Nonbei Yokocho: Squeeze in to these narrow bars

Seating only four to eight people, the wooden shack bars in Nonbei Yokocho (Drunkard’s Alley) feel like they could well be the smallest pubs in the world. Enjoy a night here under the train tracks, with red and white lanterns floating above the alley and the smells of yakitori wafting through the air.

There are many bars to choose from, but most will be busy. The best solution is choosing the easiest one to squeeze into, and then bar hopping later to get a feel for the different places. There are no wrong choices, and even if you end up at a dud, just move along after the first drink. (Just watch out for seat charges.)

Tokyo is a city obsessed with marked-off areas containing many tiny intimate bars, but Nonbei Yokocho may be one of the finest and most easily-accessible collections.