“oh moe ee day yo ko cho”
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Omoideyokochou is one of my favorite places in Tokyo even if I don’t actually go as often as I wish too. It’s this very small road just outside Shinjuku station, the busiest train station in the world. Surrounded by department stores, sky scrapers, electronic stores etc, Omoideyokochou really doesn’t fit. And in fact if you blink you’d miss it. It’s on the west side of the station right next to a large Sakuraya electronic store and across from the Odakyu Halc department store. It’s this very small, very crowded thin little street. Probably not even 150 feet long and yet there are 42 little tiny restaurants long its sides. The majority of the stores are just a bar with stools and maybe a couple of tables squeezed in the back. The majority of them seem to serve Kushiyaki, stuff on skewers cooked over an open flame. Some of you might have had Yakitori which is just one kind of Kushiyaki: specifically chicken on a skewer, but, there are literally hundreds of kinds of Kushiyaki. Kushi which means skewer is probably one of the easiest kanji to remember. It looks like this Omoideyokochou basically means "Memory Lane" and this place certainly feels like a spot out of the past. Sitting at a seat here you feel like you are participating in an old tradition that people have been enjoying since times long past. We sat down at one place and pigged out. Common items are chicken, beef, fish, chicken meatballs called tsukune, stuffed peppers, various veggies like mushrooms, eggplant, tomatoes, onions. I was never a big eggplant fan until I came to Japan. Japanese eggplants called "nasu" are much smaller than American eggplants and the Japanese use them in all kinds of dishes. They are delicious!!! In fact I love them so much that when I go out with friends if they see an eggplant dish on the menu they just order it since they know if they don’t I will. This particular place also has a selection of non kushiyaki items. Things like Jaganiku (potatoes and meat), kimchi (or kimchee) which is a Korean pickled stuff, usually white cabbage. Various broiled fish and a few salads. Also the thing to drink is beer. I’m not a big beer person but there’s something about drinking beer here like everybody else that makes you feel like you are participating in part of a long tradition. Everybody is having a good time time and striking up conversations. The guy next to me was practicing his English on me and teaching me really rude Japanese. Such a deal! Some of these restaurants even have an room upstairs. I’ve sat up there once but I don’t recommend it if there is a bar downstairs. It’s just not as interesting. The next street over right next to the train tracks is called Yakitori Doori (Yakitori street) and also has many restaurants. They also have a very old feeling to them but they are all indoors with seating. Not bars like this street. Still that’s also a cool place to check out and I’ve been over there a few times to pig out in a more general izakaya like place. If you come to Japan you will most likely visit Shinjuku. When you do be sure to check this place out. Even if you don’t have time to eat just remember on your way back to the station that it’s right next door so take 5 minutes, walk over there and check it out. It’s only really open at night so from sometime after 5pm till about 11pm. You will be glad you did! (y) |
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exactly like what it means.
Hey Gregg,
I was right by there 2 nights ago. I spent 3 hours in Yodobashi camera playing with their new FMV notebook computers. Do they have these in the U.S.? Yodobashi is a 8 story building like Comp USA.
Since I couldn’t read what the kanji said….I went for kaiten (rotating) sushi below McDonald’s next to the bus station. At least all I had to do was just choose the dishes I wanted.
When I first came to Japan (last year) I hated nasu….since everyone said “it’s delicious”…..NOT. I eat it now. Ever had mabo-nasu? Chinese restaurants serve mabo tofu….Japan uses eggplant.
They have mabo nasu in Japan although mabo tofu is still more common. You can get mabo tofu almost anywhere. 7/11, Matsuya, all over the place. For those people that don’t think they like tofu you should give mild mabo tofu a try. It’s tofu in a beef based gravy. Usually you eat it with rice. It’s a Chinese dish and it can be spicy or mild. I prefer somewhere in the middle. I’ve had it so spicy it was not fun to eat and it was even less fun later that night.
but mild I’d bet anyone could eat it.
It might or might not be easy to make but you can just buy it pre-made at most Asian food markets in America. Like all pre-made things it’s not as good as the good stuff but it’s usually not bad.
Hiya Gregg
I’m going to Tokyo at the end of August and am planning to stay in the Shinjuku area. Glad to have found your site but could you please tell me the names of the two shops you mentioned? Thanks.
Also for Fuji-Q Highland, did you spend the night in that area? Do you know any reasonably priced ryokans near Fuji-Q? My maximum budget is 13000 yeh per night.
Love your info!
I don’t know any ryokans near Fujikyu Highland. I’m sure there are plenty I just don’t personally know them. You can go from Shinjuku on the Keio Bus for something like 7400yen round trip including entry fee to Fujikyu Highland
http://www.fujikyu.co.jp/special/toku.html
Unfortunately I don’t know if there is any bus information in English. Keio is the name of a bus company and a train line and a department store. That seems to be common here in Japan. Train companies open big department stores at their train stations. I’m sure you can get more info at the Keio department store in Shinjuku.
As for the stores above, I’m sorry but I don’t know the names. If you go and you enter Omoideyokochou from the side near Sakuraya the Yakitori place I went to is maybe the 4th or 5th place on the left. You might be able to recognize one of the ladies that works there from the 4th picture on this page (and you can see the license plates behind her on the wall)
Oh you are so nice and so is your website!
Thank you! Have a nice day! And me I’m going to bed
Hi, I am also a fan of this website.
About Ryokan that you are interested in, there are a plenty of Ryokan around
Kawaguchiko lake where is not far away from FujiQ Highland.(5,10mins ride)
There is a information counter at Kawaguchiko station(Fujikyu Line) as I recall.
I am sure your budget 13,000 yen will do.
I recommend you to take a train from Shinjyuku. Take Chuo line from Shinjyuku Station to
Otsuki Station, then take Fujikyu line to FujiQ Highland. If you can plan in advance, take Fujiyama
Express ( I am not sure the accuracy of the name ). They have services a few times a day.
Get a front seat and enjoy the nice view of Mt.Fuji !
To tell you the truth, I am from the city.
I am just trying to sell my hometown.
Have a good one.
hi!
this will be my first time to visit Tokyo, I’ll be wondering around for 3 days so if any local who would like to show us around or to suggest anything would be highly appreciated.
Sessuru
It’s funny – I find this post today, and today was the first day I noticed this. It totally caught my interest and I plan on going back some time. Nice write up!