Shibuya is famous for its Scramble Crossing and the Hachiko statue, but it's also a neighborhood always filled with young people, boasting cultural facilities like movie theaters and planetariums, as well as educational institutions such as high schools and universities.
Since the birth of the current JR Shibuya Station in 1885, the area has continued to develop along with the changing times. Even now, new buildings are constantly emerging, steadily evolving into one of Japan's leading futuristic cities.
While it has this developmental aspect as a city, what makes Shibuya unique compared to other cities is that it cherishes its long-standing cultural charm, with clubs, bars, and restaurants that have been loved for decades.
Students, business people, musicians, and artists all mingle together, enjoying drinks. Perhaps the reason Shibuya nights are always exciting is that you can feel the bright energy of all these diverse people up close.
Drinking Culture in Japan
While each country in the world has its own drinking culture, in Japan, alcohol has been considered sacred, connecting gods and humans since ancient times.
After the Meiji Restoration (1869), when Western culture began to flow in, foreign alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and whiskey also spread, and now they have become familiar companions to everyday meals.
Especially from the Showa era (1920s to 1980s), the habit of businesspeople having a drink on their way home from work became established. Reasonably priced izakayas and bars where people could casually drink and eat increased, leading to the creation of drinking districts, known as yokocho, where many shops are clustered together.
Even now, many people enjoy "bar hopping" (hashigozake), visiting several familiar shops in these yokocho districts night after night. This time, I'll introduce you to a special yokocho where you can experience this Japanese drinking culture!
What is Niku Yokocho (Chitose Kaikan)?
The place we're featuring this time is "Shibuya Niku Yokocho," a popular spot in Shibuya that attracts 500,000 visitors annually.
Located right in front of Shibuya Station, it's inside the Chitose Kaikan building in Shibuya Center Street, Shibuya's premier entertainment district connected to the famous Scramble Crossing.
Being inside a multi-tenant building that also houses karaoke shops and clubs, it's surprisingly unknown to tourists and is bustling daily with repeat customers, mainly local young people.
With 28 shops gathered around the theme of meat dishes, it offers high-quality and cost-effective menus. The proximity between shops and customer seats creates an atmosphere similar to food stalls, where you can somehow get along with strangers sitting next to you and enjoy drinking together, creating a friendly and comfortable moment.
Recommended Points of Niku Yokocho
Experience the Showa Era
Source:Official website
Abundant Meat Dishes
Living up to its nickname "Meat Theme Park," Shibuya Niku Yokocho is a concentration of meat-related shops. With all kinds of meat dishes available, from yakiniku, meat sushi, hamburger steak, to yakitori (chicken thigh or breast meat skewered and grilled over charcoal with a sweet and savory sauce), it's an irresistible spot for meat lovers.
From steaks of A5 rank, the highest grade of Japanese Black Wagyu (in Japan, beef is graded in 15 different levels), to popular izakaya menu items based on Japanese cuisine like karaage (fried chicken), the wide variety of options allows both those who want to enjoy a full meal and those who mainly want to drink to use the place according to their needs.
Personally, I can't resist the meat sushi, which allows you to taste meat and sushi at once, and I often choose it as my shime (last dish). It's the perfect dish where the refreshing vinegared rice matches the meat's fat, allowing you to taste even more umami!
Enjoy at Reasonable Prices
The main reason for Niku Yokocho's popularity among young people is that both drinks and food can be enjoyed at reasonable prices. In summer, some shops hold events like all-you-can-drink draft beer for less than 1000 yen, or offer a free dish when you make a reservation through Instagram.
Some shops even offer an all-you-can-eat-and-drink course with over 40 types of dishes and drinks for just 3000 yen! This incredible cost-performance includes not only beef, pork, and chicken steaks but also sashimi, appetizers, salads, and desserts, providing great satisfaction.
Also, since the overall atmosphere is similar to Asian food stalls, one of the unique ways to enjoy Shibuya Niku Yokocho is to choose menus from various shops and nibble on them little by little. I'll explain more about this in the section on Shibuya Niku Yokocho's unique "delivery system."
Eat Dishes from Other Shops with the Delivery System
With 28 shops, it's natural to be indecisive about menu choices. You might think, "I want to order just one yakitori skewer," "I want to eat just one piece of meat sushi," or "I'm curious about the menu that person next to me is eating." The "delivery system" unique to Shibuya Niku Yokocho can fulfill these wishes.
