Shinjuku Golden Gai Food Tour

What an awesome food tour this . If you can get the Guide that I had CLAIR, she was fun. She had all great information. She picked great food for us to try. She was overall just really fun, super friendly and really enjoyed her vibe.

We had a great tour with Claire who showed us memorable places with a great variety of food. Especially the place on the third floor was amazing.

Claire was a fantastic guide, showing us her favorite locals-only spots, explaining food and Japanese culture from her experience of growing up in the US but having lived for 8 years in Japan. It made for a fun and interesting night of conversation while tasting great foods.

We had the best time taking the Golden Gai tour! I had gone before with my dad and loved it so much, I decided to go again with my husband. Our tour guide this time was JJ, and he was a total delight! We had the best time with him. The tour wasn’t just about Golden Gai, but it was a thorough tour of Shinjuku, covering Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai. We had the most delicious food, from Izakaya skewers to sushi to ramen and more! Not only did we get to eat good food, but we had awesome drinks, learned a lot of the history of the black market areas, learned about the darker side of Shinjuku, and just had an all around great time. JJ took us to the coolest places, chose the tastiest and interesting foods, and gave us a lot of cool information. Highly recommend!!

We really enjoyed our Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho and Golden Gai Food Tour with JJ. He showed us some hidden gems, and taught us lots about the history and culture of the area. I wish we'd done it on our first or second night so we could have gone back to some of the places and some others that JJ recommended us. Thank you JJ!

This was a great tour. We ate and had drinks at a lot of places we would not have otherwise found. Claire was a fantastic tour guide.

We had a wonderfully delicious and informative 3.5 hour tour with our guide, Adele, who provided us with all sorts of info that served us well for the rest of our trip (such as useful phrases to say specifically in a restaurant setting, chopsticks do's and don'ts) and gave us alot of background and history of the various streets within the Shinjuku district. We stopped at 4 places in all to experience yakitori, izakaya, ramen and cocktails. We highly recommend this tour!

We went with Adele. She was so warm and engaging. She took us to great places and the experience was fantastic!

The only thing negative about this tour is we did it on our last day in Tokyo rather than our first. Claire was a terrific guide and host. She did a great job with our group of eight not only taking us to dine absolutely terrific food spots (come hungry because it’s a lot of food!) but also taught us lots about the history of the area as well as teaching us some of the language, customs, and etiquette of the area. We can’t say enough great things about this tour & Claire. Definitely worth it. Oh, and Claire sounds pretty good at the ending Karaoke portion of the tour even if you were light on the sake and beer! :).

It was a great experience! The food was amazing and our tour guide Daniel was the most enthusiastic tour guide we ever met. Our whole trip in Japan we said: food, bar, food, bar! Thank you for showing us the hidden spots in Shinjuku and gave us a wonderful experience! We will never forget this tour!!

We were a group of 6 visiting Tokyo for the first time and were really looking forward to this tour as our introduction to Shinjuku’s food scene. At ¥26,400 per person, expectations were high. Unfortunately the experience fell short in a few significant ways. The good: The tour started promisingly. Our guide took us through Omoide Yokocho and brought us to a charming little spot that we genuinely loved; exactly what we were hoping for from the entire tour. Intimate, pre-arranged, and authentically Tokyo. He also had some interesting anecdotes along the way that we enjoyed. Where it went wrong: From the second stop onward, things declined noticeably. He took us to a ramen spot in an underground mall where there was clearly no reservation. We waited over 15 minutes and couldn’t sit together as a group. For a pre-booked tour at this price point, we expected every stop to know we were coming, the way the first spot did. Every other food tour we’ve done in cities around the world operates this way. Instead this felt improvised. We also want to flag the pescatarian issue specifically. One member of our group is pescatarian - something we disclosed months in advance when booking and were assured was no problem. Yet at this stop our guide told us this wasn’t his usual spot, but he brought us here specifically because they had a vegan ramen option for our pescatarian guest. We appreciated the thought, but we had no trouble finding excellent ramen spots with both meat and non-meat options throughout Tokyo on our own. This felt like something that should have been planned long before the tour date. The food progression: A food tour should feel like a curated journey of small bites and shareables across multiple spots. After the first stop, the portions became full meals: a complete ramen for each person, followed by a full spread at an izakaya. By the end we were uncomfortably full rather than pleasantly satisfied. It’s not about being fed too much - it’s that the pacing and structure made no sense for a food tour format. The guiding itself: Our guide meant well and was clearly a kind person, but he didn’t take command of the group the way a good tour guide should. He frequently asked us what we wanted to do next - which is the last thing you want to hear from someone you’ve hired to show you around. At Golden Gai he had no plan, wandering between bars trying to find one that might take a group of 6 and soliciting our opinions along the way. We didn’t need a tour guide for that - we needed someone with a plan. By the 3.5 hour mark we were exhausted, overly full, and honestly a little bored. We made the decision to call it a night before the Golden Gai bar portion and took a cab back to our hotel. We don’t doubt the tour was designed with good intentions, and the concept - Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, Golden Gai - is genuinely a great one. But the execution on this particular evening was poor. For nearly $180 per person we expected a seamlessly guided, pre-arranged experience from start to finish. We got about 20 minutes of that. We would not recommend this tour in its current form.

