Whenever someone talks about Shinjuku Ni-chome, they’ll probably bring up Gold Finger soon after. It’s a joint that’s almost synonymous with the district, and is famous for its retro vibes and cheery atmosphere.
It might be a little bit hard to understand who the bar mainly caters to and who can and can’t enter on which days. Gold Finger has both women-only and mix (all gender) nights, and it’s a good idea to know what type of night it is before you go.
Women Only Nights
Gold Finger is, primarily, a lesbian bar – so, it makes sense that it has a dedicated night to cater to its main clientele. Every Saturday, the bar closes its doors to men and commences its women-only night. Since this is the time when the bar is the most packed, it’s a great place to meet like-minded women or do some casual dating.
Mix Nights
During the other 6 days of the week, however, anyone can come to Gold Finger to enjoy a drink or two. Even on a Tuesday, it’s pretty packed, with people crowding at the door to snag a drink before entering. During mix nights, the crowd is still primarily women, but there are a smattering of men here and there.
So, What’s Gold Finger Like?
Gold Finger is a place that immediately makes its appearance known. Even from the street, you are greeted by multiple (tasteful) neon signs lighting up the night, and extravagant sequin chandeliers that hang on either side of the door.
The place immediately reminds you of a drinking joint from the 30’s, mixed with a good old disco club from the 70’s. It serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, so if you feel like hanging out with friends without the physical effects of drinking, you can easily do so.
But, do keep in mind that soft drinks are more expensive here than usual, at around 700 yen per drink. Alcoholic drinks are usually 800 yen per drink, which isn’t bad for a popular bar in Tokyo. In addition, there is no cover charge to enter, so it’s a wallet-friendly option to have some fun with friends. However, you do need to purchase one drink to enter.
The bar also offers free popcorn and free karaoke, so there are a lot of amenities available once you get in. Another (possibly dangerous) feature of this bar is that the more shots you purchase at once, the cheaper they become. So, one shot starts at 700 yen, but 3 shots will only cost you 600 yen each, 5 shots 500 yen each and 8 shots 400 yen each. Happy hour is also every day except Saturday from 5pm to 7pm, where you can get 2 large drinks for 1,000 yen!
The bar is a good mix of both Japanese people and foreigners. So both Japanese and English are spoken regularly, which makes it a good place to practice whichever language you’re less comfortable in. Another unique thing about this bar is that it actually accepts tips. Since most places in Japan don’t, Gold Finger takes it upon itself to follow the style of tipping more familiar to (some) foreigners.
The bar also sells their own branded merch, which greets you from a glass case as soon as you walk in the door. Options include t-shirts and hats, all with the same slogan “Have a Gold Finger Time”- which doesn’t make much sense as a pun but is still catchy.
The interior of the bar is unique, with a lacquered wood bar counter and barstools upholstered with black leather. Above all the action hangs a disco ball, and three TV’s in various places on the walls show LGBTQ+ related news stories on their screens. There’s a small dance platform at the back of the bar, with tiny spotlights lining the edges, to guarantee a good photo even in the dark bar. Music is mostly classic pop hits, with the occasional disco throwback blasting on the speakers as well.
Another cool feature about Gold Finger is its tiny library right next to the dance floor, which houses various books on queer and lesbian subjects. It might sound weird to want to read a book while music is blasting and people are dancing all around you, but it’s still a good resource to learn about LGBTQ+ culture, the bar itself, and Shinjuku Ni-chome in general.
On weekdays, Gold Finger is open from 5pm to 11pm, and on Friday and Saturday nights, from 5pm to 4am. Since it’s open 7 days a week, it will probably always be there for you to check out if you happen to be in Tokyo.
Some History About Gold Finger
Bar Gold Finger wasn’t always a bar. Before the bar was started, Gold Finger was a women-only party that began in 1991! The party took place every third Saturday of every even numbered month, so it might have been a bit hard to remember when it was happening off the top of your head. The advantage to the bar is that it’s open every day, so you don’t need to remember a specific date to go there and enjoy yourself.
Unfortunately, the party closed its doors in 2020 due to Covid-19 concerns. But the spirit of Gold Finger lives on at the bar, which was founded by one of the original organizers of the party, Chiga Ogawa. The bar officially opened around the 20th anniversary of the party, so there was some overlap between the two for a while.
There’s No Way You Won’t Have Fun at Gold Finger
No matter your sexuality or gender, if you’re visiting Shinjuku Ni-chome, the most famous gay area of Tokyo, Bar Gold Finger is worth a visit. It has an atmosphere that exudes fun, and if you’re in a bad mood, there’s no way your spirits won’t be lifted by the raucous dancing, friendly people, beautiful decor and cheap shots!
It’s clear that Chiga Ogawa put a lot of time and effort into designing this bar and making it sparkle. With resources such as the queer library, beautiful, unique decor, and people from all over the world stopping in to see what Gold Finger is all about, why not try it for yourself and see the memories you make?
If you want to know more about bars in Shinjuku Ni-Chome, make sure to check this article!
