Shinjuku - let me count the ways: 2/Two

Golden Gai is a warren of alleys that contains a precious grid of tightly wedged low 2-storey buildings - each and every one of them is a small or tiny bar. Golden Gai opens for business after nightfall. The premises may or may not be indicated by a small square neon sign. The bar might be big enough to seat five at the counter, or there may be standing room for twelve. Stairs as steep as those on a small boat take you the bars overhead. Customers and the bartender are more intimate than family, they laugh together as friends.

Golden Gai is an odd island: to land there you have to navigate your way down tall Shinjuku blocks with a nose for where the district might lie and you must keep a sharp eye out for an unmarked narrow alley that will take you in on the west or via another on the south side. Or you might wander through the eerie darkness of the large Hanazono Shrine, its avenue of red Tori gates, random altars, its balcony of steps and various statues of foxes, (revered as kami - divine spirits), will gaze at your trespass. If you can keep the faith and cross through the compound you might be able to stumble on the alley that runs down the east of Golden Gai.

Once you are there you will be almost surrounded by the cliffs of the backs of tall city blocks but you will be free to patrol up and down the cocoon of alleys and wonder what it would be like to belong to one of the bars.