Omoide Yokocho is a narrow cluster of eateries beside Shinjuku Station’s west side. Its postwar origins in a street-vendor market remain visible in the close-set stalls and shared walls of today’s small restaurants.
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The stalls sit so close together that the lane feels shaped by its original shortage of space. Omoide Yokocho grew out of a postwar market that formed in the rubble near Shinjuku Station’s west exit.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- The market’s origins date to around 1946.
- Its predecessor was known as Lucky Street.
- Many of the roughly 60 restaurants retain adjoining layouts.
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