Finally Visiting Golden Gai

It’s interesting how folks living in an area will only really explore when they have visitors. Such was the case for me with Golden Gai. Having lived in the Kanto area for almost years, it has always been on my list of places to check out, but I never got around to it until a friend visited. He was very interested in the place as it was featured in the video game, Yakuza.

I don’t know what I expected, but I will say that I was pleasantly surprised.

The area is classified as a business park on Google Maps, so that should be one of the indicators of how walkable Golden Gai is. No cars go through its narrow streets (maybe walkways would be a better term) and only people in single file can go through the even narrower alleys between the buildings. Just this alone was enough to give me a pleasant experience, as I am quite fond of grungier places. Indeed, the paths and shortcuts were lined with graffiti and stickers all over. When my friend and I visited, it was a Saturday night, so locals and tourists were all over the place, crowding the bars and paths.

And the bars were tiny -- cozy if you will.

Each bar my friend and I went to was roughly the same size as my kitchen, if not smaller. Each bar also had us squeeze in with other visitors, filling in every available space in the bar. Often, new patrons would peek in, check for space, and leave shortly after determining that there would be no space for them to sit.

The bars themselves were experiences unique from one another. Each had a theme, and each bar master had a different demeanour. The bar called Deathmatch in Hell has a horror movie theme, for example. An establishment on the second floor of one of the buildings simply called Kenzo’s Bar had leopard print wallpaper and its owner was a cheerful fellow. Behind the counter was a lady who knew enough English to help the customers, but did not hesitate to make fun of people if they deserved it, which was a refreshing experience. Adieu Lami was a mellower experience in a dark-lit environment and somewhat of a fancier, almost yakuza feeling, establishment. Even mellower, Buzz, also on the second floor (and the bar that convinced me to write this post) was staffed by an elderly lady with a very calming aura. Here, my friend and I felt the most comfortable catching up.

We ended our night after leaving Buzz, buzzed (no pun intended) and at least five thousand yen lighter. I caught my last train home from Shinjuku and he walked home to his hotel. As I travelled on the train, I tried my best to recall the places we went to. Now, as I write this, I think I was quite satisfied with my experience, despite the heftier prices for alcohol. I might come back one day, even if it is by myself.