O2

O2 (Otsu) sits on the 2nd floor of a building along Hanazono 3rd Street (Maneki-dori) in Shinjuku Golden Gai—up a narrow staircase and into a world shaped by its owner. Akihiko Okuyama, a copywriter-turned-artist, has covered the walls with his own large-scale paintings, while a hand-lettered price board hangs boldly beside the counter. It's a no-frills honesty that strips away Golden Gai's usual pretense. With a cover charge of ¥1,000 and drinks from ¥600, the pricing is refreshingly transparent, and the atmosphere is welcoming enough for solo first-timers. A hop-and-skip ticket linking O2 with its sister bar Okutei on Hanazono 1st Street knocks ¥500 off the cover—a clever incentive to make a night of it. Creatives and industry types are drawn here naturally, making it an ideal spot for anyone who wants art, drinks, and good conversation under one roof. When the mood strikes, just climb those stairs.