カテゴリー: Nightlife

1. Tokyo Pub Crawl – Roppongi

Tokyo’s Best Pub Crawl. Visit three to four different bars or clubs, and get to meet the locals. They have events every weekend – expect drinking, shots, and more drinking (with a bit of dancing thrown in for good measure). Aiming for a safe and fun night, the organisers also make sure to change it up each time, so even if you go twice it’ll be a different experience!

Access : Tokyo, Minato City, Roppongi, 3 Chome−14, 2F
Day : Every Friday and Saturday
Time: Starting 1st location 7:00-8:10
HP: http://www.tokyopubcrawl.com/

2. English Standup Comedy Show by Japanese Comedian – Asakusa

English Standup Comedy Show “My Japanese Perspective”. Because who doesn’t want to spend their time in Tokyo listening to jokes in English? Just kidding – all the jokes are about life in Japan, from the point of view of a Japanese comedian. Hilarious anecdotes and one-liners will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about Japanese culture. This is definitely a unique, memorable take on Japan.

Place：Asakusa smile bar 8minutes from Asakusa Station
Access : 2-20-10 Higashi-Komagata, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
Day : Every Monday and Thursday
HP: https://funnyjapanproject.com/tokyo-nightlife-standupcomedy/

3. Golden Gai – Shinjuku

This is now a famous Shinjuku location to go drinking, with the narrow streets and many small bars creating a warm, old-fashioned feeling. Many of the bars only fit a few patrons, and there are some unique ones mixed in with all the others. Why not get a drink at Tachibana Clinic, a medical-themed bar? A few of the stores say ‘regulars only’, so avoid those ones and you’re good. Wherever you end up, you’ll be sure to get more than enough photographs for Instagram.

Place：Golden Gai
Access : 1-1-6, Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Day : Everynight 7:00pm – 5:00am
HP: https://tokyocheapo.com/food-and-drink/quick-guide-golden-gai/

4. Kentos – Ginza

One of the largest live music bars in Tokyo, they seat over 200, and play mostly 70s and 80s pop music. Their house band is Bless of K, and you can check them out on YouTube here. Japan loves old pop music, as you’ll realize if you go to any bar with open karaoke, so just sit back and enjoy the nostalgia as you have a great evening out!

Place：Ginza Kentos
Access : Nitta building 9F 8-2-1 Ginza Chuo-ku Tokyo
Day : Everynight 8:00pm – 2:30am Sunday 8:00pm – 11:30pm
HP: http://kentos-tokyo.jp/ginza/

5. Tokyo International Party

Organising many international parties in Tokyo, this is the party to go to if you want to meet a cute Japanese girl (or guy) who can speak English. Most Japanese people will speak some English, or at least be studying it, so you’ll have a higher chance of being understood – and can get some help ordering that unique cocktail if necessary. You can find them through Meetup, with all information in English and Japanese, to make it easier.

Meet up Group：Tokyo International Party
HP: https://www.meetup.com/%E5%9B%BD%E9%9A%9B%E4%BA%A4%E6%B5%81%E3%83%91%E3%83%BC%E3%83%86%E3%82%A3%E3%83%BC/

6. Tokyo Waterway Night Paddling

Want to get an entirely different perspective on Tokyo? Or just not really into the drinking scene? Here you can kayaking down Tokyo’s canals in the evening! It’s pretty safe, the water’s calm, and you’re highly unlikely to crash into another boat (but they give you a life jacket just in case). Bring a camera and you can get a photo of the Skytree from a unique angle, too.

Meeting Place : Higashi-Oojima station (S16) of Toei Shinjuku Line
Day : 3-4times a week
HP: https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/107865

7. Omoide Yokocho – Shinjuku

This tiny alley is smaller than you’re expecting, but packs a lot in. Literally translating to Memory Lane, it’s affectionate nickname of Piss Alley probably gives you a better idea of what you’re in for. The shops are crammed close, with only thin walls dividing them, here’s where to go to get a feel for old Shinjuku. This was originally a black market area, and still has many yakitori chicken skewer restaurants. Not too much English support in some of the stores, but if you’re lucky the other clientele will help you out.

Place：Shibjuku
Access : 1 Chome-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0023
HP: http://www.shinjuku-omoide.com/english/index.html

8. Karaoke Bar Champion – Shinjuku

With affordable alcohol and karaoke, what more could you ask for? If you want to try singing but don’t really want to get a private room (and miss out on making new friends), this is your best option! They have plenty of English support, friendly patrons, and singing support too. All you need to hang out until the sun comes up.

Place：Shibjuku sanchome
Access : Address：1-1-10, Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Open : Every night 6:00pm – 4:00am
HP: https://media.magical-trip.com/one-coin-bar-champion-ef-bd-9cshinjuku-san-chome–e3-80-80the-best-selection-karioke-shinjuku/

9. Baseball game – Tokyo Dome

One of Japan’s most popular sports is baseball – and where else to see it than the famous Tokyo Dome. Japanese sports fans have made the news a lot recently for their politeness and warm support of the players. By all accounts, watching sports in Japan is an entirely new experience, and highly popular amongst international sports fans.

