Widely known as Japan’s Korea Town, Shin-Okubo offers delicious Korean fried chicken, scenic parks for the day and K-pop vibes for the night!
Just off the Yamanote train line and neighboring Shinjuku station (the busiest station in the world!), Shin-Okubo offers a slightly more toned down vibe compared to its next-door neighbor but with plenty of personality!
In a country where cities struggle to stand out against the likes of Akihabara and Shibuya, Shin-Okubo is off doing its own thing as Japan’s “Korea Town,” offering an interesting combination of cultures and traditions.
A Taste Of Korea
Walking along the streets of Shin-Okubo during the day can be quite calm, as many establishments open up for the night.
Big neon signs of Korean text can be seen on the signs, often accompanied by Japanese translations and, if you’re lucky, English too.
There are food stands everywhere serving iconic Korean street foods such as fried cheese on a stick, seafood skewers, and of course, Korean-style fried chicken!
During the night (and sometimes in the day), you can hear the blaring sound of K-pop being played in restaurants, on the streets, or even in passing vans, you know, just to remind you where you are.
Toyama Park
Not too far from the main city center (about a 10-minute walk from Shin-Okubo station) is the scenic Toyama Park.
I was lucky enough to visit this hidden gem during the autumn season when beautiful golden leaves were out and the weather was nice and cool.
The awesome thing about Toyama Park is that it’s never crowded and it’s a fantastic place to unwind and enjoy the atmosphere.
Delicious Street Sweets
As I said, at night is when Shin-Okubo city truly comes to life, and you’ll see many street food stands start to pop up that were not there during the day.
One of my favorite stalls is “Snowy Village,” a dessert stand that makes these amazing Oreo ice cream and churro cups, kind of like a buffed up version of the McDonald’s Oreo McFlurry.
Shin-Okubo is perhaps one of the few places where Japanese social rules kind of “go out the window,” for instance, it’s more common for people to walk while eating here, so feel free to loosen up a little!
Amazing Korean Food!
For me, the best part about Korea lies in the food, and there’s no better place in Japan than Shin-Okubo to access an abundance of amazing authentic restaurants serving up the best Korean cuisine in the country!
Delicious sweet glazed Korean fried chicken, hot and spicy cheese tteokbokki, and scrumptious mandu (Korean-style gyoza) can all be enjoyed at these local restaurants, many of which I couldn’t read the names of (I did recognize Nene Chicken though!).
All-in-all, Shin-Okubo is a city with a lot of character. Even if you’re visiting Japan for Japanese culture, it might be worth witnessing how Korean culture integrates itself among the Japanese. I promise you’ll have a blast!
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