Hanbey Shinjuku Kabukicho Ichibangai

Among the bright neon lights and booze-fueled excitement of Tokyo’s nightlife district, Kabukicho, there’s nothing quite like Hanbey. This conceptual izakaya recaptures the gripping atmosphere of Japan’s postwar golden age, when the country went through an economic boom, with the promise of good food and good time. It’s the place to be for an evening surrounded by the country’s most iconic cultural touchpoints. From nostalgic dishes featured in international Netflix hits to rare bites of retro Japan, the store takes you on a culinary journey through Japan’s early and mid-Showa era. Hearty yatai-style yakisoba, takoyaki, kushiage and chicken skewers become the perfect prelude for late-hour hangouts. Alcoholic drinks born during the Showa era, such as Tory’s Highball — nicknamed “torihai” — evoke nostalgia, while cocktails inspired by retro cream sodas or named after sentai action heroes and classic manga characters like Astro Boy, Moonlight Mask and Space Ace enhance the theme. The Japanese highball, now a staple in almost every izakaya, revives the beloved Showa-era cocktail. Pre-packaged chips and crackers that used to fill students’ pockets on the way home from school are available to guests as drinking snacks. Dagashi — Japanese penny candies — are given to those who won katanuki, a game where you carve a mold of candy using needle or toothpick. The retro concept segues from food to the antique-saturated setting; the walls are covered in vintage posters of decades-old theatrical productions and advertisements. Diners slide into the low tables and settle into their first round of drinks. This is the place to bring your out-of-town friend for a night to remember.