Bars & Nightclubs

Hana-kin means "Flower Friday" -- and for Tokyo's rank and file, it is the moment when the mundane tedium of the office world gives way to a "floating world" of carousing and often reckless spending in Tokyo's clubs, pubs and bars. Joining the merry "hana-kinsfolk" is no cheap undertaking. Expect to pay 500-1000 yen per beer or cocktail in a regular bar and be prepared to spend upwards of 10,000 yen for a big night on the town.

Tokyo may be a heaving international city Tokyo, but using your credit card to pay for a night out on the town can present more problems than it's worth. Few establishments other than those located in large hotels will be equipped to process credit card payments. Cash talks, and it is advisable to have a good supply of 1000 yen notes on hand to pay for C.O.D. bar orders and night club door charges. Unlike many big Western cities, it is safe to carry cash on the streets.

Themes and gimmicks abound in the bar world - but caution is advised in seeking them out. Hefty charges apply to certain types of bars, and once you have entered, any excuse about not being able to read katakana will not get you out of paying the bill. Unless you're in the company of a Japanese (or Japanese-speaking) associate, snack bars (snakku) and hostess clubs (kurabu), which charge upwards of 5,000-10,000 yen for up to 90 minutes of drinking in the company of women, are best avoided.

Bar-hopping has remained a very popular activity among Japanese males, though times are changing and the sight of liberated housewives dragging their tipsy sisters-in-arms between bars in Shinjuku on Friday nights is becoming more common. Note that many bars and nightclubs are located in multi-level basements of larger buildings; this is denoted by a "B": e.g., B2 which means it's a very underground affair.

Skyline bars in many of the inner city hotels are a safe bet. The New Otani and the Akasaka Prince are recommended for spectacular sunset views over the city, while the Inter-Continental and Nikko Hotels afford million-yen views of the Rainbow Bridge. Throughout summer (June to August), rooftop beer gardens are all the rage and offer a nomi-hodai (all you can drink) deal with light snacks. Try the Prince Hotel near Tokyo Tower or the Hanezawa Gardens beer garden at 3-12-15 Hiro in Shibuya.

Central Business District

Baden Baden
2-1-8 Yurakucho
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3508 2806
Rated one of the inner city's best beer halls, this frequent haunt of German expats offers reasonably-priced drinking in amiable surroundings. Draft Hofbrauhaus and a good selection of schnapps are available and if you're feeling peckish, the menu has franks, cheese and potatoes for the picking. There is also a special food-and-drink deal for groups of four or more. Near Yurakucho Station.

Brussels
3-16-1 Kanda Ogawa-cho
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3233 4247
Belgian-style bar offers more than 30 Belgian beers served properly in the correct glasses. Belgian food also available. Cash only. Near Jimbocho Station.

Camellia Bar
Tokyo Station Hotel
1-9-1, Marunouchi
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3231-2511
Hours: 4:30-11 p.m. Monday to Friday; 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends
Historical hotel counter bar, circa 1914, is ideal for a relaxed drink with an old pal, that is if you can find a seat as it is often full. Inside JR Tokyo Station.

Old Imperial Bar
Imperial Hotel
1-1-1 Uchisaiwaicho
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3504-1111
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to midnight
This Frank Lloyd Wright-designed art deco bar is the place to impress clients and close friends. Choose from fancy cocktails or settle for a sandwich and beer. Near Hibiya Station.

Robata
1-3-8 Yurakucho
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3591-1905
Hours: 5:30-11 p.m. daily except Sundays
Traditional-style Japanese bar, opened in Taisho era (early 20th century). Delicious Japanese home cooking and original tasty dishes from the chef.

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Roppongi/Akasaka

Acarajé Tropicana
B2F Edge Bldg,
1-1-1 Nishi-Azabu
Minato-ku, Tokyo
The name says it all. A massive and hugely popular Latin-American-style basement bar/restaurant located just off Roppongi-dori, this place draws an especially hot-blooded crowd on weekends (1000 yen cover charge) when it transforms into a dance club. Closed on Mondays. Near Roppongi Station.

Bar Isn't It
3/F MT Bldg.
3-8-18 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
More like Beer Isn't It (and believe it or not, it does sell a beer with that name). Despite its large area and high ceiling, it can get pretty crowded such that beer-vending machines are available for those who can't squeeze their way to the bar. Steamy action on Friday and Saturday nights. Near Roppongi Station.

