Shinjuku Nichome officially has its own craft beer now – and here’s where you’ll find it.
A cluster of five bars and restaurants under one roof, Nichome Yokocho is a small but vibrant locale in the heart of Tokyo’s LGBTQ+ district. While on either side of the dining hall you’ll find lively gay bars and queer party venues, the yokocho serves as a welcoming place for anyone to eat, drink and mingle regardless of how they identity themselves as.
The proximity of the outlets make it easy to hop from one counter to another, though you don’t have to be sitting at the counter of a particular vendor to be able to order from its menu. Offerings include Korean dishes like the sundubu-jjigae (spicy tofu stew) from Gantz, pan-European homestyle bites from Awato (think Bratwurst sausages and pesto pasta), as well as onigiri (rice balls) from Hachake’s kitchen.
Nichome Yokocho is a little more relaxed than the typical indoor yokocho, where there’s an unspoken rule of not spending too much time at any given stall to make room for the next person. Instead, you can sip on Nichome Yokocho’s very own craft Rainbow Ale – made by Ishikawa Sake Brewery – as you chill out and make new friends, or simply take advantage of the venue’s free wifi.