For example, even if you're in a yakiniku restaurant, if you suddenly want to eat fish sashimi, you can order from a shop that serves sashimi. The usage method is simple: just go to the other shop that has the dish you want to eat and order from their delivery menu. They will bring that dish to your seat in the current shop.
However, please note that orders are limited to between shops on the same floor: 2nd floor shops can only order from other 2nd floor shops, and the same for the 3rd floor.
Perfect for "Bar Hopping"
At Shibuya Niku Yokocho, where many shops with different tastes are lined up, please enjoy "hashigo" (bar hopping). Hashigo is a representative of yokocho culture, referring to the style of drinking while moving from one shop to another. It's said to have been called this because of the image of climbing up shops one after another like climbing a ladder.
Shibuya Niku Yokocho, with its small shops crowded together and low barriers between neighboring shops, is the perfect place for bar hopping. There's even a music bar, so you could start by eating yakiniku, then move to a bar to enjoy cocktails and music, and finally move to a shop with comfortable sofa seats to finish with meat sushi or ochazuke (rice with hot tea poured over it)... Why not try such a course?
You might find yourself engrossed in conversation with other customers or staff at the places you hop to. Before you know it, you might be chatting away until morning!
Recommended Shops in Niku Yokocho
Nikusho ~ Meat Merchant ~
"Nikusho" is popular for providing fresh seafood and Matsusaka beef sourced from Tsukiji wholesale market every morning at reasonable prices. Matsusaka beef is known as one of Japan's three major wagyu, carefully raised in and around Matsusaka City, Mie Prefecture, known for its good water quality and mild climate.
Its characteristics are a sweet and elegant aroma and high-quality fat that melts in your mouth. It's popular among Japanese people too, and although it's expensive, I can't help but order it when I see it in restaurants. At Nikusho, they can offer this top-quality beef at an incredibly good price by buying whole cows directly from the production area.
Among the wide variety of menu items, the "Toriaezu Nikuju" set is reputed to be a sure bet. It's a combination of fresh seafood and beef karubi or horumon, allowing you to fully enjoy the original deliciousness of each ingredient.
<Store Information>
- Address: Chitose Kaikan 2F, 13-8 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Access: 2 minutes walk from JR Shibuya Station Exit A2
- Hours: 16:00-7:00 (Preparing between 1:00 AM-4:00 AM)
- Niku Yokocho website: https://nikuyokocho.jp/shop/nikusho/
- Official X (Twitter): https://mobile.x.com/nikusho_shibuya
Yakigoro
"Yakigoro" uses top-class domestic Japanese Black Wagyu such as Kobe beef and Matsusaka beef, and even offers rare cuts like Chateaubriand, which is said to be a "phantom part" that makes up only 3% of a cow's tenderloin. Here, you can enjoy a higher grade of yakiniku dishes.
The interior is all semi-private rooms, a stark contrast to the lively atmosphere of Shibuya Niku Yokocho, recommended for those who want to relax and eat quietly. Also, the meat is grilled on a smokeless roaster, so the smell doesn't stick to your hair or clothes, which is a big plus (I really love yakiniku and teppanyaki, but I always wish there was a way to avoid the lingering smell)!
My recommendation for those who prefer lighter tastes is the yakishabu, where thinly sliced meat for shabu-shabu is lightly grilled and eaten with a special sauce. The smooth texture that melts on your tongue like silk becomes addictive!
<Store Information>
- Address: Chitose Kaikan 2F/3F, 13-8 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Access: 2 minutes walk from JR Shibuya Station Exit A2
- Hours: 17:00-3:00 AM
- Niku Yokocho website: https://nikuyokocho.jp/shop/yakigoro/
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yakigoro029/
Tours are also recommended for efficiently visiting delicious shops
How was it? Are you interested in Shibuya Niku Yokocho, where you can encounter Japan's traditional drinking style and various meat dishes? If you want to enjoy Shibuya Niku Yokocho efficiently and to the fullest, I also recommend the guided tour "Shibuya Bar Hopping Night Tour in Tokyo"!
This is a tour where a local guide familiar with Shibuya takes you to bars and izakayas loved by locals. It's an all-inclusive tour with drinks and food included in the fee, so you can participate empty-handed. The guide will also kindly explain the types of food and drinks, making them a very reliable presence, especially in the eye-catching Shibuya Niku Yokocho. Please enjoy a meaningful time from a local's perspective.
For details on the "Shibuya Bar Hopping Night Tour in Tokyo", click here
URL: https://www.magical-trip.com/product/e97da2a4-a99c-4ec8-b2c2-e5e9ae25a8f6