Why it stays with you
Around the 21st year of Showa, street stalls went up on burnt-out ground by Shinjuku Station's west exit. In time a black market called 'Lucky Street' grew up there — that is this alley's predecessor. Some 60 places to eat and drink still stand shoulder to shoulder, more than half of them yakitori or motsu-yaki grills. The value here is understanding with your body rather than through photographs just how dense postwar Tokyo was. The shops are tight and your shoulder touches the next customer's, so come in a small group rather than a large one. It has more atmosphere once the lamps are lit, though it's busier then too. The way to walk this alley is not to settle in anywhere — have something, then move on to the next place.