Shinjuku After Dark

Shinjuku is the Tokyo of neon dreams, and it is at its most electric after dark. Around the world's busiest railway station, which handles millions of passengers a day, sprawls a district of department stores, skyscrapers and entertainment streets that never seems to sleep. Start on the west side of the station at Omoide Yokocho, Memory Lane, a pair of narrow alleys built along the railway in the years after the war, where tiny yakitori stalls with a handful of counter stools grill chicken skewers, offal and vegetables over charcoal under red lanterns. The smoke, the rumble of passing trains and the elbow-to-elbow intimacy make it one of the most atmospheric places in Tokyo for a beer and a few skewers. Cross to the east side and walk through Kabukicho, Japan's most famous entertainment district, where the giant head of Godzilla looms over the street from the Toho building and the lights are dizzying. Just beyond lies Golden Gai, a maze of six narrow alleys packed with some two hundred tiny bars, many seating only five or six people, each with its own theme and personality — jazz, punk, film, literature — run by owners who have often been there for decades. For a free view of it all, the twin towers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building on the west side have observation decks on the 45th floor that are open into the evening, with a panorama that on clear days reaches Mount Fuji.

Golden Gai has its own etiquette. Many bars charge a cover — a seat charge, sometimes including a snack — which is usually posted on the door; look for signs in English that welcome visitors, since a few bars are for regulars only and will politely turn strangers away. Bars are small, so do not enter in a large group, order a drink per person, and do not take photographs inside without asking. Photography of the alleys themselves is fine, but be respectful of drinkers' privacy. The area gets going in the evening and stays lively until late. In Omoide Yokocho, a seat at a counter with a beer and a few skewers is the whole experience; stalls are small, so groups of two or three are best, and some places have English menus.

Kabukicho is generally safe and heavily policed, but use common sense. Ignore touts who approach you in the street offering bars or clubs, which can lead to inflated bills; walk past politely. Stick to well-known, transparent places for drinks. The district is also home to the Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, a new skyscraper with a food hall, cinemas and entertainment floors, and to an endless supply of ramen counters, izakaya chains and karaoke boxes. Karaoke in a private booth is an essential Tokyo night out and costs little per hour.

Shinjuku works well as an evening for every type of traveler: an early dinner at Omoide Yokocho, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government observation deck for the night view, a stroll through Kabukicho's lights, and a nightcap in Golden Gai. By day, the district's Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is one of the city's loveliest parks, especially in cherry-blossom season, and the department stores around the station have superb basement food halls. Shinjuku Station is a labyrinth with hundreds of exits, so note which exit you need — west for Omoide Yokocho and the government building, east for Kabukicho and Golden Gai. If you prefer company, guided evening food tours of Shinjuku's alleys take care of the ordering and the etiquette and introduce you to bars you would never find alone, which is a good option for a first night in the city.