within the city, a lot of the smaller cafes and bars have no windows. It can be hard to go inside to the unknown space beyond without a recommendation.

Still, these places are an important part of Tokyo culture. Exploring them is a rewarding journey, as each has a character of its own. Today we look at one of these independent cafe bars.

Located in Koenji, west Tokyo, between the sub-cultural hubs of Nakano and Asagaya, SUB Store draws on the distinctive character of Koenji by mixing live music with street art and great food. Located a stone's throw from the station amongst the area's many small live houses and theatres, the store - as with so many of Tokyo's best kept secrets - has an eclectic interior that reflects the owner's personal tastes.

Amongst the nostalgia-inducing figures from the Showa Era (1926-89) are contemporary Japanese street art and music posters. The owner is from Indonesia and, on closer inspection of the shop, a smattering of traditional Indonesian art completes the cultural mix. With a background in the Japanese fashion industry, Andhika Faisal and his wife are venturing into new areas with SUB Store. They opened the business in March 2016 to provide the kind of place they would want to hang out during their downtime.

Two years later, the space is home to a rapidly rotating range of art exhibitions from similarly minded local and international creatives, and, with turntables on hand and live music events held, you are guaranteed an eclectic soundtrack. Customers are encouraged to browse the store's extensive record collection and play whatever they like.

SUB Store started out as a Small Unique Bookstore, which gave the store its name. As with the records, customers are free to browse the books at leisure and enjoy a coffee or drink while they read. If a book from the selection of rare, artistic, and subcultural books takes your fancy, you can purchase it. The variety of books represents the here and now of contemporary Tokyo, where culture is open to everyone and bohemian pockets of culture exist among skyscrapers.

Needless to say, customers are sure to enjoy the food and drink. An extensive menu of craft beers from around the world and Japanese nihonshu wine is available. Customers can also experience truly special food; the owner's heritage can be seen in the range of authentic Indonesian and fusion cuisine. It is a perfect match for the range of culture you can experience at SUB Store Tokyo.

For a taste of current Koenji culture, visit SUB Store. Wherever you happen to be in Tokyo, reach out and head into that cafe or bar that has always intrigued you. You never know what you might discover!

 

SUB Store

Address: 3-1-12 Koenjikita, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-0002
Open: 3pm-0am
Closed: Tuesdays
TEL: 080-3496-3883
https://substore.jimdo.com/

 

This article was written by Samuel Thomas.

　

*This article was posted on the Life in Tokyo website operated by the Tokyo International Communication Committee on May 28, 2018.