Koreans have lived around Okubo since the postwar years, and a wave of newcomers from South Korea arrived from the 1980s. Tourists started flocking to Korea Town in the mid-2000s, when the drama Winter Sonata set off Japan’s first Korean Wave, and again in the 2010s with K-pop. Today, Shin-Okubo is a vibrant neighborhood packed with all sorts of businesses selling Korean products. While visiting Shin-Okubo, make sure you try some of the best Korean street foods by visiting the following spots.

Dongdaemun Yeopgi Tteokbokki

One of the most popular Korean street foods is tteokbokki, a dish that consists of rice cakes in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. Possibly the top place for this food is Dongdaemun Yeopgi Tteokbokki, which offers different levels of spiciness, up to ultra-spicy.

Address: Soritsu Building, 2F, 2-3-25 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073 (map link)
Open: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day

Kim’s Korean Seaweed & Sesame Oil Shop

Technically a souvenir store, Kim’s Korean Seaweed & Sesame Oil Shop sells all sorts of products made from Korean seaweed and sesame oil. If you’re looking for something to eat during your wanderings around the neighborhood, though, you should pay the store a visit for its sesame oil soft-serve ice cream. There’s nothing quite like it!

Address: Hirono Building, 1F, 2-41-11 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (map link)
Open: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sundays

Hello! Donuts

Whether you want to grab a snack or sit down and take a break from sightseeing, Hello! Donuts is an ideal option. The Korean-style donuts have classic fillings like Korean milk cream and a variety of toppings (including seasonal flavors), resulting in a colorful array to choose from.

Address: Azalea Garden Shin-Okubo, 1F, 2-2-7 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073 (map link)
Open: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

ATO Shin-Okubo

For pretzels with a Korean twist, head to ATO. Although the bakery sells other items, it specializes in pretzels in sweet and savory flavors like pistachio caramel, garlic butter, and maple nuts. The cozy decor of the café makes this another great option for sitting down and taking some time out.

Address: 2-32-7 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (map link)
Open: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. every day

HOICHA

A street food in Korea that has been a café hit since around 2020 is the croffle: a hybrid between a croissant and a waffle. To create a croffle, the baker first prepares a croissant and then presses the finished item in a waffle iron to make it extra crispy. At HOICHA, croffles are served with whipped cream and toppings such as mint chocolate or Oreo cookies. Accompany your croffle with some boba, and perhaps even try one of the other desserts, like churros or ice cream.

Address: 1F, 2-3-25 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073 (map link)
Open: 11:00 a.m. to 10:40 p.m. every day

BOKHODU

BOKHODU sells just one item: walnut balls. This Korean specialty is a crispy dough ball filled with sweet bean paste and chunks of walnut. There are just two varieties: with or without unsalted butter. If you find you’re a fan, purchase a gift box for someone back home.

Address: N・K Building, 1F, 1-6-15 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073 (map link)
Open: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day

Choi Kwang-mo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons