About 200-300 tiny bars in wooden two-storey row houses on six narrow alleys behind Hanazono Shrine, most with a counter for fewer than ten people. A red-light quarter until the 1958 anti-prostitution law, it became the haunt of writers and photographers such as Haruki Murakami and Daido Moriyama, who argued over whisky highballs here.
- Address
- 1-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Hours
- Bars mostly open about 19:00/20:00 until late; many close on Sunday (japan-guide.com; Tokyo Cheapo)
- Best time to go
- Late night · About 2.5 h
- Price
- Many bars charge a cover of about JPY 300-1,000 posted on the door, e.g. Albatross JPY 500, Kenzo's Bar JPY 500, Open Book JPY 300; others have no cover (Tokyo Cheapo; Time Out Tokyo; Tabelog, 2026)
- Price level
- JPY JPY
- Entry
- Cover charge
Details can change. Check hours and prices before you go.
Good to know
- Some doors say "regulars only" or "no tourists": respect it and pick a bar with an English menu or posted prices; the cover charge is written on the door
- Bars fill after 21:00; go in groups of one to three, as most places seat eight or fewer
- Photos in the alleys are discouraged and smoking or eating on the street is banned; most bars take cash only