One of Tokyo's most famous food alleys is at Shinjuku's West gate where loads of yakitori and motsunabe restaurants date back to the late 1940s. It's a street food paradise where you can see and smell the grilling and frying -- hungry, you will be!

In this episode, John and Shingo visit OMOIDE YOKOCHO (思い出横丁) or "Memory Lane". Have a look around the alley and shops in 360 VR!

Food featured:
★ Yakitori / やきとり
★ Motsunabe / もつ鍋
★ Ramen / ラーメン
★ Yakisoba / 焼きそば (fried noodles in sauce)
★ Yukhoe (Korean based dish of seasoned raw beef with egg)

※ Best seen in 4K (2160p) / change the settings and watch with WIFI on for super clear views.

Omoide Yokocho is most famous for motsunabe (stewed giblets) and yakitori. Why?

THE HISTORY:
Following WWII, flour was a government regulated good and ramen / noodles weren't available to street stands. Instead, restaurant owners turned to non-regulated ingredients like pig and cow enthralls which were readily available and cheap from American servicemen occupying the city. From this, motsunabe (stewed giblets) and yakitori (from enthralls) were born.
It's much better tasting than it sounds! About 20 shops in Omoide Yokocho still serve motsunabe like they did back in the mid 1940s.

The alley retains its old Showa period charm despite all the modern new buildings surrounding it. It's like entering a world trapped in time and definitely worth a stop on anyone's trip to Tokyo.

This place used to be called "Piss Alley" but who'd want to eat at a place with piss in the name? It was changed to "Memory Lane" which is simply more appetizing although I do make a trip to the toilets to see if they are modern washlet style or totally Medieval holes int he ground.

Google Map to Omoide Yokocho:
https://goo.gl/maps/fF1vDY4FZm62

URL:
Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho (English)
http://www.shinjuku-omoide.com/english/

Shinjuku Historical Museum (Japanese)
http://www.regasu-shinjuku.or.jp/rekihaku/
(Photos and Background)
Map to the museum: https://goo.gl/maps/V3dgRqZdWfB2

CAMERA USED:
Samsung Gear 360
Edited with Premiere Pro CC 2017

This show has been created and produced by John Daub ジョン・ドーブ. He's been living and working in Japan for over 18 years and regularly reports on TV for Japan's International Channel.