Any address that begins 1-1-1 is, by my reckoning, pretty impressive. It means that the building located there was the first one on the first block developed in the first district of that area. Kamiya Bar, a legendary bar and restaurant, secured the 1-1-1 address in Asakusa when it opened 125 years ago. It is located in Taito Ward, one of a handful of Tokyo's northeastern wards that span either side of the Sumida River where Tokyo first took root as a city.

This old part of Tokyo is known as shitamachi (downtown). But, just as New Yorkers use the term, it began as a geographical reference which then developed social connotations with the passing of time. Shitamachi hugs the Sumida River delta -- literally down in the valley -- while Tokyo's modern business districts and suburbs steadily climbed higher into the rolling hills that surround the city. Uptown, or Yamanote, in this case means elevated as opposed to north.

When Japan opened its doors to the West during the Meiji Era, Asakusa was an edgy entertainment district with a concentration of theaters and cabarets. While Ginza was home to more elite forms of traditional culture, Asakusa had a lively clientele who often reveled in new trends. In 1880, when it was called Mikahaya Meishuten, Kamiya Bar was the first place to exclusively serve foreign liquor. This gave it a rather sophisticated and worldly air.