Lost in Kabukicho

Kabukicho is a neighborhood I discovered pretty quickly after I arrived, though not exactly on purpose. I was actually looking for a Go salon, and back then there was no GPS: the addresses you'd find online weren't much help once you were lost in Shinjuku's maze of narrow streets. But I knew you had to leave Shinjuku Station and head east. Further east, always, as a certain Professor Calculus would say.

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Armed not with a pendulum but with a crudely printed paper map, I tried to find my way through the maze without paying much attention to what was actually around me. It wasn't until I was well inside Kabukicho, surrounded by love hotels, hostess bars and restaurants, that I realized there was probably more to see around here than a Go salon. As it turned out, the salon itself wasn't especially welcoming — seeing a foreigner walk in who barely spoke Japanese, they politely turned me away at the door.

A little deflated, I figured it would be a shame to have come all this way for nothing, so I set out to explore the neighborhood instead — one I quickly learned was better not to get too lost in.

A Neighborhood With History

One of the things I appreciate most about Japan is how rarely you feel unsafe — even after dark, walking around isn't something that really worries you. That said, some places can feel intimidating at first glance. Kabukicho has changed a lot over the past twenty years, and even more since the 70s and 80s, when organized crime had a far more visible presence than it does today, and the district's reputation was nothing like what it is now.

These days, even though the district is still partly under the influence of a certain very-present mafia, things feel a lot more civilized. For a visitor, the main risk usually isn't street violence but getting scammed: never follow the touts who spontaneously offer to take you to a bar or club — I go into more detail on that in Dangerous but Safe — or you risk walking away with a bill far higher than anything you planned to spend that night.

A quick aside for video game fans: the fictional district where most of the Like a Dragon games take place — known in Japan by its original title, 龍が如く (Ryū ga Gotoku, literally "Like a Dragon"; SEGA marketed it internationally as Yakuza for years before the most recent entries switched to the Japanese title worldwide) — Kamurocho, is directly modeled on Kabukicho. To catch the atmosphere of that particular era, Yakuza 0 is the one to play: it's set in 1988, at the height of Japan's economic bubble — same neon, same back alleys, same nightlife establishments, with a healthy dose of fiction and brawling thrown in. Something in the spirit of GTA, though the comparison only goes so far — the series has its own identity and structure. Yakuza 0 is an excellent entry point into the series, also available in its Japanese version if you're already here.

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Golden Gai, a Different Era

A near-obligatory stop if you're visiting Kabukicho is ending your night in the bar district of Golden Gai. The atmosphere there is completely different: much quieter, with a look that seems to have survived straight out of the Shōwa era. Contrary to what you might expect, it wasn't really a salaryman haunt to begin with — the district was originally built up as a hangout for writers, journalists, editors and film people, who'd set the world to rights over a drink in tiny "bundan bars" (literally, literary bars), barely bigger than a closet.

These days, tourists and locals mix in those same alleys, and regulars often have their own bottle set aside at their go-to bar. It's a bit like a second family, where everyone knows everyone. Every bar has its own mood — it's up to you to find the one that suits you.

Godzilla and the Neighborhood Atmosphere

If you're visiting Kabukicho, you'll probably want to see the famous Godzilla — his head, more precisely — poking out from the top of the Shinjuku Toho Building, whose cinema even runs 4D screenings for thrill-seekers. You'll also run into rows of girls inviting you into their bar. But most of the people you actually cross paths with, aside from tourists and shop staff, seem to just be there to talk and soak up the atmosphere.

That very spot has its own theatrical backstory, actually — more on that in Shout, Laugh, Stay Silent.

That's also what I'd encourage you to do, within reason: get a little lost in the streets. Nabe and shabu-shabu restaurants, izakayas on every corner — Kabukicho is as much a place to discover with your stomach as with your eyes, once you accept not knowing exactly where you're headed.

One tip though: aim for dusk when you visit. That's when the storefronts light up and every kind of business opens its doors. Just as the surrounding business districts empty out, that's exactly when Kabukicho really comes alive.

Practical Tips

• In Golden Gai, don't hesitate to wander from bar to bar until you find one that suits you, both in atmosphere and available seating — some places are tiny and simply can't fit a large group
• Check the cover charge (sometimes it comes with an otoshi — a small appetizer billed automatically), usually posted at the entrance. Every bar has its own pricing system, so it's worth checking what's posted rather than assuming they all work the same way. Bartenders can usually manage basic English if you're not with a guide
• Some bars, and even some alleys, enforce a strict "no photo" rule — please respect the privacy of the regulars, for whom these places are, above all, a personal hideaway

As for the Go salon, I never went back. But looking back, I think Kabukicho taught me more about Japan than a game of Go ever would have.

That failed attempt at a Go salon, as it turns out, is really where this whole obsession started — the full story is in 10¹⁷⁰ Possibilities, One Path.