Tokyo READY P68-70 NIGHTLIFE 22/10/2013 12:39 Page 68
Nightlife
Nightlife
So many bars… More than 200, in fact! Two to try are Carrot (right) and Hamon-d (below)
Bar bullion Welcome to Golden-gai, irresistible labyrinth of micro drinking dens. Over to your guide, Kyuich Tanikawa…
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erched on a corner of Shinjuku’s Kabuki-cho, the largest entertainment district in Asia, lies Golden-gai: a ramshackle quarter made up of a handful of streets lined with more than 200 tiny drinking dens. Its storied past reaches back to the black markets of the postwar period. In the ’60s, authors and journalists conspired here, and it also drew a creative crowd of actors, editors and theatre types. Because of this, Golden-gai is often considered the birthplace of Japanese counter- and sub-culture, and you’ll find a healthy crosssection of alternative society still gathering here today. Recently, Golden-gai has become popular with foreign tourists, and, unfortunately, this has given rise to new ways of ripping them off. The most common of these is the
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practice of extortionate charging before you’ve even ordered anything. Some restaurants charge customers ¥300 to ¥1,000 just for sitting down, so always check with the establishment if they have such a policy when entering. Bear that in mind, and you’ll love diving in to the world of Golden-gai –and let’s just hope recent rumours that the area is to be ‘scaled back’ ahead of the 2020 Olympics prove ill-founded.
Five great places to squeeze in to for a drink CARROT A drink-at-the-counter bar that holds a maximum of six people. Located near the town’s entrance, its open door allows you to suss out the vibe before walking in. Its friendly
