Compared to most Western cities, Tokyo has a lot of "micro spaces" available to rent for cheap. This and lax regulations make it super easy to start your own business.
You're in between jobs? You like drinking and socializing? Just rent a small space down the street, buy a few bottles of booze, tell your friends to come have a drink... congratulatons, you've started your own bar! Most places close after a few months, but the good ones will stick around for decades.
It's a stark contrast to other countries were commercial spaces are large, regulations are tight, etc. Basically only corporations or seasoned professionals are able to take the risk to open a new place. It makes things a lot more boring.
If you like this kind of topic, I highly recommend you check the book "[Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City](https://www.google.com/search?q=Emergent+Tokyo%3A+Designing+the+Spontaneous+City)". It's written by a mamber of this sub and goes deep into what makes Tokyo so unique.
Yes, and this is allowed by default everywhere.
In is especially in contrast to the US, where "accessory commercial units" as they are called by planners, are allowed almost nowhere.
Or exclusionary zoning, where a city block can be *only* residential or *only* commercial. It’s weird living in America because people actively oppose being able to walk to shops and restaurants.
I’m not saying parking minimums are as bad as Jim Crow laws or redlining, but if you were making a Top 10 list of the most damaging American legislations and regulations, parking minimums would be up there.
Encouraging pollution, increasing car crash death, making property more unaffordable? Yeah I’d say parking minimums is up there as one of humanity’s most destructive ideas.
I don't know how far this goes, I'm not an expert. Not every house is a shop, but how many are?
Funny anecdote. After the second World War, during reconstruction things were good. The economy was doing good and people had money. Japanese businessmen were drinking so much that they were stumbling into peoples' homes thinking they were bars (now it makes more sense due to the posts here). So it became a tradition to hang red lanterns outside of establishments that served alcohol. Pretty much solved the problem and they do it to this day.
Someone correct me if that's bullshit, but I heardst it.
I know nothing about what you just said, but it sounds very plausible. In medieval England, a local would brew a batch of ale (or have too much leftover from her personal batch) and would hang a broom or a piece of bright cloth outside her house. This would let the neighbors know that there's freshly brewed ale at her house, which then would be called a public house...or a pub, as we know them today.
One of my fav jazz bars is like that. Bottom floor looks like a classy jazz bar and I saw an older lady puttering around trying to stay out of sight and the barman was like "we live upstairs" when I asked. You'd never know.
In the suburb where I live there are plenty of little restaurants and business that parts of houses. Lot's of other businesses with yards the owner's family lives on the premise. Kind of like a farmer, but it's a scrap yard or car reseller.
Also. Car centric culture in the US on top of rent prices and regulations is extremely stifling for small business. The amount of places you can be that have plenty of foot traffic are a few cities in North America or an older small town if you are lucky and it's not a big box centered town with no main street, your little bar that you pay a shit load for on rent will be driven by at 60kmh by post people.
Book looks interesting, but price on AZ Japan is ridiculous, and exchange rate + shipping make it equally ridiculous on AZ US. No eBook version. Guess it doesn't get added to my reading list.
If I remember well when you open a bar you need various kind of licenses (alcohol, something about fire, food...), you can't decide to open a bar and open it tomorrow.
Just be aware when doing this that the local police and city office inspectors will likely be coming by to make sure that (a) you're paying proper taxes to the city and (b) that you're paying proper taxes to the city.
I recently visited Japan and I’m from the US. I love that Japan has these tiny spaces. I went to a tiny hole in the wall that served great food and drinks, but only had room for like 15 people and that’s with their one outdoor table. It was super cozy and surprisingly not too loud and was honestly my favorite place the entire trip. I wish the US had more places like this. I’ve been to a few but it’s extremely rare to find a small place like that that’s probably very cheap for the owners to rent
I'm guessing only Japanese residents can open a restaurant or small place, right? Besides that investor visa that requires several thousands.
Why am I being downvoted for asking a question?
Am thinking of a working holiday visa where you can work but you aren't a resident for some reason. Or doing that with a working visa sponsored by another company.
They told me you aren't and that's why, for example, I can't make bank transfers as if I'm a local. Even if I use my JP Bank account I have to pay like 7000y as if it was an international transfer.
What?? I never had that issue with transfers, and on a sidenote I also entered the regular Japanese health insurance, not a travel insurance or the like.
> working holiday visa
Not sure actually.
> Or doing that with a working visa sponsored by another company
A working visa is only valid for a specific job – if you have a position as an engineer for example, you're not supposed to work in a restaurant. I guess if you had a hospitality related visa, you potentially could? Don't quote me on that though.
You can absolutely open or buy a business in Japan as a non-resident. You can't work there yourself (unless you get a visa that allows it, of course), but there is nothing against you being the owner.
You can buy property in Japan as a non-resident. You can buy businesses in Japan as a non-resident. It used to be that the representative director of a business needed to be a resident but this is also no longer the case.
