WHY I SKIP GOLDEN GAI, AND WHERE I GO INSTEAD

THE SHORT ANSWER

Is Golden Gai worth it? Not anymore, in my opinion. Most of its roughly 280 tiny bars charge ¥500 to ¥1,500 just to sit down, and even the association that runs it says the number of tourists keeps growing. Go to Sankaku Chitai in Sangenjaya instead, 5 minutes from Shibuya on the train. It's what Golden Gai wants to be.

WORTH IT?

Is Golden Gai worth it?

After 10 years of traveling to Japan and 3 years of living in Tokyo, Golden Gai is a hard skip for me. It used to be amazing. Hundreds of bars with like four seats each, crammed into a few alleys in Shinjuku, and they made movies about it. These days it's on the basic tour circuit, and to me that's sucked the fun out of it. I don't go anymore.

A night there gets pricey before you drink anything. There are about 280 bars in six rows of alleys, most seating five or six people. Almost every bar adds a seat charge or an otoshi (a small dish that comes with a fee), usually ¥500 to ¥1,500. Hit three bars and that's up to ¥4,500 in charges alone.

TOURIST TRAP?

Is Golden Gai a tourist trap?

For me, it's turned into one. The bars are still somebody's small business, and some only let in members. But its own association says Golden Gai "is not a tourist destination", and in the next breath mentions "the growing number of tourists from Japan and overseas".

If y'all still go, follow the house rules. Check a bar's prices before you sit down, keep your group small, don't drink in the street, and ask before you take photos.

DO THIS INSTEAD

What to do instead of Golden Gai

Go to Sankaku Chitai (三角地帯, "the triangle zone") in Sangenjaya. It's what Golden Gai wants to be. You get the same kind of postwar maze, narrow alleys stuffed with tiny bars and restaurants where most places seat 6 to 8 people, and it's where locals actually go to drink. Two stops from Shibuya.

Pick a door and see what happens. If you want somewhere to start, I've put three Japanese spots below.

WHAT IT IS

What is Sankaku Chitai?

Sankaku Chitai is the local name for a wedge of alleys in Sangenjaya, Setagaya City, between Setagaya-dori and Route 246 (Tamagawa-dori). It starts right outside the Setagaya-dori exit of Sangen-jaya Station. It grew out of a black market set up just after the war, and the Echo Nakamise shopping street at the tip of the triangle has been running since 1950.

Lots of the places are about 10 square meters and full with 7 or 8 people. Most are counter-only and owner-run, and old-school spots sit next to newer ones opened by younger owners.

Go while it still looks like this. A redevelopment group for the triangle was set up in 2019, and the planning is still going.

SIDE BY SIDE

Golden Gai vs Sankaku Chitai

WHERE TO START

Three Japanese spots in Sankaku Chitai

All three are inside the triangle. Hours change, so check Tabelog, Japan's big restaurant review site, before you go.

GETTING THERE

How to get to Sankaku Chitai

• Train: Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line from Shibuya to Sangen-jaya, 2 stops, about 5 minutes, ¥180 with an IC card like Suica. The Tokyu Setagaya Line stops there too.
• Exit: Setagaya-dori exit. The triangle starts right outside.
• Address: around Sangenjaya 2-13 to 2-16, Setagaya City.

Ikejiri-Ohashi, the next stop toward Shibuya, is a 15-minute walk away, so combine them in one night. I cover both in my where-to-stay guide.

Sankaku Chitai on Google Maps ↗

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK