Literally crammed into a tiny area of Shinjuku, Golden Gai sits in limbo between the days after WW2 and modern Tokyo. A hub for prostitution after WW2, now Golden Gai is a cluster of 200 tiny bars and restaurants lining six alleys, some too narrow for two people to pass side-by-side. While many of these…
Tag: shinjuku
Shinjuku Station New South Exit
In an effort to simplify the overwhelming chaos of Shinjuku Station, the powers-that-be now bring you the “New South Exit” of Shinjuku Station. One of the first things you will realize is that it doesn’t actually replace the “old” South Exit; it’s just a new structure built on the southern side of the street from…
Kabukicho
If there is any neighborhood that has attained notoriety in Tokyo, it would be Kabukicho. This area north of Shinjuku station is infamous for its many vices: gambling, prostitution and yakuza (Japanese gangsters). There is even a permanently repeating recording by the local police played over neighborhood loudspeakers warning people of the dangers of Kabukicho. While…
Omoide Yokocho
This narrow set of alleys outside the West exit of Shinjuku station is home to about 60 tiny restaurants, mostly serving the traditional salaryman meal, yakitori (skewered meat) and of course, a glass of beer to wash it down. Omoide Yokocho means “Memory Lane” and the place does hold many memories since it sprung up at…
Godzilla’s Head
No, this isn’t the result of decapitating the atomic beast from the depths of the Pacific Ocean, but a promo piece from the 2014 remake of the 1954 classic monster film. The 12m tall head debuted outside Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi, but its permanent home is atop the Toho Cinemas / Gracery Hotel in Shinjuku’s…
$10 Cup of Coffee
Before Starbucks was a thing in Japan, nearly every cup of coffee was expensive, and coffee shops were classy places for the well-heeled to chat with friends. If you still crave the days of the $10 cup of coffee, Bon in Shinjuku (自家焙煎珈啡凡) is your fix. Nestled underground just meters from the B13 exit of Shinjuku…
新宿 – Shinjuku
Shinjuku is a special ward of Tokyo most famous for its train station, the busiest in the world with over 3.6 million people passing through it each day. It is also the home of many large Japanese corporations and the 48 story Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, which has fantastic free views of the city from…
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