Why is there no beer?
Oh ye gads, it's the end of the freaking world!! There's almost no beer left in Asagaya! The only stuff people won't touch is the non-alcohol and calorie free stuff...and Beaujolais Nouveau, but that is entirely understandable. Not only does this tell us what shit even Japanese people won't touch in a crisis, but that should the end come, I won't be able to drink myself to death first!!
Ha ha ha. I joke on that last count, of course. Seriously, though, this beer shortage is a problem. With the water supply issues at the moment, bottled water is scarce, so beer kinda seemed like an option until a week or so ago when I overheard a discussion between the owner of my local bar and his supplier:
" I've got one keg of Yebisu left. Do you want it?" the supplier muttered into the bar owner's ear.
" What happens when that runs out?" the bar owner asked.
" We still have the Asahi Super Dry." Both men looked seriously into space.
" Give me whatever you've got left. Bottles as well," said the bar owner. " Hopefully things won't get that bad."
It turns out that one of the Yebisu breweries was knocked out either by the quake or the tsunami, and is out of action until they can safely return gas and power to it. The Kirin brewery site in Yokohama is subject to blackouts and supply problems, I would assume. As for Asahi, who knows, but there isn't much of that about at the moment either. Though it gives you a good indication of its popularity, that it was one of the last beers to still be hanging around in the convenience stores. I'm well aware that there are other locations in Japan still brewing beer, but they are unlikely to divert their supplies to Kanto when Kansai and Kyushu are also needing to slake their thirsts. I bought one can of Yebisu in the supermarket earlier, along with a 12 pack of toilet roll - mango-scented - which was a relief. I was starting to look at which book was going to be the first to be ripped up for bog roll. Maybe I should request copies of the Daily Mail and Sun newspapers to be shipped over to Japan. They'd make good bum rags.
Last week I went out to grab some food and wrote this when I got home: "Ito Yokodo had a massive delivery of water when I popped in earlier. People were taking them out of the boxes before the staff could get them open properly. One old lady was trying to fill her basket with bottles until one of the staff reprimanded her and told her she could only have 1 bottle. She had to put them back. Ha ha. Old ladies = wagamama monsters."
I know much has been said of how people in Sendai have been stoic about their situation and haven't resorted to looting or fighting etc etc, but I think people there have a better spirit than those in Tokyo - a better sense of community. I sometimes feel the fact that Tokyo mostly comprises people from all over the country makes it a rather disconnected place to live, which perhaps results in people immaturely hoarding food, water and other necessities. Anyway, just a random thought.
So, things have settled down a lot since last week. Omotesando and Harajuku are their normal heaving selves. The police in the Omotesdando Dori police box were feeding biscuits to some woman's pet rats dogs on Friday morning, and the street nampa-ing (or whatever it is those guys are up to) is back on. Curiously the tissue guys were absent this week - possibly they got mobbed for their tissue stashes and are tending to their old lady-shaped bruises at home. Work is busy with spring intensive courses for the kids. Thursday, fortunately, is my last day at work until July (not including Peaceboat), so I'm counting the hours until my freedom!
So, I shall leave you with a photo of plum blossom from one of my wanderings from the other week:
Ha ha ha. I joke on that last count, of course. Seriously, though, this beer shortage is a problem. With the water supply issues at the moment, bottled water is scarce, so beer kinda seemed like an option until a week or so ago when I overheard a discussion between the owner of my local bar and his supplier:
" I've got one keg of Yebisu left. Do you want it?" the supplier muttered into the bar owner's ear.
" What happens when that runs out?" the bar owner asked.
" We still have the Asahi Super Dry." Both men looked seriously into space.
" Give me whatever you've got left. Bottles as well," said the bar owner. " Hopefully things won't get that bad."
It turns out that one of the Yebisu breweries was knocked out either by the quake or the tsunami, and is out of action until they can safely return gas and power to it. The Kirin brewery site in Yokohama is subject to blackouts and supply problems, I would assume. As for Asahi, who knows, but there isn't much of that about at the moment either. Though it gives you a good indication of its popularity, that it was one of the last beers to still be hanging around in the convenience stores. I'm well aware that there are other locations in Japan still brewing beer, but they are unlikely to divert their supplies to Kanto when Kansai and Kyushu are also needing to slake their thirsts. I bought one can of Yebisu in the supermarket earlier, along with a 12 pack of toilet roll - mango-scented - which was a relief. I was starting to look at which book was going to be the first to be ripped up for bog roll. Maybe I should request copies of the Daily Mail and Sun newspapers to be shipped over to Japan. They'd make good bum rags.
Last week I went out to grab some food and wrote this when I got home: "Ito Yokodo had a massive delivery of water when I popped in earlier. People were taking them out of the boxes before the staff could get them open properly. One old lady was trying to fill her basket with bottles until one of the staff reprimanded her and told her she could only have 1 bottle. She had to put them back. Ha ha. Old ladies = wagamama monsters."
I know much has been said of how people in Sendai have been stoic about their situation and haven't resorted to looting or fighting etc etc, but I think people there have a better spirit than those in Tokyo - a better sense of community. I sometimes feel the fact that Tokyo mostly comprises people from all over the country makes it a rather disconnected place to live, which perhaps results in people immaturely hoarding food, water and other necessities. Anyway, just a random thought.
So, things have settled down a lot since last week. Omotesando and Harajuku are their normal heaving selves. The police in the Omotesdando Dori police box were feeding biscuits to some woman's pet rats dogs on Friday morning, and the street nampa-ing (or whatever it is those guys are up to) is back on. Curiously the tissue guys were absent this week - possibly they got mobbed for their tissue stashes and are tending to their old lady-shaped bruises at home. Work is busy with spring intensive courses for the kids. Thursday, fortunately, is my last day at work until July (not including Peaceboat), so I'm counting the hours until my freedom!
So, I shall leave you with a photo of plum blossom from one of my wanderings from the other week: