Bars · Our pick in Tokyo
Golden Gai
A village of tiny bars
Narrow lanes of tiny bars, each seating a handful, in low wooden buildings by the Hanazono Shrine: Tokyo’s most famous little drinking quarter.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsOur take
- Tiny bars
- Late night
- Check the cover charge
- Address
- Shinjuku, Tokyo
- Nearest metro
- Shinjuku-sanchome
400 m · 5 min walk
More distances - Website
- gotokyo.org
About Golden Gai
Golden Gai is a block of narrow lanes in Kabukichō, Shinjuku, next to Hanazono Shrine, lined with very small bars, many seating only a few people. Some charge a cover; prices and house rules are usually posted at the door.
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Golden Gai before you go.
Last checked: October 2026 How we choose
What’s nearby
Distances from Golden Gai are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest metro stations
- Shinjuku-sanchomeFMS400 m5 min walk
- ShinjukuM400 m5 min walk
- Higashi-shinjukuEF500 m6 min walk
Key sights
- Meiji Jingū2.2 kmWalk 27 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 13 min
- The Shibuya crossing4.0 kmCycle 20 minCar or taxi 19 min
- The palace gardens4.8 kmCycle 24 minCar or taxi 22 min
- Tokyo Tower5.4 kmCycle 27 minCar or taxi 24 min
- Sensō-ji8.5 kmCycle 42 minCar or taxi 34 min
- Tokyo Skytree9.7 kmCar or taxi 38 min
- Haneda Airport17 kmCar or taxi 64 min
Main railway stations
- Shinjuku Station650 mWalk 8 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Shibuya Station3.7 kmCycle 19 minCar or taxi 18 min
- Tokyo Station5.6 kmCycle 28 minCar or taxi 25 min
- Ueno Station6.7 kmCycle 34 minCar or taxi 28 min
- Shinagawa Station7.9 kmCycle 40 minCar or taxi 32 min
Location
The map comes from Google Maps, which sets its own cookies once it loads.
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