Daniel was knowledgeable, interesting and eager to show us all about the Kabukicho history and hidden information. The food was delicious and plentiful. TripAdvisor show this as a 3 hour tour, which is what we planned for, but well into the 4th hour we had to leave and miss the final stop. Maybe TripAdvisor needs to update the description; plan accordingly for a longer tour. Overall, fun and interesting.

This was the best food tour I've participated in my life! Daniel was a great guide, full of knowledge, really fun, funny and made the whole night super exciting - besides having great taste in food. I never ate so much on a food tour before, the food was in endless waves! Come hungry! And expect loads of cool spots, stories and new knowledge about the hidden markets of Tokyo :)

Our tour guide Melody was very knowledgeable and a lot of fun. We absolutely loved this Golden Gai tour. We wouldn't have been able to navigate the area without her.

My friend and I wanted to see everything Shinjuku had to offer, and we were really excited to get a first look at the yokocho with a tour group. At first blush, we were a little disappointed when it turned out we were the only ones attending this tour, but that quickly turned into laughter and fun when we met our tour guide Adele. She was funny, charming, and extremely knowledgeable about the area having lived in Japan for 10 years. I wish I had a few more days to walk and chat with her about her experience, her perspectives on Japanese life and culture as someone originally from the west were fascinating. She took us to some places that I ended up revisiting later in my trip just to get another taste. Ultimately, with the exception of one or "Tour Guide" moments, the entire experience felt like catching up with an old friend. As someone who is a little shy at first, hanging out with Adele was some of the best quality socializing I had during my entire stay in Japan. So personally, I really appreciated that, it was one of the goals for my trip, to talk with locals as much as I was able. I think I'll come visit Japan again, and I'll definitely book another!

A fantastic intro to Tokyo! Walked around to see some area highlights, and stopped in places we wouldn’t have on our own to try different bites. The ramen was my favorite!

This experience was one of the highlights of our trip in Tokyo! Alex was an amazing guide and was very informative. Aside from all the great food we got to try, we got to see and experience the bustling area of Shinjuku Golden Gai and learned a lot about the history and culture of this vibrant area of Tokyo. Highly recommend and make sure you request Alex as your guide!

YOSHI!!! Yoshi was our tour guide, and he was absolutely the best—highly recommend! His knowledge, enthusiasm, and storytelling made the tour both informative and fun. The history and fun facts he shared helped us truly understand the city, its people, and how everything connects. The tout took us to parts of the city we never would have discovered on our own. Thank you, Yoshi, for such a memorable and enriching experience—we learned so much and enjoyed every moment.

Fun! Wesley was a great guide and took great photos for us. Delicious hidden gems! Very knowledgeable of the neighborhoods. Enjoy!

Food tours are one of the favorite experiences when visiting a new country and our tour with Alex was excellent. I took 3 of my kids and we all loved it, including one picky eater. It was my daighter’s 13th birthday and Alex even surprised us at one restaurant with singing from the lively staff with singing and a dessert. Can’t say enough about how great this tour was!

We did the Golden Gai Shinjuku Food tour and we absolutely loved it!! Highly recommend it to everyone. Great (and loads) of food and good drinks, you get to discover new areas, and you learn a lot about the area :)

Had a wonderful time on my first all-too-short trip to Japan and took two of Arigato’s food tours while in Tokyo. On my first night in Shinjuku, I met up with our guide Glenda and another couple at the Tajimaya Coffee House. We started our tour by learning about the history of the area, beginning with nearby “Memory Lane” alley. The number of tiny bars & izakayas crammed in such a small area was amazing and it was quite the experience to walk through some of them. You should read the many posted signs (“You can eat Bear!”???) & look into the range of themed bars, even if you don’t go inside! We started with several food stops for a range of tasty traditional izakaya food, such as skewers, veggies, grilled seafood, sashimi & drinks, then we wrapped up the food with ramen (you can order half noodles if you’re too full) and were quite stuffed when we were done! By this time, Shinjuku crowds were growing fast & neon signs were lit up everywhere. Beware the crowds! (Glenda kept track of us though so we wouldn’t get separated.) Our tour ran long (happily so) and we finished with drinks at Bar Araku, where we got to experience one of the many small, local & friendly upstairs bars. Glenda warned us ahead of time, but it was still hard not to overindulge…you’ll definitely want to pace yourselves! And thankfully she also helped get us back to the nearby train station before saying goodbye.

