About Omoide Yokocho
Around 1946, the area in front of Shinjuku's west exit was rubble. An informal market grew there, Lucky Street, with stalls separated by a single board. When enforcement made it harder to sell dishes made with flour, many began grilling pork and beef offal. Today's alley is a direct heir to that: about 60 spots, more than half serving yakitori or motsuyaki.
The counters have few seats, charcoal smoke clings to your clothes and the menu sometimes comes only in Japanese: point, smile and order calmly. In many izakayas, a starter snack called otoshi arrives without being ordered and is charged per person. It's not a scam, it's custom.
