新宿駅西口を出て右折して小田急百貨店のあった先にあるビルを通り越すと右折する道があるが、この道を曲がって直ぐ左手に「思い出横丁」がある。

この入口にくると外国人が大喜びで「来た、来た」と写真を撮っている。何故この横丁がこんなに人気があるのか、そこには今後の日本の観光業を発展させる為のヒントが隠されていると思われる。

この思い出横丁は他の横丁と同じく、昭和のサラリーマンが夜遅くまで働いて、最終電車が来るまでの時間を愚痴を言いあいながら安く酒を飲み、焼き鳥を食べて、憂さを晴らした場所であった。

しかしながら、時代の移り変わりにより、私生活重視で長く残業するサラリーマンが減り、デフレが続いてお金がなくなり、更にコロナにより一層外出する人々が少なくなった所に、訪日客がどっと入って来たことになる。

この思い出横丁は線路わきに長く繋がった飲み屋街で、扉が無く、道路に張り出した飲食用の台を使っている為に店に入るのと違って座りやすい。

お店側としては、英語もしゃべらず、面倒な料理準備もせず、ただ黙々と酒をだし、焼き鳥を焼いて皿にのせて出す、この存在感を出さない店員の応対が、外国人に自然にふるまうことが出来る自由さを与えて、それが歓迎されたのかも知れない。

外国人歓迎の場所として、流ちょうな英語を使い、見てくれの良い食器を使えば、多少高くても受け入れてくれるだろうとの期待は、実際はそうでないかもしれないという事を、この思い出横丁は教えてくれる。

日本への観光で外国人が最も喜ぶのは、日本の「安全」と「清潔さ」で、これらについては日々努力されている沢山の人々がいることも忘れてはならない。

Shopping, dining, etc. for foreign visitors

After exiting the west exit of Shinjuku Station, turn right and pass the building where Odakyu Department Store used to be, there will be a road that turns right.

When you come to this entrance, foreigners are very happy and are taking pictures and saying, ``Here we are!'' As to why this alley is so popular, there may be hints hidden there for the future development of Japan's tourism industry.

This Omoide Yokocho, like other alleys, was a place where office workers in the Showa era worked late into the night and spent the time until the last train coming, complaining, drinking cheap alcohol, eating yakitori, and venting their sorrows.

However, as times change, fewer office workers focus on their personal lives and work long overtime, deflation continues and people run out of money, and furthermore, due to the coronavirus, fewer people go out than ever before, and a flood of foreign tourists has arrived.

Omoide Yokocho is a bar district that runs along the railroad tracks for a long time.It has no doors and uses tables for eating and drinking that extend out onto the road, making it easier to sit down than entering a bar.

From the restaurant's perspective, the staff, who do not speak English or do the troublesome preparation of food, simply serve the sake, grill the yakitori, and serve it on a plate.The unassuming manner in which the staff interact with the restaurant makes them feel natural to foreigners. It may have been welcomed because it gave them the freedom to behave differently.

As a place that welcomes foreigners, Omoide Yokocho teaches us that the expectation that if you speak fluent English and use nice tableware, people will accept you even if it costs a little more, may not actually be the case. I'll give it to you.

What foreigners enjoy most when visiting Japan is the country's ``safety'' and ``cleanliness,'' and we must not forget that there are many people who are working hard every day to improve these things.

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Shinjuku 新宿 English Map		都庁、東京ガイド Tokyo Metropolitan Gov. Bldg,1st, Floor	Photo, Explanation
Shinjuku 新宿 English Map		新宿駅南口、 東京ガイド JR South Exit , under the Koshu Kaido Street bridge,	,Photo ,Explanation,
Shinjuku 新宿 English Map		伊勢丹Isetan,,Clothes, Restaurants, Food Sales at B1F	Photo, Explanation
Shinjuku 新宿 English Map		新宿中村屋 Shinjuku, Nakamuraya, Rice and Curry	Photo, Explanation
Shinjuku 新宿 English Map		思い出横丁 Omoide Yokocho ,area	Photo, Explanation
Shinjuku 新宿 English Map		都庁、見晴らし Metropolitan Gov's Bldg, Free	Photo, Explanation
Shinjuku 新宿 English Map		新宿御苑 Shinjuku Gyoen, Entrance Fee required	Photo, Explanation