We tried three great restaurants and were very full by the end! We explored the neighborhood and got great background information. Our tour guide Daniel was great, and he also gave us tips for where to do Karaoke.

Tour was great we tried lots of different unique Japanese food at lots of different local venues. Melody our tour guide was amazing. She was knowledgeable and communicated so well. Melody made us feel very welcome and comfortable. It was a great night.

We had the absolute best time on our Golden Gai tour with Jacob from Arigato Japan! From the very first moment, Jacob was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and personable — the kind of guide who instantly makes you feel comfortable and excited to explore. His deep understanding of Tokyo’s nightlife, culture, and history brought the streets of Shinjuku to life. At every stop, Jacob offered great suggestions and fascinating insights that made the experience far richer than we could have ever managed on our own. Whether he was explaining the unique culture of Golden Gai’s tiny bars, introducing us to hidden gems, or sharing stories about the neighborhood’s creative past, Jacob made every moment engaging and memorable. It’s rare to meet a guide who balances professionalism with such warmth and genuine enthusiasm. This tour was one of the highlights of our time in Tokyo, and we can’t recommend Jacob and Arigato Japan highly enough!

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Alex. He introduced us to the Shinjuku area of Tokyo really well, explaining some of its history and quirky culture as we moved around. We stopped at four places and had an excellent range of food. Each place was quite a different experience and included restaurants that we would never have tried without a guide. Thank you Alex.

We had a fantastic time touring Shinjuku with Alex as our guide. We got to see so many things we would not have otherwise seen & eaten without a guide, & Alex gave us the insider scoop! All the food was delicious, & the karaoke fun at the end was a night I’ll never forget!

We enjoyed Wesley as our guide and learning about the culture and needed his guidance to walk the neighborhoods . But the food stops could have been better food , more unique. 2 of the 4 were good . Other 2 stops could improve

I recently went on this food tour with Jacob as our guide. He was very knowledgeable and shared interesting insights about the local food and culture. We tried some delicious dishes at places we probably wouldn’t have discovered on our own, which was a highlight of the experience. Overall, it was a good way to explore the food scene.

Went with family who were unfamiliar with local culture. Glenda K was so friendly and amazing. Made the whole experience a joy!

Absolutely outstanding! Jacob was our guide, was patient in us getting to our meeting point! Perfect conversation and knowledge of the city and history as well as modern cultures! We learned so much and had an amazing time!!

Really enjoyed our food tour. Giula was a fabulous guide with helpful local knowledge. She gave us a great insight into Japanese history & culture & of course the food was amazing. Our favourite was the sashimi restaurant.

Daniel was an amazing guide who made the tour really fun and informative about the area. Would highly recommend this to anyone who is visiting

We learned a lot about the area and enjoyed some excellent food and conversation. The tour is not just about food and the Golden Gai area- it covers far more than that. Yoshi was fantastic!!!

We were really lucky to have Giulia to ourselves for this food tour. Her own personal story of living in Japan is equally as interesting as the tour content. The information she provided, exploring some diverse areas of Tokyo that we never would have ventured into ourselves, as well as eating some fantastic food, made the tour fascinating from start to finish. I was skeptical about the karaoke at the end, but we had a great time, making friends with some locals. Overall, a superb experience. Thank you!

We had a fantastic tour, Wesley took us to places we would never have seen on our own, he was a great guide, informative, entertaining and good fun. It finished our holiday perfectly. He also took lots of photos for a lasting memory

We booked on the Arigato food tour just the day before, and met Wes (Wesley), our tour guide, at the meeting point at the agreed time. He was really personable and friendly, and effortlessly did most of the talking for this business trip of 4 relatively quiet guys, which we were very happy with, making us feel at ease, and getting along with each other. He shared much of himself and his life, and we shared more about ourselves as a result. The tour itself was fantastic. I won’t go into all the details that are in the description anyway, but suffice to say, the range of restaurants that we ate at, and bars that we drank at, was excellent, and felt entirely authentic. Of all of these, the place that was a hidden gem, and so good that the owner had a handwritten sign scrawled outside an unnoticeable door, and the restaurant was still full, with a waitlist, and the freshest sashimi I’ve ever tasted, was my favourite. Wes, I’m sorry I took so long to write your review; I’ve been meaning to since I got back. It was the highlight of my trip, and I every one of those five stars was well earned!

