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<\/a><\/p>\nFrom this point, you can look right\/continuing straight from the side street you entered on and you see the entrance to another little set of alleyways.\u00a0 Congratulations – you just entered Golden Gai.<\/p>\n
Past the giant Jim Beam building, you’ll find the network of tiny bars and alleyways called Golden Gai<\/a>.\u00a0 This map should give you an idea of what Golden Gai is about…<\/p>\n As you can see on the overhead map on the left, it’s a collection of very tiny buildings penned in by modern skyscrapers.\u00a0 The map on the right gives you an idea of how compact it is.\u00a0 In an area only the size of a small city block, almost 300 bars are squeezed in side by side.\u00a0 If you thought that Piss Alley had tiny little restaurants – this is even more impressive with 5 full alleyways of tiny drinking establishments.<\/p>\n History of Golden Gai<\/strong><\/p>\n As before, knowing the history behind this place makes it even more impressive.\u00a0 Golden Gai is only a few blocks from Piss Alley, so it’s no surprise they share much of the same history.\u00a0 The area now known as Golden Gai (only a few short blocks away) was also left in ruins after the bombing raids of WWII.\u00a0 While Piss Alley was known for its food and necessity shops, this particular area was known for rampant prostitution until it became illegal in 1958.\u00a0 It then turned into a bar and drinking area – and some of the bars can still trace their origins back to the 1960’s.\u00a0 In the 1980’s, many of these ramshackle areas around Golden Gai were burned down by the Yakuza so they could be bought up by developers during the development boom of the 80’s.\u00a0 This area survived because supporters would take turns each night standing guard.<\/p>\n Like Piss Alley, this place is architecturally important because it gives you a window into the relatively recent past of Tokyo.\u00a0 Large sections of Tokyo used to apparently resembled the present-day version of this district.\u00a0 Namely,\u00a0 extremely narrow lanes and tiny two-story buildings all scrunched together.\u00a0 Today, most of these buildings still have a bar downstairs with very narrow and tiny stairs up to a second floor.\u00a0 Some bars have this second floor open to patrons, some are private drinking rooms, others preserve them as flats.<\/p>\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0 <\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0 <\/a><\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n
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