Just one alley away from the neon lights of Shinjuku Kabukicho is a small Japanese-style retreat where matcha, sake, kimono, and traditional culture meet.
- What Does “Arinsu” Mean?
- MATCHA ARINSU: A Hidden Tea Retreat in Shinjuku
- BAR ARINSU: A Kimono Bar in Kabukicho
- Discover Japanese Sake, Whisky and Kabukicho Craft Gin
- Meet Mami Kisaragi: Connecting Kimono, Sake and Traditional Music
- From Matcha to Sake: Experience ARINSU from Day to Night
- Experience More of Kabukicho with a Local Guide
ARINSU changes character as the day turns into night. In the afternoon, MATCHA ARINSU serves carefully selected Japanese tea in a quiet setting. After dark, BAR ARINSU welcomes guests into an intimate kimono bar serving sake, Japanese whisky, craft gin, and original cocktails.
For visitors looking beyond Kabukicho’s famous nightlife, ARINSU offers a different way to experience Japanese culture in the heart of Shinjuku.
What Does “Arinsu” Mean?
The name ARINSU（JP: ありんす）draws inspiration from an old-fashioned Japanese expression, evoking the refined language and atmosphere of an earlier era.
It also carries a playful wish: “Fuku ga arinsu” — may a little fortune be found here.
That spirit runs through both MATCHA ARINSU and BAR ARINSU. Rather than recreating the past as a museum, the space brings elements of traditional Japanese culture into contemporary Kabukicho through tea, alcohol, kimono, seasonal flowers, and hospitality.
MATCHA ARINSU: A Hidden Tea Retreat in Shinjuku
From 1PM, ARINSU opens as MATCHA ARINSU, a small tea retreat offering organic matcha, kuki hojicha, and 100% oat milk lattes.
At the heart of the menu are teas from two Japanese producers.
Organic Matcha — Fukusanari
The matcha is Fukusanari, carefully cultivated by Shouei Tea using natural organic farming methods. Its concentrated flavor brings together the distinctive aroma, richness, and umami of Japanese matcha.
Kuki Hojicha
The kuki hojicha is a stem-roasted Sayama tea produced by Hiraokaen. Roasting the stems creates a fragrant, comforting tea with a character quite different from matcha.
Each tea reflects the time and attention of the producers who grow it. MATCHA ARINSU prepares these leaves to allow their natural aroma and umami to remain at the center of each drink.
Take a seat, slow down, and enjoy a quieter moment before returning to the streets of Shinjuku.
BAR ARINSU: A Kimono Bar in Kabukicho
As evening arrives, the atmosphere changes.
BAR ARINSU is an intimate Japanese-style counter bar where staff dressed in kimono welcome guests into a space filled with carefully selected Japanese furnishings and soft lighting.
The experience is not only about having a drink. Kimono, seasonal details, Japanese spirits, and hospitality come together to create a contemporary interpretation of a traditional Japanese drinking space.
Even a single flower displayed inside changes with the seasons, adding a subtle expression of Japanese aesthetics to the room.
For a more casual visit, guests can also stop by for a drink at the bench outside.
Discover Japanese Sake, Whisky and Kabukicho Craft Gin
BAR ARINSU offers a selection centered around Japanese drinks, including carefully selected sake, Japanese whisky, shochu, and craft gin.
One recommendation is a gin soda made with Ne10, a craft gin born in Kabukicho.
Seasonal and limited-edition original cocktails are also occasionally created around cultural events in the neighborhood. Previous collaborations have included an original sake cocktail inspired by the Shinjuku Kabukicho Shunga Exhibition: WA.
The next edition, featuring ukiyo-e masters Utagawa Kunisada and Utagawa Kuniyoshi, will take place from October 3 to November 29, 2026.
It is one example of how ARINSU connects the drinks served at the bar with the cultural activities happening around Kabukicho.
Meet Mami Kisaragi: Connecting Kimono, Sake and Traditional Music
ARINSU is directed by Mami Kisaragi, a kouta performer, kimono stylist, and certified sake specialist from Hakodate, Hokkaido.
Her work brings together several forms of Japanese traditional culture. Alongside kimono styling and coordination, she performs kouta, a traditional style of Japanese song accompanied by shamisen, and shares Japanese sake culture through her knowledge as a certified sake specialist.
At ARINSU, these different practices come together within one contemporary space.
On special occasions, visitors may also have the opportunity to hear her perform shamisen live — transforming an evening at the bar into an unexpected encounter with traditional Japanese music.
From Matcha to Sake: Experience ARINSU from Day to Night
One of the most interesting things about ARINSU is how the same space changes throughout the day.
In the afternoon, visitors can pause over matcha or hojicha. At night, the room becomes a kimono bar where sake, whisky, gin, and conversation take over.
It is a small transition, but one that reflects the many identities of Kabukicho itself.
The neighborhood does not have only one culture or one rhythm. It changes depending on the hour, the people, and the doors you choose to open.
ARINSU offers a particularly Japanese way to experience that transformation.
Visit ARINSU in Shinjuku Kabukicho
ARINSU
1-12-4 Kabukicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo
Tel: 03-6228-0400
MATCHA ARINSU
Opening Hours: Every day, 1PM–6PM
Organic matcha, kuki hojicha, and 100% oat milk lattes.
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/matcha_arinsu_jp/
BAR ARINSU
Opening Hours:
Tue–Sat: 7PM–5AM
Sun: 7PM–12AM
Sake, shochu, Japanese whisky, craft gin, and original cocktails served in a Japanese-style bar with kimono-clad staff.
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bar_arinsu_/
Experience More of Kabukicho with a Local Guide
Want to discover more of Kabukicho beyond the usual tourist routes?
Kabukicho Concierge offers guided nightlife experiences led by English- and Chinese-speaking guides. From local bars and restaurants to host club experiences, guides help international visitors discover the people, stories, and cultures behind one of Tokyo’s most iconic entertainment districts.
Visit the Kabukicho Information Center
You can also stop by the Kabukicho Information Center, a cultural space operated by Smappa! Group.
Set inside an authentic host club interior, visitors can enjoy drinks, browse original Kabukicho-themed merchandise, and discover another side of the neighborhood’s history and contemporary culture.
From matcha in the afternoon to sake after midnight, Kabukicho is not only a place to see — it is a place to experience.