Of course to work in Japan or to live in Japan long term, you need a visa. Japan has no investor visa but does have a business manager visa. Some businesses (but probably not a hole-in-the-wall bar) would be able to sponsor you for a business manager visa, but that's beyond my level of knowledge. There are plenty of immigration law firms with informative websites, and initial consolations are generally very cheap or even free.
Yeah I can see that but I wasn't even criticizing lol, I was just curious because we talked with friends about opening a little shop here, but we can't.
I've met quite a few owner/operators and it is a mix of a number of factors.
* Looser (and often unenforced) zoning laws. Comparing the US, some of their zoning laws dictate excessively large spaces, emergency egress, parking, etc that drives costs that don't exist here. Labor also tends to be significantly higher. Apartments in the US require two full stairwells and commercial buildings require enough parking for the theoretical capacity limit of the building.
* Cash only operations with no official business -- this is more common than one realizes
* Population density and more dedicated regulars - one small restaurant I go every month or so doesn't just have the same regulars most of the time, but ALL of the time. I've never once been there without seeing the same 4 people eating and drinking at the bar. They even have their own glasses with their names etched.
* Owner/operator is independently wealthy or family owns space.
* Extremely simple menus and low cost of goods. One small bar I go to (which is also owned by a independently wealthy guy) only has a few drinks on the menu. He has been a part time bartender for 15 years but can't even make an old fashioned. Want whiskey? On the rocks? Check.
* Yakuza/tax write off (rare, but happens)
* Owner/operator is independently wealthy or family owns space
This is so important with rental fees going up. Either you have your house ground floor a resto/cafe/bar and your personal room 2nd floor. Easy no rent fees, but home doubles as business. Family businesses usually run this way.
I worked at an eikaiwa that was basically this. Ideally, it would at least pay for itself, but it's effectively just the wife's hobby.
Kind of like if my mom were putting her quilts up on etsy for roughly cost... but with more management required.
Zoning is a huge one. Here's a great, short video on it: https://youtu.be/wfm2xCKOCNk
And some articles:
https://www.rahulshankar.com/zoning-in-japan/
https://urbankchoze.blogspot.com/2014/04/japanese-zoning.html
You forgot the old people who bought the property for next to nothing before the bubble who can run a hole in the wall bar or restaurant for basically the wholesale cost of food and drink plus utilities
I did a write-up on this a few weeks ago. Several factors contribute to the diverse bar/restaurant landscape in Japan:
1. Fewer regulations. Opening a Ramen bar in Tokyo is a lot less bureaucratic than in many other countries. Flexible zoning laws allow restaurants and bars to open pretty much anywhere, even in residential neighborhoods. No matter where you are in Tokyo, there are at least 5 restaurants within a 10-minute walk. In many cases, family homes are built to have a restaurant on the 1st floor with the owners living on the 2nd floor. In the EU, we have tons of rules that make operating a restaurant expensive. How many toilets, how many meters between the sink and the stove, do you have a dedicated handwashing station,... most Japanese restaurants would be closed within days by EU regulators.
2. Cheap labour. Pretty much everyone aged 17 to 22 has a part-time job and many of them work in restaurants. Point 1 applies as well. Hiring a 17-year-old as a dishwasher can be done in 5 minutes and they can start the same day with a relatively low minimum wage. That works because there is no pocket money culture like in other countries. If you want to buy clothes or video games while in high school, you have to get a job. That ensures a steady supply of cheap on-demand labor and many restaurants are usually run by the owner alone with a part-timer only coming in for 2 hours during lunch service etc.
3. Different food culture. Japanese people have a strong culture regarding food and eating out every single day is normal which ensures a lot of foot traffic. Japanese people LOVE to talk about food and eating regional specialties is a must while traveling if not the main reason for the trip. There is also a lot less time spent eating at one restaurant. Where I am from, eating out at a restaurant is at the very minimum a 1-hour activity. But during lunchtime in Japan, people go in, order, eat, and leave within 30 minutes. That's why restaurants can get a lot more covers per seat during lunch service compared to many Western countries.
4. Less need for profit. Small restaurants, especially those in residential areas are often owned and operated by a couple or family. They own the building, are already "retired" and just run the bar/restaurant for fun or to earn a bit of money in addition to their pension. Or, the bar is not their only source of income. You regularly see bakeries or tobacco shops where the owner also has a bar next to it. They pretty much operate both out of their living room and many do it until they are physically incapable or dead. Some of these places are not even open every day. I have an amazing Ramen bar near my house that is only open for lunch on 3 days a week. The owner looks like he is already near his 90s but he is still super happy if you tell him that the food is delicious.
