Tokyo Shinjuku Bar Hopping: Izakaya, Golden Gai & Drinks

Summary

Shinjuku’s neon alleys, smoky yakitori and laughter with locals

You’ll slip through lantern-lit alleys in Shinjuku with a local guide who knows every shortcut and secret bar. Taste smoky yakitori on Memory Lane, try shochu highballs in Kabukicho (with all-you-can-drink included), then end up swapping stories with locals in Golden Gai’s tiniest bars. It’s messy, loud, unexpectedly warm — and honestly hard to forget.

What’s the experience like?

I’ll be honest — I almost bailed when I saw the alley. Omoide Yokocho (“Memory Lane”) is this narrow tangle behind Shinjuku station, all lanterns and smoke and people squeezed onto stools so tiny you have to tuck your knees in. Our guide, Yuki, just grinned and waved us into a yakitori spot where the grill smoke clung to my jacket for days. The first beer hit different here — cold glass, chatter bouncing off the walls, someone yelling “kampai!” from two seats down. I didn’t expect to feel so at home in a city of millions.

We wandered out into Kabukicho after that, weaving past office workers already pink-cheeked from sake. At the next bar (all-you-can-drink — dangerous), Yuki ordered something called shochu highball for us. It tasted like lemon peel and trouble. I tried to ask for another in Japanese; the bartender laughed and corrected me gently. There was this moment when Godzilla’s head loomed above us on a terrace — it sounds weird, but seeing that giant lizard against the neon sky made me feel like a kid again. Tokyo is wild like that.

The last stop was Golden Gai — six alleys stacked with bars barely wider than my hallway back home. Some were full of regulars singing old pop songs; others had just two stools and a bartender who looked like she’d seen everything twice. We squeezed into one where the walls were covered in Polaroids from decades of nights out. I still think about that view: strangers sharing snacks, trading stories over sake, nobody in a rush to leave. If you want to see Tokyo’s nightlife beyond the tourist gloss, this is it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Shinjuku bars and food alleys

• Meet at Black pillar near Uniqlo
• Visit izakaya in Omoide Yokocho
• Hop to izakaya bar in Kabukicho
• See Godzilla head landmark
• Visit bar in Golden Gai or sake bar

Top questions

How many bars do you visit on this Shinjuku bar hopping tour?

The tour visits three local izakaya bars across Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai areas.

Is dinner included on the Tokyo bar hopping tour?

Yes, a full dinner is included during the tour and you can choose from their original menu.

Are drinks unlimited on this Shinjuku nightlife tour?

You get all-you-can-drink at the second bar plus two drinks at the first bar and one at the last stop.

Can people under 20 join this Tokyo izakaya tour?

No, only guests over 20 years old can join due to Japan’s legal drinking age.

Does this tour include pickup or do I meet somewhere?

The tour starts at a meeting point near Uniqlo Shinjuku Nishiguchi shop; pickup isn’t included.

Is this Tokyo bar crawl suitable for vegetarians or those with allergies?

The food is prepared in various kitchens not owned by the operator; dietary restrictions may not be accommodated.

How long does it take to walk between bars on this Shinjuku tour?

The bars are close together within Shinjuku; walking between each takes just a few minutes.

What’s included

Your evening includes hopping three local izakaya bars with a friendly local guide leading the way through Shinjuku’s nightlife districts. You’ll enjoy two drinks at your first stop along Memory Lane (Omoide Yokocho), then move on to an all-you-can-drink session at a lively Kabukicho bar before finishing up with one more drink in atmospheric Golden Gai or a nearby sake spot if needed. A full dinner is part of the experience too—just pick what you like from their menu—and they’ll even send you photos afterwards so you don’t have to worry about snapping your own while juggling chopsticks and beer glasses.