GODZ - Tokyo

 

Roughly this time last year, I set a goal for myself to read at least one book a month for 2025. No particular topic, or subject matter in mind, just simply read a dozen books. It’s safe to say I’m on track to complete that mission, and I might ever surpass it. The constant back and forth to Europe for vacations and tours has helped, but most recently, a 14 hour flight to Tokyo has sealed the deal. In at least three or four of the books I’ve read this year, people have talked about how amazing Japan is. Doug Tompkins, who founded The North Face clothing company had a love for their art and architecture. Anthony Bourdain was besotted with their food. Jermey Clarkson adores their motorways. I have heard people raving about this place for years.

However, after being here a week, I hate to say it, but I have a slightly different outlook. Let me start of by saying Tokyo is incredible, and I am happy I’m here. As I’m writing this, I’m connected to wifi and travelling at 320kph on a bullet train to Osaka that somehow, will arrive perfectly on time. Something Britain still cannot figure out. There’s a level of courtesy and respect here that’s unfathomable to the western mind. For example, the cashiers turn their backs to you when you insert you PIN code, and then bows to you as your leaving. The taxi cab drivers wear white linen gloves. And despite there being almost zero rubbish bins anywhere, there isn’t a crumb of debris lying in the streets. Like I say it is very lovely here, however, I can’t help but feel generally underwhelmed by Tokyo. I can’t put my finger on why, but all I’ll say is that if you took the sign off the wall that reads “laundromat” in Japanese, you wouldn’t really know if you were in Toronto, or Tampa. Yes, the architect is a marvel of engineering, but the words “beige” and “pequeña” come to mind. The other thing I can’t understand for the life of me is, why nothing is opens before 11am. Literally nothing. If you an early riser, as I am, and are planning on coming here, just stay horizontal a little longer because you won’t be able to buy a coffee for love nor money. 

All of that to say though, there are lots of things I’ve been enjoying. The ramen is out of this world, Imperial Park is lovely, and beyond the breathlessly quiet back streets of Shinjuku, where my digs were for the week, is the Golden Gai. This strip of drunken chaos is right out of a movie. It’s like Berlin & Cartagena had a weird affair with New York. And keeping inline with New York, there is a pantheon of neon that’ll burn your retinas, and more panhandlers than you can poke a stick at. All of whom will rip you off if you give them the slightest chance. The trick is to just keep walking and ignore the pricks. Buried right in the depths of all the billboards of questionably aged girls dressed in cosplay, and adultery, is without a doubt, one of the best metal bars in the world. GODZ.

I’ve heard many things about this bar over the years, and sometimes that build up can cause one to be let down, but boy, did this one live up to the hype. Anyone who’s anyone in the metal community has drank here. Much like Duff’s in Brooklyn, there’s heaps of signed “thank you’s” covering the walls. Everyone from Insomium and Warbringer to Enforcer and Anthrax. Walking in, I was welcomed to the sweet sounds of Rotting Christ, and met by a beer that tasted of velvet. For reasons unknown to science, I’ve noticed the beers in Japan tastes as if it was carbonated with silk and served to you on a velvet pillow stuffed with duck feathers. I don’t know what it is, but it’s beyond smooth, it’s like a pint of duckhams on a cold morning. 

There are other metal bars in the Golden Gai worth noting. Death Match in Hell & Hair of the Dog deserve a cheeky visit. Both are as small a chicken coup, with 7 seats and fridge full of Kirin, but neither will beat a night on the piss, with some random blokes at GODZ. The decor is perfect, the lighting is frankly nonexistent, the walls are as black as night. and littered with shit. The barmen will light your smokeo for you, and the other thing I love dearly about this bar is the ability to “kyoku o rikuesuto suru”, aka request a song. Since that, and a few other small things such as biru o kudasai & ohayō were the only things I’ve picked up so far in Japan, I put it to good use, and queued some Swedish glam metal. TCI & CrashDïet specially, it would have been rude not too really. 

Like anywhere, you could spend a lifetime exploring the streets of Tokyo and the back alleys of Shibuya, Shinjuku, Taito and so on. For now though, I’m off to Osaka for a few days before flying to Aus, where I hope I find more of the traditional Japanese architecture and lifestyle that I feel somewhat let down by in Tokyo. 

6/6.