Late summer and the living is still far from easy. And yet, slowly, steadily, the coronavirus constraints feel like they are starting to loosen.
Clearly, it is too soon for Tokyo restaurants to let down their guard. Infection numbers are still high and border restrictions remain firmly in place on visitors from abroad, save for the few willing to sign up for group tours. Even so, dining out in the city feels more vibrant now than it has been since the start of the pandemic.
Yes, we are still seeing restaurant closings; some sad and abrupt, others more a generational passing of the torch. But the first half of this year has also brought us a host of new openings. And there is much more for us to look forward to as we head into the cooler season.