In the middle of Tokyo’s lively Ebisu Yokocho, I discovered a wonderfully familiar-looking advertisement—with one small but important difference.
While exploring Tokyo, I found Ebisu Yokocho—a lively covered alley where around twenty tiny restaurants and traditional izakaya are squeezed together almost shoulder to shoulder. Red lanterns, narrow counters, handwritten signs and the aromas of grilled skewers, seafood and local dishes create the wonderfully chaotic atmosphere of old-fashioned Tokyo nightlife.
Among all those colours and details, this weathered advertisement immediately caught my attention. The lettering looked strangely familiar, but a closer look revealed “Hama-Cola” instead of the name everyone expected. Even the year 2008 displayed in the corner refers to the opening of Ebisu Yokocho.
It was almost the same, yet completely different—and far too good to pass without taking a photograph.
- Date
- 2026-01-01