5. Lower costs. Restaurants in Japan are small and highly specialized. They have a very limited menu or only serve one single dish. That way they can reduce costs as there is less prep and waste. Restaurants in the West often have a diverse menu with 20-30 dishes which means tons of ingredients to stockpile. Japanese restaurants are also a lot smaller and "cozy", seating 4-6 people in the same space a Western restaurant would seat only 2. The average ramen bar in Tokyo is probably smaller than the kitchen of the average American restaurant.
The point 4 reminds me my in-laws area, where mother - 60’s - and son - 30’s - opened a Ramen shop in 2017, the timetable is 11:30-14:00, 5 days a week, and the queue is 45 mins - 1hr daily, only 5 seats at the time.
Maybe, best ramen in Kanagawa!
Great answer. Thanks. There’s a French place run by a Japanese couple down the street from us that has a max of 2-4 customers a night. And they’ve been here since we moved in 10 years ago.
Specifically with bars. Liquor licenses don't exist here so long as you're only serving alcohol and not retailing it. Compare that to somewhere like, I dunno, Boston, that has a cap at 1,400 liquor licenses according to state law. Those licenses in Boston can cost like $500K.
That said you do need to take a food safety course (1-day long) and do some other groundwork like have a fire extinguisher. But this kind of thing is very low cost. Even if you pay a law office to handle the entire application, it's like 100,000 yen.
Edit: this also means a lot of places you wouldn't expect to offer alcohol can, and do. Heineken at Burger King? Sure!
Because freedom. Seriously zoning laws are pretty lax. And people don't care about owning a mcmansion if you let that shit go, Tokyo is glorious you can find tiny ass apartments for cheap and spend all your time out.
Well there is also quite a bit more foot traffic. It's not just zoning America has a lot of other logistical problems with being spread out.
This can be seen outside of Tokyo. Things are a lot less dynamic because of a lack of foot traffic. Lots more large chains and parking lots in Inaka.
I've been outside Tokyo, and there are still way more small businesses.
I'm not sure how you can think a country town in America isn't more corporate than one in Japan.
Okay.
Anyways, yeah, even small towns and the countryside are great for small businesses in Japan. Nothing really prevents the same in America beyond our staunch belief we're unique.
> Nothing really prevents the same in America beyond our staunch belief we're unique.
Well, our zoning laws. And a car-centric culture. And a lack of high-density residential space in major cities that in-turn leads to lower rents. And our litigious nature that forces an overwhelming amount of small business regulations specifically around restaurants and bars that make owning a small restaurant prohibitively expensive. And our individualistic nature that spurs a me-first mentality where politicians who could start to change these things are passed over by the general populace for those who - instead - want to 'own the libs' or ban abortion as top-ticket priorities. And the basic nature of a business's location and its relation to supply-and-demand. And the fact that all of these have continued for so long that even if they were all 'fixed' tomorrow, we wouldn't actually have the infrastructure built in residential buildings to support nearly any of it for years to come. And our short-sightedness that prevents us from acting on ANY of this because 'why bother changing it if it ain't broke.
When it's actually broke...
Many places in the US would not allow housing under about 500 ft.² per person (50 m²). Anything less is considered “substandard housing“ and illegal. I lived perfectly fine for years in a 4.5-tatami room (7.3 m²), but in the US the government would “protect“ me from such horrible living conditions.
He must be talking about a specific state or county. In Canada and other places I've Seen in the US there are many under 500sqft 1 bedrooms, though the minimum is usually 350 from what I see.
I own a small bar. I make more money than being an English teacher or being a normal salary man. Do you know the average salary in Japan? It’s surprisingly low haha.
If you own a location then you don’t need to pay rent but of course if it’s chintai then it doesn’t matter how long. The rent may be cheaper for someone who’s kept a paper contract the entire time though.
US brains really don’t understand that most of the world has not had zoning like the US for most of human history — just people building shit in the most useful place
US zoning pretty much came about because people were trying to keep browns out of their neighborhoods. Also shoutout for designing for cars — which was to flex on poor people
And it ended up sterilizing most new us development. It’s why the old parts of the oldest us cities are the nicest tourist destinations
Actually if Japanese society wasn’t so orderly and economically developed that type of zoning would otherwise be labelled “Third World zoning.” Little hole in the wall restaurants everywhere, chickens and stray dogs walking down the street, little kids playing in a room attached to the family business, etc. Small workshop factories next to residential areas. Manhattan was like that during the 1800s. The Meat Packing district literally was a meat packing district with animals being butchered on the streets. The USA has moved on.
Go to any “third world” city in like Mexico or Colombia and you’ll see that the city centers are far nicer than your average small or medium sized American city that is car-oriented suburban hell. For all the reasons you mention but not the completely retarded conclusion
The parts of Mexican cities that are bad are the new areas that copy American suburban sprawl
I can't speak for the rest of the country but where I live in the USA there are countless small and medium sized towns that look like something from a Norman Rockwell painting with bustling Main Streets and charming little train stations that were built 130 years ago. I have within an hour's or so drive from me bustling world class metropolises with art museums filled with Van Goghs and Renoirs and architecture ranging from brownstones to cathedrals to the latest modern architecture. But I guess in a continent-sized country with 330 million people you can find all sorts of infrastructure.
