Travel in Japan
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Old-world left in a Big City, Shinjuku’s Golden-gai
Shinjuku is the most popular district for non-Japanese in Tokyo. It is a diverse place. It has a business area with skyscrapers, five major department stores, Kabukicho for entertainment, a hotel area for lovers, Ni-chome for the gay and lesbian community and Shinjuku-gyoen that is full of greenery. Of all Shinjuku’s areas, though, Golden-gai is the most mysterious.
In this retro zone, around 200 tiny bars of little more than 10 square meters each, stand side by side. Until 1958, when an anti-prostitution law was enacted, the area was known for prostitution.
In Golden-gai there are old-style Japanese bars, jazz bars, R&B bars, karaoke bars, chanson bars, Russian bars where you can enjoy Russian folk songs and food, ramen shops, soba shops and yakitori bars.
Recent trends have brought an Indian-Middle Eastern bar, a flamenco bar, a nurse-concept medical bar, a maid bar where women dressed as maids serve drinks, a mystery bar full of horror movie images, a bar with an irori fireplace, an Okinawan bar and a bar where a former actress welcomes you in kimono. These are not the only unique bars. There is a bar whose owner loves the Japanese board game go, and where you can play go as well, and a bar where horse race lovers gather.
Golden-gai is known as the place where writers, media people, theater people and people in education come for drinks. Prominent cultural figures come as well as regular customers. Hot cultural issues are often discussed among customers there. Many bars are run by women who are known as mamas, and there are many popular mamas in Golden-gai.
The mama (Ms. HIROTA Kazuko) of “Hananoki,” a bar that opened in 1960, is a casual and intellectual woman. She can talk about anything from man-woman affairs to current affairs. She takes care of any customer equally and introduces customers sitting side by side in a finely timed manner. Introduced customers exchange business cards and then enjoy chatting.
KOBAYASHI Yukio, who works in magazine editing and has been going to Golden-gai for 30 years, says, “I can talk about anything and get friendly with ‘Hananoki’ mama. So I can’t help going there at nights. I have met many people there. At first when I began going there, I went to other bars. But now this is my place.”
In addition to foreign tourists, there are non-Japanese regular customers in Golden-gai. James NORTON (American), a university professor whose friend brought him there, says, “I had been told that Golden-gai is dangerous, and I thought it would be seedy and tacky. But once my friend took me there, I met some intellectual people. It’s cool and unique.”
Thomas HAMILTON, a British student, says “I was hesitant to come here, but I found the atmosphere is similar to British pubs and I really enjoyed myself.”
How about the younger generations? In a bar called “Hameln” there is a short-haired mama, Kyoko, who shakes a cocktail shaker dressed in a white shirt with black pants and a vest. For young customers, it gives a welcoming atmosphere with its chic and relaxing wooden interior. You can have cocktails, whisky, bourbon, shochu, anything you want, and enjoy talking with the mama.
HOSHINO Takashi, who is a regular at Hameln, says, “I like it because I can come here with a friend or two when I feel I could drink a little more after the first big party.” IKEDA Yoji, who moved from a rural area, says, “I used to feel lonely when I first came to Tokyo, but after I began going to Golden-gai, I thought living in Tokyo could be fun.”
In recent years there are many young people who are attracted to the area and hope to open their own bars in Golden-gai. But even if they put their names on a waiting list at a real estate firm, many of them give up when they are told “We don’t know how long it will take to become available.”
Drinks are cheaper at the bars in Golden-gai than in many other areas. It is not easy for those of you who have never gone there before, but if you open the door with a little bit of a courage, you will find it is a fun place.
Shinjuku Golden-gai
www.goldengai.net/
(From February Issue 2009)
