Everything you need for your first visit to Golden Gai.
From postwar black markets and the red-light era to literary bar culture and today’s global bar-hopping scene — the 80-year history behind Golden Gai’s six narrow alleys.
First-timer's guide · 6 min readA beginner's guide to Golden Gai: everything you need before you open your first tiny door — what it costs, how to read the signs, bar etiquette, and which bars are happy to see you.
Best bars · 7 min readThe best bars in Shinjuku Golden Gai, picked by mood: welcoming first-timer and English-friendly bars, music bars, horror and wrestling theme bars, legendary veterans and serious drinks — plus how to find your way around.
Bar types · 4 min readJazz, literature, cinema, anime, punk rock — Golden Gai has a bar for every passion. Find your tribe among 295+ uniquely themed bars in Tokyo.
Only in Golden Gai · 4 min readFour-seat bars, one-on-one conversations with a master, the Showa-era atmosphere — Golden Gai offers experiences that exist nowhere else on earth.