Tachinomiya
Head to the ‘burbs for a few rounds with the locals

Photos courtesy of Zokei Syudan

To the common Tokyoite, Machida might mean little more than a blip on the Odakyu line. Don’t be fooled; this mini-city has its own neon lights and frenetic pulse. When the urban chaos becomes too much, this little suburb also has a slow, unassuming side, exemplified by Tachinomiya.

Stowed away on a quiet street not far from the train station, Tachinomiya has a bright sign with the day’s specials posted above the entranceway. Upon entering we were greeted with a hearty welcome and instantly felt at ease in the spare, sandy-blonde interior. Long pristine wood paneling runs the length of the room, and curls upward to become part of the ceiling. An arrangement of studio lights and low-hanging lampshades help to bring out the natural, convivial hue of the woodwork; the result is a retreat where ill-feelings toward the daily grind are casually discarded at the door.

We settled on either side of a tabletop stylishly built in to the wall and ordered a pair of Sapporo drafts (¥390). Scanning the room, we noted that the group of tables in the front of the bar balance on one leg, while a solitary four-legged table and wall-to-wall mirror mark the more private section at the back.

As if from an imaginary jukebox, swing and rock streamed through the bar under the din of clinking glasses and conversation. On this Saturday night, the majority of punters were easygoing, fashionable alternative types in their late twenties/early thirties—one hand glued to a frosty beer, the other kept free to pluck at goodies from the snack menu.

The food menu comes in three varieties: a laminated copy, the specials board and sheets of paper thumb-tacked to the wall. The waitress, who spent a short spell in Sydney, helped us decode some of the calligraphy. Service was quick, and the standard izakaya fare came at a very reasonable price. A plate of lightly herbed fried chicken (¥400) was followed by the fleshy whiteness of matching hokke (flatfish) skewers (¥380).

Determined to expand our drinking habits beyond beer, we tilted our heads up to the list of drinks skillfully scribed onto wooden tablets above the counter. Noticing our helpless expressions, a surfer from Shimokitazawa and his friend invited us over and took the liberty of ordering a round of Okinawan awamori shochu (¥400). We obliged and then doused the warm sting with a local favorite, the Machida Sour (¥420). Served in a beer mug with an umeboshi, this tropical fusion of umeshu, grapefruit juice, lemon and soda was deliciously bittersweet and left us thirsty for more.

Jack Daniels made an appearance later that night, as our newfound bar-buddies enlightened us with must-know Japanese vocab. This is the kind of bar where people come to have a few drinks and to source some good vibes. Don’t be surprised, however, if your “few drinks” at Tachinomiya ends in a slightly uncoordinated sprint for the last train home.

6-14-7 Hara-Machida, Machida-shi. Tel: 042-724-1039. Open Mon-Sat 4pm-2am and Sun 4pm-midnight. Nearest stn: Machida.

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