Liquor demand in Tokyo goes dry as tourism dwindles

Bottle after bottle of unopened sake line the counter at Shibuya, an 'izakaya', or pub-style restaurant, in central Tokyo.

But the customers -- are nowhere to be found.

Shibuya is located in the neighborhood of Asakusa, one of Tokyo's most popular areas for tourists, who flock to the district's local shops and stalls.

But with the Japanese government urging people to stay away from gathering at bars and restaurants due to the virus, small businesses here have been hit hard.

Owner Seiichiro Shibuya says his establishment is one of many.

(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) OWNER OF IZAKAYA RESTAURANT, SHIBUYA, SEIICHIRO SHIBUYA, SAYING:

"Customers aren't coming, so people aren't drinking. So I think my liquor order has become halved from what I normally order."

Shibuya has seen half the number of customers he usually attracts around this period.

And in turn, Shigeru Nishizawa, who distributes liquor to Shibuya and other izakayas around the area, says his family-run business is feeling the pinch, too.

He begins every morning the same way: line up the bottles, stack them then pack them in his van.

But since late February, things just haven't been the same.

(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) BUSINESS MANAGER OF LIQUOR DISTRIBUTOR, NISHIZAWA, SHIGERU NISHIZAWA, SAYING:

"They (beer and sake orders) have definitely gone down. (Orders from) restaurants are especially bad."

Several breweries and liquor stores told Reuters that many people are opting to drink at home due to the virus outbreak, leaving small business owners like Nishizawa and Shibuya to adjust to a new normal.

(SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) OWNER OF IZAKAYA RESTAURANT, SHIBUYA, SEIICHIRO SHIBUYA, SAYING:

"There's nothing I can do or change for customers to come with the coronavirus situation. It's a difficult issue. I think the number of people with the virus needs to drop and people need to start feeling safe to go outside."