Place：Tokyo Dome
Access :
Suidobashi Station: JR Chuo · Sobu Line/Subway Mita Line
Korakuen Station: Subway Marunouchi Line/Namboku Line
Kasuga Station: Subway Oedo Line
HP : https://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/en/tourists/dome/

10. Hub – British Pub

We all know the Hub. Really, every foreigner in Japan knows the Hub. If you aren’t sure of the area you’re in or where to go next – or it suddenly starts raining – here’s where to go and regroup. There’s always a high ratio of foreigners here, which is great for when you want advice on where to go. Most of the Japanese clientele will be drinking at the Hub in order to meet foreigners. Perfect! Meet some new people, and hopefully they’ll show you around the town afterwards.

HP : https://www.pub-hub.com/index.php/en

If you decided to challenge your socializing skills and step into the Hub (congrats for not being intimidated by “The Hub Experience”), you may want to undergo some mind training first.
Here’s a heads up to hopefully help you navigate the local fauna of the bar – or, worst case scenario (or best?), dissuade you from going. 

The local group of Foreigners:
Usually composed of at least 4 members, most of them are native English speakers, they meet there after work (99% are English teachers) and talk about…nothing, because they are there every day and have run out of topics. They just sit there, at their usual table – which, by the way, is reserved through an implicit rule, since they have become acquaintances with the staff. You can recognize this by the presence of one or two ‘tower cocktails’, of course purchased with a gold membership card (I’m still trying to figure out what the requirements are, probably a kidney). They are not interested in meeting new people; On the contrary, they will look at you from afar and wonder why are you there. 

Friendliness: 1 out of 5
How to approach: You have to be introduced to them by a friend in common or one of the Japanese regulars. It helps to have The Hub Membership Card. 

Japanese regulars:
Consists of a suprisingly wide range, from young people that use the place to meet up with local friends around twice a week, to the salary man that doesn’t want to go home to his family. This probably includes most Japanese people, which is why the Hub is always so crowded. Although they may look like they want to be left alone, they are just too shy to start talking to you. When they had enough drinks they’ll gather the courage to mumble a barely-audible “wea-ufo”, and after the 3^rd time you’ll realise that they are trying to ask you where are you from. Feel free to be the one who starts the conversation, but be sure to speak slowly and use a lot of gestures – because even if you speak Japanese, their brains will tell them you’re speaking English and they won’t understand what you are saying. Still, pretty friendly people and a crucial pawn to get to know the local foreigners. 

Friendliness: 2.5 out of 5 
How to approach: Offering a “kampai” (“cheers”) and touching your glass to theirs should do it. Sometimes they bring a colleague from work who is super excited to be in a new environment, that’s the easiest target!

The noisy visitors: 
They have been to Japan for 1 week and they are having the time of their life with the temples and the crazy Shinjuku lights, but they don’t really speak Japanese – and that’s probably why they are having the best time of their lives. They are there to make the most out of their trip and interact with the locals, but once they realize people in Japan only speak 2 languages (Japanese and a compex code of bows) and that their plan of meeting authentic Japanese people at a British pub is destroyed, they’ll turn their attentions to other non-Japanese people who look like they can speak English. Together you can all wait for the Gaijin Hunters while being over excited about Japanese toilets and convenience stores, as that’s what appeals to them anyway. 

Friendliness: 4 out of 5
How to approach: Nothing more than a “Hey man!” is needed. 

The Gaijin Hunters: 

Here they are, the easiest people to interact with. They do not care about your Japanese level or why you are even there. They just want to practice their English – not that they know any grammar to put into practice, but there is a widespread idea that just by standing next to you they will acquire English skills through osmosis. Oh, and by the way, it doesn’t matter if you are not a native speaker or don’t even speak English, you are still a foreigner and that will do. It’s in your DNA. However, it obviously isn’t in theirs, as the conversation will take 30 minutes just to get past the “my name is…” point. That doesn’t matter though, as long as they can get a picture with you to show their friends the next day.  

Friendliness: 6 out of 5
How to approach: They will be the ones approaching you, generally with a high five or offering a free hug.

The waiters:
We must not forget the natural inhabitants of the burrow: the staff. They speak English to some extent and are used to new people, so if they are not super busy with the noisy visitors, they may be able to exchange some words with you. Don’t confuse their politeness with genuine interest though, they have seen thousands of people like you and don’t want to get too attached (they know you will leave eventually). Which can also be an extra positive point if you are looking for a one-night stand. Make sure you won’t be going back to hub anytime soon though (be careful though – sometimes they go work at different branches if understaffed, and if any group of foreigners is out on the town at one point someone will suggest The Hub), or else don’t mind if someone spits in your drink. 

Friendliness: 3 out of 5
How to approach: Ask for their recommended drink (be aware, it will be the fastest to make) and wait for them until their shift is over, while trying not to look like a stalker or get too wasted in the meantime.  

If you are lucky, aside from the categories mentioned above, you may also find the rare Hub Unicorn – someone ready to have a casual talk in either English or Japanese and share their ideas and experiences in Japan, without showing off about it, but that goes far beyond the standard Japanese Hub Experience.