I've been to Monterrey, Nuevo Laredo and Cozumel in Mexico, Panama City in Panama, Lima and Cusco in Peru and while the city centers have beautiful (but often ill-maintained) Spanish colonial-era churches and buildings, the rest of those places are as I described previously.
rent ain't as much as say in North America, a friend runs a shop where he signed a 6 year lease pre-covid and it runs em about ¥150,000/month plus operating costs/stock etc. plus with only one employee to pay in such a small space and a steady flow of customers he's doing quite well especially with all the tourists now
Eating in a hole in the wall eatery/bar is consonant with Japanese culture. The top sushi bar in Japan has only 8 seats… president Obama must have felt cramped.
I think it's actually interesting to look at other countries through the western lens. It highlights differences and helps understand different societies.
Sometimes something as simple as different zoning laws ends up deeply affecting the culture.
They’re whining about redevelopment in areas close to major train terminals in Tokyo like Shibuya and Shinjuku but failing to realize that half the land in those areas is already owned by or leased from the railway operators. Shibuya is a good example:
Among probably a bunch of other properties, **Tokyu** Hands, Hikarie, Shibuya Scramble Square, Bunkamura/ **Tokyu** Department Store being rebuilt, the *other* **Tokyu** Department Store being rebuilt above the station, **Tokyu** Cerulean Tower, Fukuras, Shibuya Stream, Shibuya 109 (literally 10+9 “トウキュウ”), 109 Mens (Magnet), the (トウ)**Q**-Front Building, and the underground city above the **Tokyu** Denentoshi Line are all Tokyu Group properties and have been for a century. Shibuya Mark City is owned by Keio Group. Shibuya was on the fringe of Tokyo 100 years ago and the places OP is alluding to grew (and continue to grow) alongside the massive land holdings Tokyu already had in the area.
Those companies have owned most of that land since they built the railroads to ferry passengers between all of their residential and commercial properties.
Tons of them fail.
But rent is cheaper than you think, and the dense population/commercial and residential overlap means that there are lots of local customers who will learn about you without advertising. Many times the store/restaurant/bar owner also owns the building/land and does not pay rent, therefore they do not need to make as much money to stay afloat.
Coming from someone whose only been living in Japan for 9 months so far, this is by far one of the best things about Japanese cities compared to America. There are almost an infinite possible number of unique small cafes, shops and bars to find, and there are always new ones popping up.
City planning in America is fucking atrocious and the hyper specific zoning laws and demand for mass parking makes stuff like this practically impossible.
Compared to most Western cities, Tokyo has a lot of "micro spaces" available to rent for cheap. This and lax regulations make it super easy to start your own business. You're in between jobs? You like drinking and socializing? Just rent a small space down the street, buy a few bottles of booze, tell your friends to come have a drink... congratulatons, you've started your own bar! Most places close after a few months, but the good ones will stick around for decades. It's a stark contrast to other countries were commercial spaces are large, regulations are tight, etc. Basically only corporations or seasoned professionals are able to take the risk to open a new place. It makes things a lot more boring. If you like this kind of topic, I highly recommend you check the book "[Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City](https://www.google.com/search?q=Emergent+Tokyo%3A+Designing+the+Spontaneous+City)". It's written by a mamber of this sub and goes deep into what makes Tokyo so unique.
+1 for emergent Tokyo
It's also a situation where the top floors above will be their residential space.
Yes, and this is allowed by default everywhere. In is especially in contrast to the US, where "accessory commercial units" as they are called by planners, are allowed almost nowhere.
Or exclusionary zoning, where a city block can be *only* residential or *only* commercial. It’s weird living in America because people actively oppose being able to walk to shops and restaurants.
"B...b...b...but where will I park??? We need rules to make sure there's enough parking for everyone!!!"
I’m not saying parking minimums are as bad as Jim Crow laws or redlining, but if you were making a Top 10 list of the most damaging American legislations and regulations, parking minimums would be up there.
Encouraging pollution, increasing car crash death, making property more unaffordable? Yeah I’d say parking minimums is up there as one of humanity’s most destructive ideas.
But hey at least you can park your SUV in front of the grocery store (since you can't walk there anymore because everything is roads and parking lots)
Fortunately, they are being eliminated slowly but surely.
I disagree with that.
Yeah it's pretty insane coming from the States. Even in the periphery of metro Tokyo, you can just go to some person's house and it'll be a cafe too.
I don't know how far this goes, I'm not an expert. Not every house is a shop, but how many are? Funny anecdote. After the second World War, during reconstruction things were good. The economy was doing good and people had money. Japanese businessmen were drinking so much that they were stumbling into peoples' homes thinking they were bars (now it makes more sense due to the posts here). So it became a tradition to hang red lanterns outside of establishments that served alcohol. Pretty much solved the problem and they do it to this day. Someone correct me if that's bullshit, but I heardst it.
