パンクロックバー H.O.D Punk Bar Hair Of the Dogs -Tokyo-

Shinjuku, Tokyo

Tucked into Golden Gai's Hanazono Itchome alley, H.O.D. is a tiny punk bar with wide-ranging taste, spinning everything from late-70s first-wave punk to post-punk, hardcore, ska, mod, pub rock and glam, sourced from Japan, the UK, the US, Sweden, France and Australia alike. The bar draws an unusually mixed crowd of record collectors, media types, students and regulars who come as much to talk music and film as to drink, inside one of Golden Gai's atmospheric old alleyway shacks.

✓ ConfirmedSource: the bar's official websiteLast checked: 2026-09-26How we check Report a mistake or closure

About Shinjuku

Shinjuku is Tokyo's biggest nightlife district and its busiest transport hub, served by the JR Yamanote and Chuo lines, several subway lines and the Odakyu and Keio railways. Kabukicho, northeast of the station, is the main entertainment area, and just east of it Golden Gai is a maze of tiny bars. Shinjuku Ni-chome is known for its small bars and LGBTQ scene, and the area is also home to many of Tokyo's live music venues.

Good to know

Smoking, payment and English for this bar haven't been confirmed yet. Ask when you arrive, or read our tips for first-timers.

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Editor's pick in Tokyo: worth the train ride

★ Editor's Top Pick

Rockbar Painkiller

Kokubunji, Tokyo

Near Kokubunji Station, Rockbar Painkiller is a hard rock and heavy metal bar named, of course, after the Judas Priest classic. The owner left a long company career in 2016 to open a long-dreamed-of rock bar, has been to Wacken Open Air, the world's biggest metal festival, six years in a row, and still fronts a band with high-pitched screams and a Flying V. The owner's taste leans melodic: Michael Schenker, UFO, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Helloween, Sonata Arctica, Hammerfall and Avantasia are favorites. Rare music videos play on a 100-inch screen, and the bar hosts live shows and jam sessions. Drinks include beer, bourbon, whisky and shochu, with light bar snacks rather than full meals. Smoking is allowed inside on regular nights; on event nights, smokers step outside. Some English is understood, but a translation app on your phone is often the quickest way to chat.

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