Yakitori Alley

Gai-shoku-gai, the narrow passage tucked directly under the elevated railway tracks of Yurakucho Station, pulses with the hum and rattle of passing trains. Smoke from charcoal grills clings to the low, soot-stained concrete ceilings, carrying the scent of soy glaze and charred chicken. Businessmen in suits crowd onto tiny wooden stools, shoulders brushing, to eat skewers and drink beer. This cramped, smoky sprawl began as a black market in the wake of nineteen forty-five, where people traded scraps for survival.