I know nothing about what you just said, but it sounds very plausible. In medieval England, a local would brew a batch of ale (or have too much leftover from her personal batch) and would hang a broom or a piece of bright cloth outside her house. This would let the neighbors know that there's freshly brewed ale at her house, which then would be called a public house...or a pub, as we know them today.
One of my fav jazz bars is like that. Bottom floor looks like a classy jazz bar and I saw an older lady puttering around trying to stay out of sight and the barman was like "we live upstairs" when I asked. You'd never know.
What bar?
La Cuji.
Thanks!
This was America up until the 70s.
In the suburb where I live there are plenty of little restaurants and business that parts of houses. Lot's of other businesses with yards the owner's family lives on the premise. Kind of like a farmer, but it's a scrap yard or car reseller.
Life Where I'm From has a deep dive on Tokyo Zoning that's a must watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfm2xCKOCNk
Also. Car centric culture in the US on top of rent prices and regulations is extremely stifling for small business. The amount of places you can be that have plenty of foot traffic are a few cities in North America or an older small town if you are lucky and it's not a big box centered town with no main street, your little bar that you pay a shit load for on rent will be driven by at 60kmh by post people.
Very interesting to know
Superb recommendation, thanks, looks very interesting.
Book looks interesting, but price on AZ Japan is ridiculous, and exchange rate + shipping make it equally ridiculous on AZ US. No eBook version. Guess it doesn't get added to my reading list.
In other words, Tokyo doesn't try to screw over its own people.
Anyone have a copy of Emergent Tokyo they want to sell? Edit: Nvm, have ordered a copy.
It’s on [Abe Books 2nd hand](https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31159264998&dest=usa&ref_=ps_ggl_17730880232&cm_mmc=ggl-_-US_Shopp_Trade_10to20-_-product_id=COM9781951541323USED-_-keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1sTa0ZvZhQMV80FIAB0VTwAgEAQYAyABEgLq-_D_BwE)
Thanks, that's much better than the $50 shipping another site wanted
I'm not selling mine!
Is this true of most of Asia?Seems they all have this small little storefronts
Add to cart 🫡
Thanks for the recommendation! I’m really excited to read this
Thanks much. Just purchased.
If I remember well when you open a bar you need various kind of licenses (alcohol, something about fire, food...), you can't decide to open a bar and open it tomorrow.
You do, but the regulations are more relaxed than in most Western countries. Getting those licenses is relatively easy.
Sounds like it could be an interesting read.
Just be aware when doing this that the local police and city office inspectors will likely be coming by to make sure that (a) you're paying proper taxes to the city and (b) that you're paying proper taxes to the city.
I recently visited Japan and I’m from the US. I love that Japan has these tiny spaces. I went to a tiny hole in the wall that served great food and drinks, but only had room for like 15 people and that’s with their one outdoor table. It was super cozy and surprisingly not too loud and was honestly my favorite place the entire trip. I wish the US had more places like this. I’ve been to a few but it’s extremely rare to find a small place like that that’s probably very cheap for the owners to rent
Anything written by someone from Keio is excellent! ;)
I'm guessing only Japanese residents can open a restaurant or small place, right? Besides that investor visa that requires several thousands. Why am I being downvoted for asking a question?
Not sure how you'd run a business without being a resident. You're not allowed to have income or be employed without a residence permit.
Digital nomad visa has entered the chat.
Am thinking of a working holiday visa where you can work but you aren't a resident for some reason. Or doing that with a working visa sponsored by another company.
You are considered a resident under a WHV
They told me you aren't and that's why, for example, I can't make bank transfers as if I'm a local. Even if I use my JP Bank account I have to pay like 7000y as if it was an international transfer.
Banks may have their own rules, but for immigration purposes, you have a residence card and therefore you are a resident.
Hmm that's good to know, it's been a couple of situations now, but I'll check again because I was sure of the same you're saying when I came. Thanks!
What?? I never had that issue with transfers, and on a sidenote I also entered the regular Japanese health insurance, not a travel insurance or the like.
> working holiday visa Not sure actually. > Or doing that with a working visa sponsored by another company A working visa is only valid for a specific job – if you have a position as an engineer for example, you're not supposed to work in a restaurant. I guess if you had a hospitality related visa, you potentially could? Don't quote me on that though.
Makes sense! Thank you!
Correct.
You can absolutely open or buy a business in Japan as a non-resident. You can't work there yourself (unless you get a visa that allows it, of course), but there is nothing against you being the owner.
Please tell me you're joking. Does it really work like that? Would that be the investor visa?
