Omoide Yokocho

Memory Lane is a ramshackle alleyway of cramped little bars and eateries in northwest Shinjuku. Have drinks and dinner here for a quintessentially Tokyo adventure.

[Omoide Yokocho - image © Florentyna Leow]

More widely referred to by its colorful vernacular name “Piss Alley,” Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) is an alleyway to the northwest side of Shinjuku Station. By some miracle, this alley has around sixty tiny old-school bars and restaurants crammed along its narrow corridors, giving new meaning to building density. This is one of the most iconic places to experience old-world Tokyo atmosphere.

Dining at Memory Lane is not for everyone. If you like perfectly clean and quiet restaurants, formal, polite service, and non-smoking establishments, you’ll be out of luck here. This is where you come to experience izakaya dining at its most raucous and informal. This is an evening or nighttime experience; forget about coming here for lunch. Squeeze yourself into a tiny, smoky, counter seating-only bar with years of accumulated soot and grease on its walls. Order a beer and some grilled meat skewers, and talk to the folks next to you. It’ll be a night to remember.

English name:
Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho (old school restaurant lane)

Japanese name:
新宿西口思い出横丁

English address:
1-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023

Japanese address:
〒160-0023 東京都新宿区西新宿1-2

Opening hours:
Varies by shop

Admission:
free

Nearest Transport:
Train: 1-minute walk from the west exit of Shinjuku Station.

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near Omoide Yokocho on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Telephone:
+81-3-3364-3235

Website: Official Website (English)

Near To Here:
Omoide Yokocho is located in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. See our complete list of things to do in Shinjuku, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

Where Is This Place Located?

• Open the Tokyo map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

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