Golden Gai is six narrow alleys holding around 280 bars, each a single room with a counter and a ladder to a sleeping loft, in two-storey wooden buildings that have survived since the 1950s as the rest of Kabukicho was rebuilt around them. Every bar has a theme and a personality set by its master: punk records, horror films, a film director’s regulars, pro wrestling, jazz on vinyl, a nurse theme that is less sinister than it sounds.
The right way to do it is slowly, one or two bars a night, talking to whoever is on the next stool. Many owners speak some English and nearly all are curious. Avoid the handful of places that charge tourists more, and remember these are private rooms, not a theme park: a quiet word gets you much further than a group of six.
- Look for signs in English saying "no cover charge" or "tourists welcome" if you want to avoid the 1,000-yen seating charge
- Bars seat five to eight; move on after two drinks so others can sit, and do not photograph inside without asking
- Bring cash and arrive after ten, when the first-shift drinkers leave and the owners loosen up