La Jetee
La Jetee is a Golden Gai bar named after the 1962 Chris Marker short film, and the cinematic theme runs deep. The owner, a retired film critic, has filled every available surface with movie memorabilia, film books, and framed still photographs from classic cinema. A small monitor behind the bar plays a rotation of short films, experimental cinema, and art house trailers. The space seats about six people at a narrow wooden counter, with room for maybe two more standing. Drinks are whisky, beer, and basic cocktails. The cover charge is 700 JPY and includes a small snack. Conversation is the main entertainment, and the owner can hold forth on cinema for hours if you're interested. He speaks enough English to discuss films, though Japanese speakers will get more out of the experience. The bar is quiet by Golden Gai standards, attracting film lovers, writers, and the occasional curious tourist rather than the party crowd. It's the kind of place where you come for one drink and stay for three.
Where to stay near La Jetee
Hotels and rentals within walking distance.
What to Expect
A tiny, film-obsessed bar where a monitor plays arthouse shorts and the owner discusses cinema with genuine passion. Quiet, cerebral, and deeply personal.
Hushed, intellectual, and warmly welcoming. Like drinking in someone's private screening room.
Film soundtracks played at low volume
No code. Come as you are.
Film enthusiasts, writers, anyone who appreciates a quiet conversation over whisky
Cash only
Price Range
Cover 700 JPY (includes snack), beer 700 JPY, whisky 800-1,200 JPY
Beer ~$4.50/~4 EUR, whisky ~$5-8/~4.50-7 EUR
Hours
20:00-02:00, closed Mondays
Insider Tip
Bring up a favorite film and the owner will likely have an opinion. The bar is even smaller than it looks from outside, so don't bring a group larger than three. Cash only.
Full Review
La Jetee is not a bar you stumble into. It's on the upper floor of one of Golden Gai's wooden buildings, up a steep staircase that creaks with every step. The door is small and the sign is hand-painted. Inside, six stools face a counter barely wide enough for a glass and an ashtray.
The owner sat behind the bar reading a film journal when I arrived on a Wednesday evening. He looked up, nodded, and gestured to a stool. No rush, no sales pitch. He set down a small dish of rice crackers and asked what I'd like to drink. I ordered a whisky, and he poured from a bottle of Nikka with practiced economy.
On the monitor behind him, a black-and-white experimental short film played silently. I asked about it and he launched into a five-minute explanation of the filmmaker's career, the context of the piece, and why it mattered. This is the bar's real product: not the drinks, which are standard, but the conversation and the curated atmosphere.
Over the next hour, two more customers arrived. One was a Japanese screenwriter who came regularly; the other was a French tourist who recognized the bar's name from the Marker film. By the end of the night, all four of us were in a single conversation about Japanese New Wave cinema, conducted in a mixture of English, French, and Japanese. The owner seemed delighted.
Three whiskies and the cover charge came to 3,300 JPY. For the quality of the experience, it felt like a bargain.
The Neighborhood
La Jetee is in Golden Gai's interior alleys, surrounded by dozens of other tiny bars. The area is a 3-minute walk from main Kabukicho and a short stroll from Shinjuku Station.
Getting There
Shinjuku Station East Exit, 8-minute walk northeast through Kabukicho to Golden Gai. The bar is on the second floor of a building in the fifth alley.
Address
1-1-8 Kabukicho, Golden Gai
Other Venues in Kabukicho
WARP SHINJUKU
Large multi-floor club in central Kabukicho with EDM and hip-hop floors. Popular with younger Japanese clubgoers. Cover 2,000-3,000 JPY with one drink included.
Robot Restaurant
Kabukicho's signature tourist attraction with neon-lit robot shows, dancers, and music. Not a traditional club but a theatrical experience. Tickets from 6,500 JPY.
Golden Gai
Block of over 200 tiny bars, each seating 5-10 people. Some welcome foreigners, others don't. Cover charges (500-1,500 JPY) are standard. Drinks from 700 JPY.
Albatross
Three-story Golden Gai bar with a chandelier and antique decor. One of the more foreigner-friendly spots. Standing room only on weekends.
Samurai
Foreigner-friendly bar on the edge of Golden Gai with a relaxed owner who speaks English. Whisky selection and casual conversation. No cover charge.
Club Asia
Multi-floor venue in the heart of Kabukicho playing house, techno, and hip-hop across separate rooms. Regular international DJ bookings and a capacity around 800.