Omoide Yokocho — Memory Lane

Tucked behind the west exit of Shinjuku Station, Omoide Yokocho is a narrow alleyway approximately 200 meters long filled with tiny yakitori bars, each seating perhaps 6-8 people at a counter around an open charcoal grill. The establishments date mostly from the postwar reconstruction era of the late 1940s and 1950s, and many are still run by the original families or their descendants.

Smoke drifts across the alley from dozens of grills simultaneously; paper lanterns and hand-painted signs glow overhead; the sounds of dozens of intimate conversations and the sizzle of skewered meat merge together. The classic order is mixed yakitori skewers with cold beer or sake. Most stalls are cash-only, English menus are rare, and the fun is in ordering by pointing. Visit after 7pm on a weekday for the most authentic experience — weekends become crowded with tourists.