If you are thinking of doing this tour, then stop thinking and just book it. You will not regret this. The food and locations are amazing and the tour guide Wesley just amplifies the experience with his knowledge of the locations and Japanese customs. He is also a really cool guy so great to spend 3 hours with him on this tour. Thanks again Arigato Japan food tours

Highly recommend this tour if you are interested in seeing and eating your way through the famous Golden Gai. Sandra, our guide, was knowledgeable, funny and clearly knew her way around this interesting district. The tiny bars and restaurants left us wondering how the owners survive but they all seem to have people enjoying themselves. The food was delicious, varied and took us outside our comfort zone, which was what we were hoping for. It would have been a perfect night except for the heavy rain but even so Sandra navigated the trip like a pro.

One of the best tours of our holiday…. So much lovely food to enjoy. Our tour guide, Yoshi was brilliant. Thank you, Yoshi!

Sandra was an excellent guide. We received a good briefing on what we were going to do and then off we went. Along the way, we received further information and explanations. Sandra ensured we received all the different foods and drink. We stopped to see Godzilla perform. It was meant to be a 3 hour tour but Sandra didn’t watch the clock and we were out for over 4!

honestly, it was soo much fun. We had Yoshi as our guide and it was just brilliant. He was so much fun and proper full of knowledge. We did the golden gai tour and honestly, when I do come back to Japan - defo will be using their services again. Yoshi - thank you so much - honestly, I recommend Yoshi, left right and centre :). To the lovely Canadian couple too - so much love!! Brilliant ---- and we got to see Godzilla :P

This was one of the best things we did in Tokyo. Particularly appreciated the tour waiting for us when we had trouble finding the start point. Food delicious and we went to parts of Tokyo we otherwise would not have seen.

Our tour guide, Daniel, was really fun, knowledgeable, and friendly. We had a great time with him! We went to 3 restaurants and ended at a bar in Golden Gai. The food was excellent everywhere and it was really fun experiencing the smaller restaurants that can be intimidating as a tourist in Japan. We especially enjoyed our stop at a tiny izakaya in Omoide Yokocho.

Excellent choice of food and places, very pleasant company! A wonderful memory well worth the time and money!

The tour itself was ok. We've done 3 in Shinjuku alone over the last couple of years, and this was as-expected for Golden Gai (but not our favorite). That said, we were not too pleased with the tour company itself. We've done many tours in Japan and most companies try to work with you. As we were making our way to the meeting point, we received a text just 15 minutes before the meeting time that we had only a 5-minute grace period - "... We noticed you have not arrived yet for your 5:00 PM tour. Our guide can wait an additional 5 minutes past the published start time. Please be reminded that once the tour starts, we cannot accommodate meeting at any of the tour locations because our guide will be unable to pick up the phone and see any other communications/requests. Kindly note that there is no refund for a missed starting time for a tour. ..." While we did arrive on time, it was very strange to receive this message just before arriving, and then finding that our family were the only people on the tour for this night. It felt disingenuous and unaccommodating - like they were anxious to cancel. This greatly contrasts with the overly accommodating practices of the many other tour companies we have worked with in Japan.

I took this food tour through Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai on November 1 with five other family members. It was our third evening in Tokyo when we took the tour and we all thoroughly enjoyed the itinerary, food, and the insights of Claire, our excellent tour guide! We were all first-time visitors to Japan and staying in a hotel near Kabukicho during our time in Tokyo. Claire was warm and friendly and helped us navigate the narrow walkways of Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai. We learned so much about Japanese food, including helpful phrases to say when starting and ending a meal and the fact that many Japanese restaurants tend to be very specialized in one type of cuisine or dish. The tour involved stops for yakitori, ramen, and sushi, topped off with a drink at a bar in Golden Gai. Everything was delicious, and we felt we were able to try places we wouldn't have the know-how to navigate on our own. Food is a meaningful and nourishing way to learn about history and culture. I will definitely book another tour with Arigato for my next trip in Japan! Thank you to the Arigato team and Claire for such a well-organized and delicious tour!

We immensely enjoyed our food tour with Yappy. He was full of history and stories of Golden Gai and introduced us with great enthusiasm to the food culture of the city. At every stop, we encountered a burst of new flavors and interesting conversation. Thank you for making our stay in Tokyo even more memorable.

our guide Ray brought us to interesting places around Shinguku, definitely not your typical tourist destination. it was good to immerse in the local food culture of Tokyo as well as seeing and experiencing traditional Izakaya's that have been around for decades. Ray was also quite knowledgeable on local customs as well as dining etiquette. ending the night at the local art bar was a fun ending to the tour. highly recommended