I'm with Shingo from the Ask Japanese channel,

and we're going to be eating food here in Shinjuku

Oh yes we are

I hope you like Motsunabe?

Uh-huh

Yakitori?

Why not

Ramen?

Seriously?

Wonderful, because we are at the gate for...

Omoide-Yokocho, which means...

Memory Lane

Memory Lane

This place has a really deep history

Before we look a little into the past,

Let's learn exactly where Omoide-Yokocho is

Here is Tokyo, the largest city in the world

On the west side of Tokyo sits Shinjuku

and at it's west gate, or Nishi-guchi

is where you will find Omoide-Yokocho

Shinjuku's west gate area has been modernized all around

except for this one spot which hasn't changed

over time...

Let's stroll down Memory Lane,

and I'll talk to you about the history in detail

Yakitori

Ahh, Yakitori there is a lot of places

Shinjuku was devastated by WW2

but it was still a major transport hub with a large population

In 1947, flour to make Ramen and noodles were a controlled good

and restricted by the government

People invented new food with unregulated goods

like cow and pig enterals

brought by American troops

Enter Motsunabe and Yakitori made from enterals

which is in the menu today about 20 of the shops

The look and the feel of the alley is a trip down Memory Lane

even today

Boiling and simmering Motsunabe

is usually in front of the shop

so you can see the quality before going in

Yakitori places usually have bellowing smoke out the door

or onto small chimneys on the inside

There are popular stores with line out the door

and shops that are quite empty

Each alley restaurant has a history

and a difference

Some have foreign owners

others have been renovated

It's good idea to ask about the seating charges

before sitting

A few chain restaurants have come in,

so there is something for everyone these days

So the Omoide Yokocho is an alley of about 100 meters

Pretty much

It's about 100 meters of 50 shops in there?

Yeah, more or less

It's pretty much packed for a small street I guess

Alright, let's eat

Shingo and I visited a friendly counter style Izakaya first

The center is all kitchen

and the surrounding is a counter with a very limited space to walk past

The menu is on top of the wall behind us

or on the counter

One way to order is look around you and order

what other customers have bought

Food ordered by the local is usually the most popular stuff

Our Yakitori came stick by stick and char grilled

That's the Sagari

This one is...

He didn't tell...

The last ones. Shiro and Nankotsu

What are these two?

Tongue and Pi-Toro

The Nankotsu and Negi are really hot. Watch out

Here is what we ordered

Yakitori and Motsu-nabe are specialties here

a traditional menu

Bottom's up

Going to the restroom is a trip back in time

Was I going back in time a few decades?

or back to the middle ages

I came to find out

in Shinjuku's back alley toilet

So between the shops here,

There is this small alley way

This leads to the toilet

Much much better than I expected

but still..

Ok, there is the lady's room which is wide open

There's the men's toilet

Not bad, I think I'll go later

We've eaten a lot already.

so what are we doing here?

I dunno. It's this Japanese thing you know,

Well, you go out with your colleagues,

or even have blind dates in groups

After those blind dates, the guys gather around saying

"Oh, what are we going to do? Let's eat something"

There isn't much choice late night so, that's where

the ramen comes in

Really?

Let's speed it up, we are hungry

Shingo told me that Ramen and Yakisoba work

a happy ending meal

a snack to finish a night out of drinking

or casual end to a date where you can talk more freely

This popular place has only been around since the 1970s

A classic bowl of Shoyu Ramen

Shingo's Yakisoba was up next

Look at that

You can see the egg noodles

Nori, a bit of Chashu,

Menma

Negi...and it's a shoyu ramen

Looks great

and my Yakisoba getting ready

Sorry I'm going to "Itadaki-masu"

"dozo"

I love the vibe of these little shops

It's loud, vibrant, friendly and delicious

Let's go to another side of the alley

This is the back where the JR train runs on one side,

and larger and more modern restaurant can be found

No garbage on the street, no smell

So you can see here,

You can go straight to the other side of Shinjuku

That is Kabukicho

or we can take a left and go right back to Omoide Yokocho

Let's head back in for the finale

Has someone ever told you, you look like the guy from

Karate Kid?

One too many times..

That was quite a meal, wasn't it?

That was quite a meal

So that was Omoide-Yokocho

on Nishi-guchi

or the Shinjuku west gate

the west gate

so if you want to just not feel the history of Tokyo,

but get a real fantastic meal,

Omoide-Yokocho is the place to be

You can get Yakisoba, Motsu-nabe, Yakitori,uh..ramen...

Ramen, too. Sushi...

Come hungry, go early, stay late

at Shinjuku's west gate