Exploring Tokyo's Shinjuku: Hanazono Shrine and the iconic DUG Jazz Café from Haruki Murakami's novel "Norwegian Wood"

After visiting Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku, I took a break at DUG Jazz Café, famously mentioned in Haruki Murakami's novel "Norwegian Wood." This café, which appears in the dialogue of the novel's characters, is considered the original jazz café.

Accessibility Note:
Unfortunately, DUG is located in a basement accessible only by stairs, making it difficult for wheelchair users to enter. However, its menu and ambiance can be recreated at home. The area around Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku is relatively wheelchair-friendly.

Excerpt from "Norwegian Wood":
"After our German class, we would head out into the streets of Shinjuku and enter DUG, located in the basement behind Kinokuniya. We each had two vodka tonics.

'Sometimes I come here,' she said. 'Drinking during the day doesn’t feel so guilty.'

'You drink during the day often?'

'Occasionally,' Midori said, rattling the ice in her glass. 'When the world gets tough, I come here and have a vodka tonic.'

'The world gets tough?'

'Sometimes,' she said. 'I have my own problems—family issues, boyfriend troubles, irregular periods—lots of things.'

'How about another drink?'

'Of course.'

I raised my hand to call the waiter and ordered two more vodka tonics."

Places to Visit:
- Dug Jazz Café & Bar
Hours: 12–11:30 PM
Address: 3 Chome-15-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022

- Italian Tomato Café Jr. - Shinjuku Yasukuni-dori Avenue
Hours: 9 AM–8:30 PM
Address: 3 Chome-15-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022

- Hanazono Shrine 花園神社
Address: 5 Chome-17-3 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022

- Shinjuku Piccadilly Cinema
Address: 3 Chome-15-15 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022

- Kinokuniya Shinjuku Main Store 紀伊國屋書店新宿本店
English books available
Address: 3 Chome-17-7 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0022

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