As Japan screamed into the second round of the World Cup with a win over Tunisia on Friday, sports bars in Tokyo lapped up a surge in customers.
Equipped with giant TV monitors, the bars provide people with a sense of unity and excitement outside the stadium, and another excuse to tackle the looming heat with a chilled pint or two.
Taking advantage of a World Cup craze sweeping the archipelago, owners of sports bars are hoping to tap into a broader range of customers, not just hard-core sports fans.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.