ダーリン
Bar Darling sits at the entrance of Maneiki-dori in Shinjuku Golden Gai, having opened in December 2005. Owner-master Yuya Ishikawa is a working actor known for films such as 'Machine Girl' and 'Karate-Robo Zaborger,' as well as NHK's 'Time Scoop Hunter.' A lifelong Kenji Sawada (Julie) devotee since childhood, he also performs as air-vocalist 'Sawada Ouji' at live events — a quirky passion that defines the bar's personality. The welcoming, no-strangers-here atmosphere has earned international fame: film director Quentin Tarantino and actor Nicolas Cage are both said to have dropped in. Daily homemade snacks prepared by female staff are a highlight, drawing regulars and foreign tourists alike. The building houses the shot bar Darling on the 1st floor and Snack Honey on the 2nd, making it a two-layered gem that captures the full depth of Golden Gai culture.
* Bars located in the same alley row.
Shinjuku Golden Gai is Tokyo's most iconic bar district — 295+ unique bars packed into six narrow alleys in Kabukicho, Shinjuku. A 5-minute walk from Shinjuku Station East Exit, next to Hanazono Shrine. Featured in the Michelin Green Guide, it has been a cultural institution since the 1950s.
Read the history of Golden Gai