Golden Gai is six narrow lanes in Shinjuku, built after the war and unchanged since, containing over 200 tiny bars — each seating five to twelve people, each with its own personality, music, décor, and clientele. It is one of the last surviving examples of postwar Tokyo's street-level drinking culture, somehow preserved despite the surrounding development.
The bars range from welcoming to members-only. Look for signs in English or the absence of a sign asking you not to enter (these are usually in Japanese). Most charge a small cover (¥500–1,000). Bar Albatross is the easiest entry point for first-timers — multiple cramped, chandelier-hung floors and a genuinely open door policy. La Jetée, named after the Chris Marker film, has been a haunt of visiting filmmakers for decades. The best approach beyond that is to walk the lanes, identify one that looks right, and sit down. Most evenings in Golden Gai end better than planned.