Pool Hall – Central Billiards, Nakano City (Tokyo), Japan

Located over a 7-11 and reached by a small, unmarked stairwell, this is an old, small (4 tables) pool room. No food or drink but the manager will bring you a cup of hot tea as a courtesy while you play. Tables are well-kept and the felt is fast. Hard to imagine this being a very crowded place. Probably the kind of neighborhood shop only a few people know about. Nothing flashy, no blaring music. Just the click of ball against ball and the familiar thud of balls dropping into pockets before rolling down to the end of the table return.

It’s cluttered and worn. One commenter indicated there might be renovations in the near future but they don’t appear to have started yet. It reminds me of the old Rack & Cue in Mesa, AZ decades ago when I’d wander in there on a weekday morning to practice instead of going to classes, the old men looking up from their dominos only briefly. I’m sure that on a cold Tokyo day, this is a cozy little place to run drills.