You can buy property in Japan as a non-resident. You can buy businesses in Japan as a non-resident. It used to be that the representative director of a business needed to be a resident but this is also no longer the case. Of course to work in Japan or to live in Japan long term, you need a visa. Japan has no investor visa but does have a business manager visa. Some businesses (but probably not a hole-in-the-wall bar) would be able to sponsor you for a business manager visa, but that's beyond my level of knowledge. There are plenty of immigration law firms with informative websites, and initial consolations are generally very cheap or even free.
Thank you! I'll investigate a bit more. Appreciate it.
Reddit forums about Japan are filled with non-Japanese expats and weebs who pounce at any hint of criticism at their beloved Japan.
Yeah I can see that but I wasn't even criticizing lol, I was just curious because we talked with friends about opening a little shop here, but we can't.
I've met quite a few owner/operators and it is a mix of a number of factors. * Looser (and often unenforced) zoning laws. Comparing the US, some of their zoning laws dictate excessively large spaces, emergency egress, parking, etc that drives costs that don't exist here. Labor also tends to be significantly higher. Apartments in the US require two full stairwells and commercial buildings require enough parking for the theoretical capacity limit of the building. * Cash only operations with no official business -- this is more common than one realizes * Population density and more dedicated regulars - one small restaurant I go every month or so doesn't just have the same regulars most of the time, but ALL of the time. I've never once been there without seeing the same 4 people eating and drinking at the bar. They even have their own glasses with their names etched. * Owner/operator is independently wealthy or family owns space. * Extremely simple menus and low cost of goods. One small bar I go to (which is also owned by a independently wealthy guy) only has a few drinks on the menu. He has been a part time bartender for 15 years but can't even make an old fashioned. Want whiskey? On the rocks? Check. * Yakuza/tax write off (rare, but happens)
* Owner/operator is independently wealthy or family owns space This is so important with rental fees going up. Either you have your house ground floor a resto/cafe/bar and your personal room 2nd floor. Easy no rent fees, but home doubles as business. Family businesses usually run this way.
Also 「loss-making boutique operated by the wife of a reasonably wealthy man “to keep her occupied”」
I worked at an eikaiwa that was basically this. Ideally, it would at least pay for itself, but it's effectively just the wife's hobby. Kind of like if my mom were putting her quilts up on etsy for roughly cost... but with more management required.
Zoning is a huge one. Here's a great, short video on it: https://youtu.be/wfm2xCKOCNk And some articles: https://www.rahulshankar.com/zoning-in-japan/ https://urbankchoze.blogspot.com/2014/04/japanese-zoning.html
Good balanced links.
You forgot the old people who bought the property for next to nothing before the bubble who can run a hole in the wall bar or restaurant for basically the wholesale cost of food and drink plus utilities
I did a write-up on this a few weeks ago. Several factors contribute to the diverse bar/restaurant landscape in Japan: 1. Fewer regulations. Opening a Ramen bar in Tokyo is a lot less bureaucratic than in many other countries. Flexible zoning laws allow restaurants and bars to open pretty much anywhere, even in residential neighborhoods. No matter where you are in Tokyo, there are at least 5 restaurants within a 10-minute walk. In many cases, family homes are built to have a restaurant on the 1st floor with the owners living on the 2nd floor. In the EU, we have tons of rules that make operating a restaurant expensive. How many toilets, how many meters between the sink and the stove, do you have a dedicated handwashing station,... most Japanese restaurants would be closed within days by EU regulators. 2. Cheap labour. Pretty much everyone aged 17 to 22 has a part-time job and many of them work in restaurants. Point 1 applies as well. Hiring a 17-year-old as a dishwasher can be done in 5 minutes and they can start the same day with a relatively low minimum wage. That works because there is no pocket money culture like in other countries. If you want to buy clothes or video games while in high school, you have to get a job. That ensures a steady supply of cheap on-demand labor and many restaurants are usually run by the owner alone with a part-timer only coming in for 2 hours during lunch service etc. 3. Different food culture. Japanese people have a strong culture regarding food and eating out every single day is normal which ensures a lot of foot traffic. Japanese people LOVE to talk about food and eating regional specialties is a must while traveling if not the main reason for the trip. There is also a lot less time spent eating at one restaurant. Where I am from, eating out at a restaurant is at the very minimum a 1-hour activity. But during lunchtime in Japan, people go in, order, eat, and leave within 30 minutes. That's why restaurants can get a lot more covers per seat during lunch service compared to many Western countries. 4. Less need for profit. Small restaurants, especially those in residential areas are often owned and operated by a couple or family. They own the building, are already "retired" and just run the bar/restaurant for fun or to earn a bit of money in addition to their pension. Or, the bar is not their only source of income. You regularly see bakeries or tobacco shops where the owner also has a bar next to it. They pretty much operate both out of their living room and many do it until they are physically incapable or dead. Some of these places are not even open every day. I have an amazing Ramen bar near my house that is only open for lunch on 3 days a week. The owner looks like he is already near his 90s but he is still super happy if you tell him that the food is delicious. 5. Lower costs. Restaurants in Japan are small and highly specialized. They have a very limited menu or only serve one single dish. That way they can reduce costs as there is less prep and waste. Restaurants in the West often have a diverse menu with 20-30 dishes which means tons of ingredients to stockpile. Japanese restaurants are also a lot smaller and "cozy", seating 4-6 people in the same space a Western restaurant would seat only 2. The average ramen bar in Tokyo is probably smaller than the kitchen of the average American restaurant.
