Where to shop and eat in Shin-Okubo, one of the city’s buzziest districts

An insider guide to Tokyo’s Koreatown

This article is part of a guide to Tokyo from FT Globetrotter
One step out of Shin-Okubo station and you will find yourself in Koreatown, a bustling Tokyo district exploding with energy. The noise and crowds may be a little overwhelming for first-timers, but the area is a gold mine for fans of Korean street food and barbecue, sweets to die for and beauty products. Upbeat hits by K-pop superstars such as BTS and Blackpink play from street-facing speakers, luring you into stores selling Korean pop-culture merchandise — from tumblers, paper fans and key chains to mouse pads emblazoned with your favourite band member’s face.
A shop selling K-pop merchandise in Shin-Okubo
As a longtime lover of K-pop, I like to explore Shin-Okubo, either alone or with fellow fans. The recent Hallyu wave, otherwise known as the rise in global popularity of Korean pop culture, has given the neighbourhood a burst of vitality, despite strained Japan-Korea relations. Its streets are often awash with young people and it has become a key sightseeing spot that is just as worthy a visit as more famous destinations like Shibuya or Harajuku.
The global popularity of Korean culture has made Shin-Okubo a key Tokyo destination Shin-Okubo is as worthy a visit as other trendy districts such as Shibuya or Harajuku.
The area can be a lot to take in at once, so why not make a day of it and shop and eat at leisure? Here are five of my personal picks to help you use your time wisely.

Street food: Jongno Yataimura

NK BUILDING, 1-6-15 HYAKUNINCHO, SHINJUKU-ku, TOKYO 169-0073

Good for: Those looking for a budget midday snack

Not so good for: Taking a relaxing break

FYI: Cash only and no big notes

Website; Directions

The streets of Shin-Okubo offer plenty of hole-in-the wall takeaway food. About three minutes on foot from the station you’ll find Jongno Yataimura, a famous vendor that serves up authentic South Korean grub.
Potato mozzarella corn dog is the most popular item on the menu . . .  . . . at Jongno Yataimura, where the author stops off in Shin-Okubo for a street-food snack
The most popular item on its menu is the potato mozzarella corn dog. Instead of sausages, this Korean staple coats a stick of cheese in homemade batter and potato cubes. The concoction is made mainly from rice flour, which yields a chewy yet fluffy texture. Combined with the melted cheese inside, the deep-fried corn dog is a great midday snack. There are bottles of ketchup and mustard as well as sugar for those who like their corn dogs sweet and salty, in true Korean style. Jongno sells about 300 of them at weekends. There will probably be a long queue but it is fast-moving, so the wait time shouldn’t be too bad.

With possibly the widest range of products out of all the district’s K-beauty stores, it will take some time to browse Skingarden thoroughly. Close to the register are sheet masks — an essential element of the K-beauty regime — ranging from those for the face and lips to the hands and feet. I recommend the green-tea-essence ones, which are great daily skin-soothers. Go up to the second floor for make-up and skin products that are a little more high-end, including products from South Korean brands such as Tirtir, VT Cosmetics and Moonium. You can also find great deals in the “while stocks last” sale corner. And they do sell out.
The sales assistants are knowledgeable and will ask if you need help looking for specific products. Tell them about your skincare needs and they will recommend a product to suit you.

Supermarket: Seoul Ichiba

HOSEIDO BUILDING, 1-16-15 OKUBO, SHINJUKU-ku, TOKYO 169-0072

Good for: Tracking down unusual Korean ingredients

Not so good for: A leisurely shop. It gets crowded and employees are often too busy to answer questions

FYI: They’ll wrap kimchi up with an ice pack to keep it fresh while you take it home

Website; Directions
If you are looking to stock up on delicious Korean snacks and ingredients . . .  . . . supermarket Seoul Ichiba is your best bet
For anyone wishing to stock up on delicious Korean snacks and food, Seoul Ichiba, a small but superb supermarket, boasts a diverse line-up. The section that draws most visitors is the instant ramen aisle, which includes everything from Shin Ramyun, with its spicy beef broth, to the cup-noodle Chapaguri, which became a massive hit after it was featured in the Oscar-winning film Parasite. There’s also a great selection of spices, sauces and other ingredients to recreate your favourite Korean dishes at home, as well as sets of traditional Korean spoons and metal chopsticks.
Preparing kimbap at Seoul Ichiba
Aside from the instant food, snacks and spices, Seoul Ichiba has a stand offering freshly made kimbap — Korean seaweed rice rolls with delicious fillings like pickled radish, cucumber and carrots — and tteokbokki, a popular Korean street-vendor snack: chewy rice cakes drenched in hot gochujang chilli paste.

Café: Bam Bi Coffee

1-14-26 OKUBO, SHINJUKU-KU, TOKYO 169-0072

Good for: A girls’ day out or a date

Not so good for: Big groups or those without a sweet tooth

FYI: You’ll probably have to wait in line. The queue does get especially long at the weekend

Website; Directions

For a caffeine hit, head to Bam Bi Coffee, tucked away in an alley off a busy main street. Open since March, this small, airy space, with its simple wood and white-paint decor, is a welcome addition to the area. According to the manager, about 80 per cent of customers are female, both young and old. Although constantly packed on each of my visits, the place manages to maintain a calming ambience.
Einspänner — a traditional Viennese coffee — and the Korean rice cake injeolmi at Bam Bi Despite often being packed, Bam Bi Coffee has a soothing vibe
Its menu is a rarity in Tokyo. One of the most popular drinks is the Einspänner, a traditional Viennese coffee topped with a generous amount of whipped cream. The coffee is made from a blend of beans from Brazil and Guatemala, which gives a slight acidity that works well with the rich cream. Bam Bi also offers unusual drinks such as a creamy latte made with the herb yomogi, also known as Korean wormwood, and a black sesame latte.

Order the grilled pork belly by itself or, if you’re really hungry, plump for the all-you-can-eat deal, which includes three types of pork as well as side dishes including kimchi, green onion salad, Korean lettuce and pickled radish. Entrust the grilling to the servers, who will cook everything in front of you on an iron hotplate.
Wrap the tasty pieces of pork in lettuce and enjoy with ssamjang, a Korean dipping sauce — add raw garlic for further punch. If you’re curious about other options, chijimi is another fan favourite. The thin Korean pancake is speckled with spring onions and served with a tangy soy-sauce dip.
Tomato also offers a variety of soju, sometimes called the “Korean vodka”, a subtly sweet alcohol with a range of flavours including blueberry and muscat. Drink it neat as a digestif.
Share your favourite spots in Tokyo’s Koreatown in the comments
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This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Jada Nagumo