Omoide Yokocho

Any account of the history of Shinjuku Nishiguchi Omoide Yokocho must begin in the immediate aftermath of World War II. Around 1946, the area near the west exit of Shinjuku Station lay in ruins, covered with debris from wartime destruction. Before the war, this area had been lively, with street vendors selling everyday goods like clothing, shoes, and soap, alongside dozens of small stalls offering foods such as oden, roasted sweet potatoes, tempura, and even second-hand books. All of these were destroyed in the air raids. In the postwar period, during Japan’s controlled economy, a black market known as Lucky Street emerged. Vendors set up makeshift stalls separated by simple wooden boards, forming what would eventually become Omoide Yokocho. Despite the devastation, the local population declined only slightly, as many displaced families moved in with relatives in nearby districts like Setagaya, Suginami, and Nerima. Shinjuku became a key transit hub, attracting people and goods, which in turn encouraged the growth of street businesses.

By around 1947, government crackdowns on rationed goods made it difficult for vendors to sell items like flour based foods such as ramen and imagawa yaki. However, beef and pork offal provided by occupation forces were not restricted. As a result, many stalls began specializing in grilled organ meats, which quickly gained popularity. This legacy remains today, with more than half of the roughly 60 establishments in the area focusing on yakitori or motsuyaki.

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One feature that has endured since those early days is the layout of the stalls: tightly packed and separated by thin partitions, often sharing walls something still visible today. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, a unique phenomenon known as the “Yakitori Cabaret” appeared. These venues combined grilled food and drinks with entertainment, where elegantly dressed hostesses served customers a scene that would seem quite unusual by today’s standards.

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Around 1959, urban redevelopment projects including railway expansion and construction of terminal buildings led to the eviction of approximately 300 stalls stretching from Koshu Kaido to Ome Highway, as they were deemed illegal. Only the shops between what is now the Palette Building and Ome Highway remained. From that point onward, Omoide Yokocho continued to evolve, preserving the nostalgic flavors and warm, communal atmosphere of Japan’s Showa era up to the present day.

Omoide Yokocho

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