Restaurants and bars under the train tracks ガード下
Under the hum of the trains
The elevated railway tracks are no exception in a city where even the tiniest square meter is valued. After World War II, the improvised locals built makeshift accommodations and small taverns under the tracks. In recent years, the establishments were refurbished and gained popularity for their affordable prices and retro quality.
Small street full of charms
Txema
Here is an overview of the capital's main gado shita (literally "under the beams"), from the oldest to the most recent.
- Shinbashi Yurakucho Gado-shita
Very popular and always crowded, this long gallery made up of restaurants and bars is located under the railway between Shinbashi and Yurakucho stations. A favorite spot for local employees, it is known for its yakitori restaurants, izakayas, and bars where you drink standing up at the counter. We also go for the somewhat retro atmosphere; now, tourists are part of the clientele.
Access : Shinbashi and Yurakucho stations
Read: Drinking beer in Tokyo
- Koenji Gado-shita
Koenji is a famous district located in the west of Tokyo. Taverns, bars, yakitori restaurants, and Cheap taverns have long taken over the space under the tracks of JR lines under Koenji Station. Makeshift terraces are improvised in the street when the tiny establishments are too crowded. The place has not yet become very touristy.
Access: North Exit of Koenji Station (Chuo and Sobu lines).
Kanda Manseibashi
Commons
- Match Ecute Kanda Manseibashi
An extended name for this gallery was installed in 2013 under the rails of the old Manseibashi station (built in 1912), whose brick walls have been kept. The development of this space is part of a major renovation project for old buildings and sites in the capital. Boutiques, restaurants, and trendy cafes attract a heterogeneous clientele. There is also the Hitachino Brewing Lab, a brewery that offers beer-making workshops.
Access: Akihabara Station, Electric Town Exit, or Kanda Station North and 6 Exits.
To go further: Japanese craft beers
- Nakameguro Kokashita
Opened in November 2016, Nakameguro Koukashita is home to 28 cafes, bars, and restaurants that stretch approximately 700 meters below the elevated railway tracks around Nakameguro Station. Here, there are no eateries but healthy-known brands such as the Nodoguroya Kakiemon restaurant (famous for serving a prevalent and costly fish, the nodoguro ), Jiromaru and its yakiniku (meat grilled on a hot plate), the Isomatsu sushi restaurant or even Samon, an establishment specializing in oden (a kind of stew). " Standing bars, "sake or wine bars where you drink standing up, fine food, or wine shops are also a delight for gourmets. But not everything is buried under the rails since terraces have been laid out on the banks of the Meguro River.
Access : Nakameguro station (Tokyu Toyoko and Tokyo Metro Hibiya lines).
See also: The three best terraces in Tokyo.
- Sanagi Shinjuku
Opened in December 2016, Sanagi Shinjuku is the capital's latest gado-shita. Restaurants, cafes, bars, and cultural events and exhibitions make this new gallery, located under the Koshu Kaido road bridge, a place frequented by a young and international clientele. The cuisine is also Japanese but also Southeast Asian or Western-inspired. Beer flows freely in a trendy atmosphere.
Please note: it can be challenging to find a place in the evening if you have not reserved.
Access: Southeast Exit of Shinjuku Station.
Yakitori restaurant storefront
shbs
