Location, location, location. It's the cardinal rule, the holy trinity of real estate, the prerequisite for success in many a trade — and almost an essential for any restaurant. So how come one of Tokyo's most happening little diners is in a part of town that few people would ever consider their first choice of an evening destination?
For most of us, Hatchobori is just a name on the subway map on the nether side of Tsukiji. Venture above ground and you find a faceless, charmless commercial district. And yet it's now drawing crowds from far and wide, and they are there for a single reason: the excellent little wine bar/grill known simply as Maru.
Like the neighborhood, Maru is nothing special to look at, but it has plenty of history. The story starts with the Miyataya sake shop, a family-run operation that's been in business now for seven generations. As with many other liquor stores, it had a counter in the back of the premises where customers could enjoy a drink. Eventually, to stand out from the pack, it began serving wine alongside sake and shochu, with an increasingly elaborate range of bar snacks.