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Drinks Shinjuku, Tokyo

Shinjuku Golden Gai

A place for a drink in Shinjuku, Tokyo, moderately priced ($$) and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: Late night.

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Shinjuku Golden Gai in Shinjuku, Tokyo
Photo: urbz · CC BY 2.0 · license

Why go

Six narrow lanes packed with 200+ tiny bars, each seating a handful.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Tokyo, alongside 4 sights, 3 places to eat and 1 activity. The closest of our other picks is Omoide Yokocho, 0.5 km away as the crow flies.

Type
Drinks · Nightlife
Neighborhood
Shinjuku
Price
$$
Time needed
1.5 hr
Best time
Late night

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Tokyo, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Omoide Yokocho

    Smoky postwar alley of tiny yakitori stalls by Shinjuku station.

    Food · 0.5 km straight-line
  2. 2
    Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

    Large garden mixing Japanese, English and French styles; prime cherry blossom spot.

    Outdoors · 1.1 km straight-line
  3. 3
    Meiji Jingu

    Forested Shinto shrine to Emperor Meiji, steps from Harajuku station.

    Sight · 2.0 km straight-line
  4. 4
    Shibuya Crossing

    The world's busiest scramble crossing, best seen from above and then crossed yourself.

    Sight · 3.9 km straight-line
  5. 5
    Shibuya Sky

    Open-air rooftop deck 230 m up Shibuya Scramble Square with 360-degree views.

    Sight · 3.9 km straight-line
  6. 6
    Tsukiji Outer Market

    Lanes of stalls selling tamagoyaki, grilled seafood and sushi near the old fish market site.

    Food · 6.8 km straight-line

On these curated routes

Shinjuku Golden Gai is a stop on our Japan Golden Route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in Tokyo

Shinjuku Golden Gai is our only drinks pick in Tokyo; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Tokyo guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Tokyo run from 8°C in January to 31°C in August; October is usually the wettest month. For Shinjuku Golden Gai itself, we suggest: Late night.

Modelled monthly averages for Tokyo from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Tokyo weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Shinjuku Golden Gai, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Japan, 〒160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kabukichō, 1-chōme−1−６ あかるい花園 五番街
Coordinates
35.69411, 139.70476
Destination
Tokyo, Japan

Shinjuku Golden Gai: quick answers

How much time do you need at Shinjuku Golden Gai?

Plan on about 1.5 hours at Shinjuku Golden Gai. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Shinjuku Golden Gai?

Our pick: Late night. Insider tip: Many bars charge a seat fee; look for posted prices.

Where is Shinjuku Golden Gai?

Shinjuku Golden Gai is at Japan, 〒160-0021 Tokyo, Shinjuku City, Kabukichō, 1-chōme−1−６ あかるい花園 五番街. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Shinjuku Golden Gai?

Shinjuku Golden Gai appears on Japan Golden Route, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Shinjuku Golden Gai to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Tokyo.

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Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.