Golden Gai

Golden Gai, located a short walk from the JR Station East exit, is the “drinking until all hours of the early morning” collection of small bars and watering holes with the the appearance of a shanty town and prices that match or exceed the more regular bars and clubs dotted around Shinjuku.

Golden Gai is popular with locals and tourists a like, and is certainly an experience worth having should drinking until all hours of the early morning be something you enjoy. While Golden Gai is not exactly geared up for tourists (the website is only in Japanese), tourist money cannot be ignored and many of the bars will happily accept foreigners, however entering an establishment can be intimidating and rejections for non-obvious reasons are common.

You can read more about the area and figure out which bars are no-go for foreigners by doing a quick Google search. “When Japan” is not an expect here and has only been a few times. In general bars here attract Japanese who are up for a long talk to the early hours with other patrons so don’t enter a bar just to drink quietly with your friends. Talking with the bar staff and other in the bar is basically the reason you are there (it is certainly not for the reasonable prices and cover charges).

The one thing to add to the already numerous articles about Golden Gai already on the web is that this style of drinking establishment is not unique to Golden Gai. There are plenty of examples of the narrow streets lined with small establishments with only half-a dozen or so seats at a counter. It is just Golden Gai is the most famous due to its long history of withstanding development in the area.

Some expats are addicted to the place while others have never stepped a foot inside or even know how to get there.