Odaiba (お台場) is a popular shopping and entertainment district on a man made island in Tokyo Bay. It originated as a set of small man made fort islands (daiba literally means "fort"), which were built towards the end of the Edo Period (1603-1868) to protect Tokyo against possible attacks from the sea and specifically in response to the gunboat diplomacy of Commodore Perry.

More than a century later, the small islands were joined into larger islands by massive landfills, and Tokyo began a spectacular development project aimed to turn the islands into a futuristic residential and business district during the extravagant 1980s. But development was critically slowed after the burst of the "bubble economy" in the early 1990s, leaving Odaiba nearly vacant.Read moreMore about Odaiba District

Golden Gai is said to have started around 1950 when the black market that had arisen in front of Shinjuku Station moved and, in this new area, a number of eating and drinking establishments set up shop. Although Shinjuku has undergone considerable modernization since then, Golden Gai seems to have remained largely unchanged.

The alley is narrow and cramped with countless signs advertising the various establishments that line the way. Many of the buildings themselves are made of wood, remnants hanging on from the Showa Era. Most measure only around thirteen square meters (one hundred forty-two square feet). It's a dim, boisterous place filled with the aromatic smoke of grilling meats. Yet despite the nearly endless number of slick new restaurants available in Shinjuku, this little alley continues to draw the attention of foreign tourists. Golden Gai is a popular “un-touristy” tourist spot.Read moreMore about Shinjuku Golden Gai