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Korea in Tokyo!

By Yoshi, October 31, 2011


Shin-Okubo (しんおおくぼ, 新大久保) is a Korean town in Tokyo, located near Shinjuku.

The nearest station is “shin-Okubo” station (Yamanote-line) or “Okubo” station (Sobu-line); both are just 1 station from Shinjuku. Or we can visit there on foot form Shinjuku station. We walk straight through Kabuki-cho, about 10 minutes walk.

In this area, there are a lot of Korean Restaurant, stands, and stores.
Let’s take a short look of this area!
 
 
This is my favorite place, a Korean spa “Ruby palace” only for ladies. Sorry, guys!;) We can enjoy full-body skin-scrubbing or Korean sauna bath.
 

 
 
And on streets, there are some stands of Korean snacks. Feel a bit hungry, grab some :)
 

 

 
 
Next are Korean dishes! Most of all are very spicy but tasty and addictive! I love them!!

Korean BBQ!
 

 

 
 
“Chidimi” is Korean pancakes used leeks, seafood, kimuchi etc. Yum!!
 

 
 
And many kind of “Hot pots”!
 

 
 
At Korean store, we can get many kind of “kimuchi”, food products, cosmetics, and Soju(Korean liquor)! ;)
 

 

 
 
I often visit there at night or in the daytime on weekends. But recently I visited there in the daytime on weekday. So surprised that more people are there than at nights or on weekends!! And almost of all are middle-aged ladies!
 

 

 
 
Winter Sonata, a Korean TV drama that was broadcast on NHK, ignited the Korean boom in Japan. It seems it’s still continuing or much bigger!

I’ve checked a weekday’s TV program listing in the newspaper.
 

 
Can you see? Red circles I marked are Korean dramas! And almost of all are broadcast in the daytime on weekdays.
 
 
Who can watch TV in the daytime on weekdays? Yes, full-time housewives! These dramas are very addictive, if we start watching them, we cannot stop watching. This Korean boom is mainly among housewives. And they enjoy Korean dishes, buying Korean actors/singers’ goods, cosmetics, and food products there in the daytime on weekdays (Before preparing dinner for families).
 

 
As you know, “Harajuku” is for girls, “Sugamo” is for old ladies,
 
and now we can say “Shin-okubo (in the daytime) ” is for middle-aged ladies! ;)
 
you visit there in the daytime or at night?