I just watched Ozu’s 1956 film Tokyo Twilight and the opening scene has two strangers introduced to each other in a tiny bar, and within minutes one of them is

I just watched Ozu’s 1956 film Tokyo Twilight and the opening scene has two strangers introduced to each other in a tiny bar, and within minutes one of them is sharing his food with the other. I wondered how realistic the scene was, but from what you write, perhaps it was representative of everyday life. Still, Japan is such a regimented society. How do bar owners ensure that the regulars it attracts belong to the same level in the social hierarchy, so that they can feel comfortable among one another?