Tokyo Flashback : New Year Party 2015 / 東京フラッシュバック：新年会 ２０１５年

You know what I miss about living in Tokyo? Getting together with my friends to eat and drink. In spring, we have a hanami, a cherry blossom viewing party, the Thai Festival in May, the Azabu-Juban Festival in August, Namaste India in September, the Hokkaido Fair the first weekend of October followed by the Kyushu Festival a week later. Plus a number of other food festivals such as the Sri Lanka Fes, the Laos Fes, the Vietnam Fes, the Caribbean and Latin America Fes and a host of others. Then in December is the bonenkai season or "end of the year" party. And if there is an end of the year party, of course there is a shinnenkai or "new year party", not be confused with the New Year's Holidays but just a get togethe to celebrate another new year. Really, it's just an excuse to get together with friends to drink and be merry! Today's post is the shinnenkai for 2015.

東京で恋しいことってなに？それはやっぱり友達と集まってワイワイすることですよ。春だったら花見。５月にタイフェス。８月に麻布十番納涼祭り、９月にナマステインデイア、１０月の最初の週末は北海道物産、そしてその一週間後は九州フェア。夏だったらいろんな料理祭りが開催されるし、スリランカ、ラオス、ベトナム、カリブ・ラテンアメリカ等など。そして年末は忘年会の季節。忘年会があればやっぱり新宴会もありますよね。今回は２０１５年の新年会の様子を話します。

One of our friends, who was from Aomori, was the owned and ran a restaurant in Ushigome Kagurazaka and we would usually have our bonenkai and shinnenkai there. This year was no different. The name of the restaurant was Kitamachi [Utou], named after a bird indigenous to the Aomori area. Our friend usually provided us with a course meal for a discounted price. So first, let's check out the food! I took a picture of the menu but the picture is so blurred you can't read it.

妻の幼馴染が牛込神楽坂に日本料理店を出して、忘年会や新年会はいつもその店で行われた。店の名前は北町「善知鳥」でした。友達が手頃の価格でコースメニューを提供してくれた。じゃ、今年の料理を見てみよう。今回のメニューを撮りましたが、写真がぶれてまったく読みません。

I don't even remember whose kid this is.

これは誰の子供かも忘れてる。

This is my friend Gan-chan.

友達のガンちゃん。

Gan-chan and Ai.

ガンちゃんと愛。

From left to right: Reiko, Hiroto (vocalist and guitarist of H-Music, formerly Tough Box, who are friend Yukio plays drums for), and my wife. 

左から：玲子、ヒロト（H-Music、旧Tough Boxのボーカルとギター）。友達の幸男がH-Musicでドラムを叩いてる。で、一番右側にいるのは僕の妻。

 Tetsu and Yuko.

てっちゃんとYuko。

The guy behind the counter is Ken and is my wife's childhood friend. 

カウンターの後ろに立てるのは妻の幼馴染のけんちゃん。

 I love this picture as the baby is staring into Gan-chan's eyes.

この写真が好き。赤ちゃんがガンちゃんを見つめてるのは最高。

Hm? More food.

あれ？また料理。

 Yukio entertaining all of us.

幸男がギターを弾いて、みんなを楽しませた。

Hiroto and Ryoko.

ヒロトと涼子。

Hama-chan sitting in the back corner.

角に座ってるのは浜ちゃん。

Ken was opening his restaurant for the dinner crowd so we had to move our party and wandered around Ushigome Kagurazaka and decided to and went to this place called [Shokudo Raku] where we ate and drank some more.

けんちゃんが夜の営業の準備するため、私たちは別の場所に移動しました。見つかった店は「食堂楽」。ここでまた飲んで食べた。

Drinking to the new year. 

新年に乾杯。

On the subway heading home.

帰りで地下鉄の中。

Heading home after a long day and night of eating and drinking!

帰りの地下鉄。今日はやっぱり食べ過ぎて飲みすぎた感じ。