A small back space of a liquor store in Tokyo's Asagaya neighborhood is a no-frills standing bar where customers can drink their purchases. Patrons dropping in for a tipple come from all walks of life, including a company employee on his way home from work and a married couple able to spend more time together now that the husband has retired. For three days, we asked customers drinking in this liquor shop's back room about why they come here and raise a glass.

A small shop selling okonomiyaki savory pancakes and obanyaki cakes has become a staple for locals in a part of Kobe devastated by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995. Among the customers fond of these dishes are friends who stop by while on a walk; a boy buying lunch and snacks for his family; and people who simply enjoy chatting with the staff. The shop was razed in the disaster, but the owner did his best to reopen as soon as possible. For three days, we talked to the customers and got a glimpse of the area's long road to recovery.