Hiroko Mito just celebrated the 10th anniversary of Kyoya, her small Kyoto-style snack and karaoke bar in Shibuya's Sakuragaoka district. Always dressed in a kimono and a freshly pressed kappogi, the white apron that used to be commonly worn by housewives, Hiroko-mama means business. Everyone is treated like family, and regardless of whether her guests come in for just a beer or a glass of sake, she gives them what she thinks they need the most from her daily menu of 10 or 15 delicious dishes. Just like her mother, who used to serve out tiny portions among her seven children to make sure they stayed in good health, Hiroko-mama believes that love can be expressed without words — and that all her guests know what she's talking about..
Because of karaoke, we have gotten much worse at holding conversations. This is especially true for women who work in bars and don't need to do anything else now except pour drinks and select songs for the patrons. Before the invention of karaoke, bartenders and waitresses had to come up with topics to entertain their customers, so we all studied hard to please our guests. Now most bars just blast music and everyone tunes out to the songs. Sounds bad to me.
Your parents' legacy is always huge. I kept the noren (fabric hung at entrance of shops) from my mother's restaurant in hope of one day using it in my own place. Even though I've been in business for over 40 years now, the cloth is still too wide for my little bar's entrance.
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