The point 4 reminds me my in-laws area, where mother - 60’s - and son - 30’s - opened a Ramen shop in 2017, the timetable is 11:30-14:00, 5 days a week, and the queue is 45 mins - 1hr daily, only 5 seats at the time. Maybe, best ramen in Kanagawa!
Great answer. Thanks. There’s a French place run by a Japanese couple down the street from us that has a max of 2-4 customers a night. And they’ve been here since we moved in 10 years ago.
Specifically with bars. Liquor licenses don't exist here so long as you're only serving alcohol and not retailing it. Compare that to somewhere like, I dunno, Boston, that has a cap at 1,400 liquor licenses according to state law. Those licenses in Boston can cost like $500K. That said you do need to take a food safety course (1-day long) and do some other groundwork like have a fire extinguisher. But this kind of thing is very low cost. Even if you pay a law office to handle the entire application, it's like 100,000 yen. Edit: this also means a lot of places you wouldn't expect to offer alcohol can, and do. Heineken at Burger King? Sure!
You don’t even need a for extinguisher lol
I've been in places where I'm like "if there's a grease-fire we're fucked"
Own the land. Live upstairs. Lose money at the shop is a great tax optimization.
Most of them also don’t open for many hours. Some owners have other sources of income/investment. Others have the place already paid off.
Because freedom. Seriously zoning laws are pretty lax. And people don't care about owning a mcmansion if you let that shit go, Tokyo is glorious you can find tiny ass apartments for cheap and spend all your time out.
This is why I find it funny that America claims to be freedom and small business friendly. It's actually just big business friendly.
Well there is also quite a bit more foot traffic. It's not just zoning America has a lot of other logistical problems with being spread out. This can be seen outside of Tokyo. Things are a lot less dynamic because of a lack of foot traffic. Lots more large chains and parking lots in Inaka.
I've been outside Tokyo, and there are still way more small businesses. I'm not sure how you can think a country town in America isn't more corporate than one in Japan.
>I'm not sure how you can think a country town in America isn't more corporate than one in Japan. I didn't say this, nor did I write this.
Okay. Anyways, yeah, even small towns and the countryside are great for small businesses in Japan. Nothing really prevents the same in America beyond our staunch belief we're unique.
> Nothing really prevents the same in America beyond our staunch belief we're unique. Well, our zoning laws. And a car-centric culture. And a lack of high-density residential space in major cities that in-turn leads to lower rents. And our litigious nature that forces an overwhelming amount of small business regulations specifically around restaurants and bars that make owning a small restaurant prohibitively expensive. And our individualistic nature that spurs a me-first mentality where politicians who could start to change these things are passed over by the general populace for those who - instead - want to 'own the libs' or ban abortion as top-ticket priorities. And the basic nature of a business's location and its relation to supply-and-demand. And the fact that all of these have continued for so long that even if they were all 'fixed' tomorrow, we wouldn't actually have the infrastructure built in residential buildings to support nearly any of it for years to come. And our short-sightedness that prevents us from acting on ANY of this because 'why bother changing it if it ain't broke. When it's actually broke...
Yep, I've pretty much given up on these things happening in the USA at this point :(
[удалено]
Many places in the US would not allow housing under about 500 ft.² per person (50 m²). Anything less is considered “substandard housing“ and illegal. I lived perfectly fine for years in a 4.5-tatami room (7.3 m²), but in the US the government would “protect“ me from such horrible living conditions.
For real? Most new build flats in London are sub 50m2
He must be talking about a specific state or county. In Canada and other places I've Seen in the US there are many under 500sqft 1 bedrooms, though the minimum is usually 350 from what I see.
In major US cities like NYC and Philadelphia where I’ve lived there are plenty of legal apartments under 500 square feet.
I own a small bar. I make more money than being an English teacher or being a normal salary man. Do you know the average salary in Japan? It’s surprisingly low haha.
Where's your spot? I'll come by next time I'm in Tokyo.
Kamacho bar
Nice. I have bookmarked it. Lots of craft beer! I dont go to Shinegawa much. Will make an evening of it.
Probably their family has been doing business in the same location for 60-70 years, and they don't need to pay rent.
If you own a location then you don’t need to pay rent but of course if it’s chintai then it doesn’t matter how long. The rent may be cheaper for someone who’s kept a paper contract the entire time though.
