Shinjuku and the adult entertainment district known as Kabukicho are filled with stylish host clubs, bars, and all kinds of entertainment that’s definitely not for kids. But it’s also where you can visit one of the most beautiful gardens in Tokyo, walk through the red light district, bar hop the Golden Gai, and eat at the robot restaurant.
First, let’s walk in the park. Shinjuku Gyou-en is huge, and it’s pretty spectacular year-round, but I especially like it during autumn leaf season and in early spring for the plum blossoms. It’s famous for cherry blossoms too – huge old cherry trees are everywhere – but it gets crowded, so during hanami season, it’s best to go early in the morning when the gates open at 9:00.
Into a riot of neon, thronged with hosts inviting women into their clubs. It’s easy to spot them, with their extravagant hair and elaborate outfits.
Countless host and hostess clubs line the back streets of Kabuki-cho…
…and if you’re a foreigner, this area is perfectly safe to wander around – even at night. But the businesses and clubs in this district cater to Japanese only. Nobody minds us walking around and looking, but we need to make special arrangements if we want to visit a host or hostess club.
But Kabuki-cho isn’t the only playground in Shinjuku – next door is a warren of small streets called Golden Gai, with alleyways lined with tiny bars that seat 8-10 people each.
Some of these bars welcome foreigners without an accompanying Japanese person, some don’t. If you want to go into one, pause at the entrance and get a feel for whether you’d be welcome or not. If it feels like you’d be welcome, ask the bartender, “Is it OK to come in?” Even if they don’t speak English, they’ll understand and tell you. There’s often a ¥500 – ¥1000 cover charge at these small bars, so if it’s not posted, ask.
Another way to get the low-down on things you’d otherwise completely miss is by taking the Tokyo Realtime Kabukichō audio tour. You can download it and listen on any MP3 player or iPod/iPhone. It’ll guide you around the neighborhood for about an hour, taking you inside the places it’s OK for foreigners to go and telling you all about the places where it’s not. It’s narrated by my friend Max, and he really discovered a lot of wild stuff about the neighborhood that I didn’t know!
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Or click over to my series on everything you wanted to know about host clubs, starting with Can Foreigners Get Into A Host Club?
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Jonelle Patrick is the author of five novels set in Japan
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The Last Tea Bowl Thief was chosen as an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense on Amazon
“A fascinating mix of history and mystery.” —Booklist
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