Thing to do
Tsukiji Outer Market
The lively market streets that remained in Tsukiji after the wholesale fish market moved to Toyosu, packed with seafood stalls, knife shops and breakfast counters.
Omoide Yokocho
A narrow post-war alley by Shinjuku Station's west exit, packed with around 60 tiny yakitori counters, izakaya and bars under glowing lanterns.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic alley of bars and eateries
- Area
- Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
- Official site
- shinjuku-omoide.com
- Last checked
- October 23, 2026
Good to know
- Around 80 shops
- Yakitori counters
Why we recommend it
Omoide Yokocho grew out of a street-vendor market that sprang up on bomb-damaged land beside Shinjuku Station after the war. Today it is a tight warren of roughly 80 businesses, around 60 of them restaurants and bars, squeezed into a few narrow lanes. Most are counter-only rooms seating a handful of people, with smoke from charcoal grills drifting out over the alley.
It is at its most atmospheric after dark, when office workers stop for skewers of yakitori, offal dishes and a beer or highball before heading home. Seats are limited, so be ready to try a couple of places before you find space. Hours and menus vary from shop to shop. The alley lies just outside the west exit of Shinjuku Station, making it a convenient first stop on a night out in Shinjuku.
Reviewed by Lifestylemetro · Details checked October 23, 2026
Omoide Yokocho FAQs
When is the best time to visit?
Evenings, when the counters and grills are busiest; individual shops set their own hours.
Where exactly is it?
Next to the west exit of Shinjuku Station, close to the JR, Odakyu, Keio and Marunouchi line stations.