Shinjuku and the Golden Gai

Tokyo, Japan on an 18 hour layover.

Landing in Narita International Airport at 5 in the afternoon holds many possibilities. And definitely enticing ones.  I was not about to let this opportunity slide, to see (and eat!!!) what I could. And what an interesting way to get this trip of mine started, in a country I’ve always wanted to visit.

So Toronto to Chicago to Tokyo - 21 hours, including layovers. The hard part was over, no sleep yet but lots of stoke!!

Narita airport was very organized, but as expected, sees a huge volume of people.  So three hours getting through security and customs later, and I'm that much closer to reaching my dreams of noodles and saki.

I rode the Skyliner AirPort Express from Narita to Nippori station. From here I jumped on the subway to Shinjuku station. Shinjuku is one of the 23 wards that make up Tokyo. The whole ride was just under an hour. Subway system is very intricate, organized and clean. The car interiors were painted in pastel colours like pink, green, and blue. They play a song or recording of birds chirping when the doors are closing. Very nice and exactly the kind of experience I expected? Shinjuku station itself was huge, with people moving in every direction to find dozens of possible connections.

I found an exit, took a deep breath, stepped outside, and took in the scene. This was the brightest outdoor experience I’ve ever had. The towering buildings, billboards and neon lights were everything that Japan calls to mind. Took a staircase down into the famous Shinjuku square. I was recommended this area by a friend and I’m very thankful for this.

The square is how you access a winding network of yokocho or traditional-style alleyways - this is what I was after. These alleys are brimming with tiny izakaya (sake bars) and noodle shops.

izakaya; 居酒屋

"stay," "alcohol," and "room"

Hidden from sight, this district known as Golden Gai, allows you to slip into another world, one of the past. I wound my way through the alleys, taking in the scene.  These establishments typically seat 4-10 people, who wrap around a bar where the owner/chef/bartender prepares what you order right in front of you. They’re quite intimate.

Izakaya first appeared as post-WWII black market haunts. They offer a glimpse into the Showa Era and post-war Japan. Shinjuku holds just one of several of these yokocho networks across Tokyo.

https://digjapan.travel

There are over 200 shops in the Golden Gai alleys. Tightly packed, sliding doors leading to different levels above and below, a real mosaic. How to choose? I trusted my gut and chose a packed little ramen shop, and entered through the sliding door. I love ramen, and used to eat it quite often when I lived in Toronto.  There are many many more noodle dishes to be explored, but I need more time and another trip for that. For my short visit, I wanted to stick with what I know.

For those of you who don’t know, Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup with Chinese-style wheat noodles. Often made with pork-bone broth and flavoured with miso and nori. It is served with various toppings like roasted pork, egg, scallions and seaweed.

So here I am, taking in this izakaya atmosphere, just mesmerized. There is one stool left at the counter, the owner offers it to me, and I sit down. I ordered the special: a Kyushu pork bone ramen with a soft boiled egg and seaweed. Delicious!!! The stuff noodle dreams are made of. This cost me just over one thousand Japanese yen, about 12 Canadian dollars: Very worth it!! 😍

Totally content, I walked around a little more, before pulling myself away and hopping on the last train back to the airport. I know I’ll be back here one day. I grabbed an airport capsule hotel and slept for the first time in 2 days: dead to the world for a hot min. Made my connecting flight and 9 hours later, stepped into the world of Jakarta, Indonesia.

Stories to come!!

A few Japanese phrases:

Hello: Kon'nichiwa; こんにちは

Please: Onegaish; お願いします

Thank you: Arigatōgo;

ありがとうごいます

Goodbye: Sayōnara; さようなら

Delicious: Oishī; 美味しい

Cheers: Kanpai; 乾杯