Tokyo’s streets are dotted with lively yokochoes (Alleyways). Yokocho is a narrow alley with a unique atmosphere. Many of them have existed for a long time and offer a retro atmosphere.
Yokocho is lined with small restaurants such as izakaya (Japanese style pubs), serving beer, sake, and Japanese food. Each store is small, and customers are often close to each other. The atmosphere varies from store to store, but many of them are homey.
Yokocho used to be a confusing place to visit even for Japanese who are not used to it. Recently, however, it has become a place where young people and beginners can easily enter, and many tourists are visiting.
This article introduces 8 recommended yokocho (side streets) and drinking spots in Tokyo. If you want to experience Japan’s deep drinking and izakaya culture, you should definitely visit a yokocho for a night out.
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Shinjuku Golden Gai (新宿ゴールデン街)
Shinjuku Golden Gai is a restaurant district in Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo. It has been known as “Golden Gai” since around 1965. There are more than 200 stores lining the narrow alleys. It is popular as a deep drinking street for Japanese who are accustomed to drinking. All the stores are small in size, so it is recommended to drink alone or with a small group. It is recommended to visit with a minimum of luggage.
Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho (新宿思い出横丁)
Located at the west exit of Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Omoide Yokocho is a good old drinking district that retains a nostalgic scene. About 60 restaurants, mainly yakitori restaurants, line the street. It is a deep spot with many hidden gems, where you can enjoy delicious food and drinks. The stores in Omoide Yokocho are all small, so dress lightly.
Read on “A Day of Izakaya hopping in Harmonica Yokocho!”
Harmonica Yokocho
Harmonica Yokocho stretches along the north exit of Kichijoji Station. Harmonica Yokocho, which started out as a junk market after World War II, is now a gathering place of unique restaurants ranging from long-established izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) to cafes. During the daytime, the atmosphere is bright and cheerful with many people coming and going, but at night, red lanterns begin to swing from the eaves, giving the area a deep atmosphere of a drinking district.
Read on “A Day of Izakaya hopping in Harmonica Yokocho!”
Shibuya Nonbei Yokocho
Shibuya also has a drinking district with a retro atmosphere. Its name is Nonbei Yokocho. In Shibuya, which is overflowing with the latest spots, this is the only place where you can find a different atmosphere from the past. More than 30 restaurants line Nonbei Yokocho. All the stores are small and close to each other, so please enjoy drinking with good manners.
Shibuya Yokocho (渋谷横丁)
Shibuya Yokocho, also in Shibuya, is a newer side street that was recently established. It is recommended for beginners more than the Yokocho introduced above. Many of the restaurants in Yokocho offer local gourmet and soul food, and you can taste dishes from all over Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Eating your way through the gourmet foods of various regions while drinking is probably the best way to enjoy Shibuya Yokocho.
Ueno Ameyoko Shopping Street
The Ueno Ameyoko shopping street, popularly known as “Ameyoko,” is a shopping street with approximately 400 stores lined up in a distance of about 500 meters. It is located just a short distance from Ueno station. Many of the stores sell foreign-made goods, and the area is full of international flavor and vitality. Ameyoko is also famous as a drinking district with many taverns. It is a good spot for beginners as it attracts many foreign tourists.
There are also a variety of izakaya (Japanese-style pubs) in the vicinity of Ueno Station, where Ameyoko is located. We recommend not only Ameyoko, but also the stores under the elevated railroad tracks, where you will find a variety of excellent restaurants.
Report on the experience of Izakaya hopping in Ueno
Asakusa Hoppy Street
Hoppy Street is a street lined with izakaya in Asakusa. As the name implies, Hoppy Street is lined with izakayas in Asakusa, serving a uniquely Japanese alcoholic beverage called “hoppy”. Hoppy Street is also known as Nikomi Street, and is characterized by the fact that many restaurants serve stewed Japanese sole food such as Gyusujinikomi (Beef tripe stew) and Motsuni (tripe stew).
Most of the stores along Hoppy Street are open from noon. If you want to have a drink while enjoying the traditional Japanese atmosphere, go to Hoppy Street.
Report on the experience of Izakaya hopping at Hoppy Street
Nakano Kitaguchi Ichibangai
Nakano Kitaguchi Ichibangai is a drinking district that stretches along the north exit of Nakano Station. Nakano is famous as a “mecca of subculture,” but in fact it is also a “mecca of izakaya”. It is a fierce battleground of great restaurants, with small bars and unique stores lining the streets. There are also many standing bars, so it is recommended for drinking alone.
Report on the experience of ladle drinking in Nakano
