At a glance, Wise Sons Tokyo is a strange addition to the subterranean fringes of Tokyo Station. But zoom in on this Jewish delicatessen and you'll find something warm and inviting: crooked family photographs hanging on the wall, deli-style padded benches, bright timber features and, most importantly, row upon glorious row of bagels.
Co-owner Evan Bloom, who runs nine other Wise Sons in and around San Francisco with his brother Ari, says that opening a Tokyo outpost was a "little, wacky dream" for him.
"Bagels in Japan are a very Japanese product," he said during a recent visit to Tokyo. "For one, bread tends to be much softer and lighter (in Japan). Sweeter, too. And there are a lot of different flavors. Essentially, it can be shaped like a bagel, but that's kind of the only relation."