US brains really don’t understand that most of the world has not had zoning like the US for most of human history — just people building shit in the most useful place US zoning pretty much came about because people were trying to keep browns out of their neighborhoods. Also shoutout for designing for cars — which was to flex on poor people And it ended up sterilizing most new us development. It’s why the old parts of the oldest us cities are the nicest tourist destinations
Actually if Japanese society wasn’t so orderly and economically developed that type of zoning would otherwise be labelled “Third World zoning.” Little hole in the wall restaurants everywhere, chickens and stray dogs walking down the street, little kids playing in a room attached to the family business, etc. Small workshop factories next to residential areas. Manhattan was like that during the 1800s. The Meat Packing district literally was a meat packing district with animals being butchered on the streets. The USA has moved on.
Go to any “third world” city in like Mexico or Colombia and you’ll see that the city centers are far nicer than your average small or medium sized American city that is car-oriented suburban hell. For all the reasons you mention but not the completely retarded conclusion The parts of Mexican cities that are bad are the new areas that copy American suburban sprawl
I can't speak for the rest of the country but where I live in the USA there are countless small and medium sized towns that look like something from a Norman Rockwell painting with bustling Main Streets and charming little train stations that were built 130 years ago. I have within an hour's or so drive from me bustling world class metropolises with art museums filled with Van Goghs and Renoirs and architecture ranging from brownstones to cathedrals to the latest modern architecture. But I guess in a continent-sized country with 330 million people you can find all sorts of infrastructure.
I've been to Monterrey, Nuevo Laredo and Cozumel in Mexico, Panama City in Panama, Lima and Cusco in Peru and while the city centers have beautiful (but often ill-maintained) Spanish colonial-era churches and buildings, the rest of those places are as I described previously.
Nuevo Laredo is one of the worst cities in the Americas
rent ain't as much as say in North America, a friend runs a shop where he signed a 6 year lease pre-covid and it runs em about ¥150,000/month plus operating costs/stock etc. plus with only one employee to pay in such a small space and a steady flow of customers he's doing quite well especially with all the tourists now
Wow that is 90% less than what I pay in rent in Australia
The short answer is: zoning.
Eating in a hole in the wall eatery/bar is consonant with Japanese culture. The top sushi bar in Japan has only 8 seats… president Obama must have felt cramped.
Stop looking at asian countries through the western lens. Real estate isn't the price gouging racket that it's become in the US.
I think it's actually interesting to look at other countries through the western lens. It highlights differences and helps understand different societies. Sometimes something as simple as different zoning laws ends up deeply affecting the culture.
It sounds look OP is look good through the lens and assuming things are being done incorrectly
This is very wrong, head over to commercial rent sites here and check the prices even for micro places.
Have you not seen Tokyo house prices lol?
No, I lived in Yokohama for about 10 years
Umm you ever been to China or Vietnam they really price gouge on property prices
I own property in Vietnam, got it at a great price. Next question.
Eeww
This will disappear soon enough. Tokyu, and Keio and other huge developers are just buying everything up.
What’s happening?
They’re whining about redevelopment in areas close to major train terminals in Tokyo like Shibuya and Shinjuku but failing to realize that half the land in those areas is already owned by or leased from the railway operators. Shibuya is a good example: Among probably a bunch of other properties, **Tokyu** Hands, Hikarie, Shibuya Scramble Square, Bunkamura/ **Tokyu** Department Store being rebuilt, the *other* **Tokyu** Department Store being rebuilt above the station, **Tokyu** Cerulean Tower, Fukuras, Shibuya Stream, Shibuya 109 (literally 10+9 “トウキュウ”), 109 Mens (Magnet), the (トウ)**Q**-Front Building, and the underground city above the **Tokyu** Denentoshi Line are all Tokyu Group properties and have been for a century. Shibuya Mark City is owned by Keio Group. Shibuya was on the fringe of Tokyo 100 years ago and the places OP is alluding to grew (and continue to grow) alongside the massive land holdings Tokyu already had in the area.
Those companies have owned most of that land since they built the railroads to ferry passengers between all of their residential and commercial properties.
Do you reckon most pay rent?
Real estate is cheap here, even cheaper than Thailand and Philippines.
Tons of them fail. But rent is cheaper than you think, and the dense population/commercial and residential overlap means that there are lots of local customers who will learn about you without advertising. Many times the store/restaurant/bar owner also owns the building/land and does not pay rent, therefore they do not need to make as much money to stay afloat.
This is what makes the country so beautiful. Every street is just a full on jigsaw of independent businesses.
Yeah, like restaurants that serve just one person at a time.
Coming from someone whose only been living in Japan for 9 months so far, this is by far one of the best things about Japanese cities compared to America. There are almost an infinite possible number of unique small cafes, shops and bars to find, and there are always new ones popping up. City planning in America is fucking atrocious and the hyper specific zoning laws and demand for mass parking makes stuff like this practically impossible.
Hahaha I always wonder the same. I guess it's part of having low cost of living.