Bernd's Bar
5-18-1 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 5563-9232
German pub with Bitburger and Erdinger beers available on tap to go with fresh pretzels and wiener shnitzel. Great views of the Roppongi nightlife from the second-floor window.

Billy Barew's Beer Bar Ebisu
3-1-26 Minami-Ebisu
Minato-ku, Tokyo
If you're a beer connoisseur, then you might want to check out this establishment on Komazawa-dori. The menu boasts a selection of 120 beers from around the world, most priced at 1000 yen a bottle. There is also another branch in Takadanobaba, near the Mean Fiddler. Near Ebisu Station.

Birdland
Roppongi Square Bldg.
3-10-3 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3478-3456
Hours: 7 p.m. to midnight daily
Orthodox jazz club has attracted the biggest name in the jazz world since it opened in 1974 including Benny Goodman, Hank Jones and Oscar Peterson. Plus great Chinese-inspired food.

Club 99 Gas Panic
50 Togensha Bldg
3-15-24 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3405-0633
This is perhaps Tokyo's most famous gaijin (foreigner) watering hole. It's open from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. - hence the name - but doesn't get lively until after midnight. Its notorious sister bar, the Gas Panic Miller Bar, is located at the same address and is a favorite haunt for U.S. military personnel. There is a 300 yen-a-drink happy hour from 5-8 p.m., and thereafter customers are encouraged to dance (on the bar!). Roppongi Station.

Déjà Vu
3-15-24 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
If you can't get into the Gas Panic bars due to the heavy crowds, try this place right next door. It's a long-running foreigners' nightspot that really ups the ante on the weekends. Roppongi Station.

Geronimo!
Yamamuro Building
7-14-10 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3478-7449
Hours. 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily
This is another 'in' raucous gaijin bar, heavily frequented by the business community and the body piercing-inclined. Pre-loved bras and ties hang from the ceiling. Billed as "a place to go to kick up, drink up and forget." There's no door charge and they have a happy hour 7-9 p.m., with drinks from 800 yen thereafter.

L Vino
7-7-8 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 5771-2439
This is a friendly Australian wine bar with hundreds of wines readily hoisted from its cellar to the glasses of its cherry-faced patrons. You can order by the glass or the bottle and there is a food menu. But be warned: after 11 p.m. it becomes a cigar bar until 3 a.m. when the last butt goes out.

Lexington Queen
B1 Goto Building
3-13-14 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3475-0672
Hours: 8 p.m. onwards daily
Lots of Western showbiz people, models, and foreigners.

Lovenet
Hotel Ibis
7-14-4 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 5771-5511
Hours: 5 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Creative karaoke bar with various theme rooms ranging from the Moroccan desert to sailing. English songs available.

Paddy Foley's Irish Pub
5-5-1 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3423-2250
One of the original Irish pubs in Tokyo way before it became a pop trend. Traditional décor with Guinness on tap. Very crowded on weekends.

Pasha Club
The Wall Bldg.
4-2-4 Nishi Azabu
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3409-6120
Multiconcept club covering three floors, Pasha incorporates a disco and a executive lounge, with views of the Tokyo Tower. Friday nights feature a dressy club event for fashionable thirtysomethings.

Pints Sports Bar
3/F Second Reine Bldg,
5-3-1 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
This place is an ideal refuge for sports addicts who want to sip a cold pint of Ebisu, Bass, Guinness or Miller draft beer. There are sports magazines, televised American football games on the big-screen as well as a pool table that costs 1000 yen for 30 minutes, foosball at 200 yen a game, and free darts. A pint of beer costs 1000 yen. Roppongi Station.

Tokyo Sports Cafe
7-15-31 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3404-3675
Friendly bar stays true to its name with widescreen TV sets showing live sports matches from British soccer to American football, plus pool table, darts and craps. Guinness is included during the 6-9 p.m. happy hour.

Smash Hits
B1 M2 Hiro Bldg
5-6-26 Hiro
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. daily except Sundays
The Tokyo experience is incomplete without at least one night on the singing end of a karaoke microphone. Deep within the warren of mini-amphitheatres at basement level, you can choose from 10,000 Japanese and 8,000 English songs, order drinks and snacks. 3000 yen cover charge includes unlimited karaoke and one drink. On the 21st of each month, entry is free, the first beer 1000 yen, and 500 yen thereafter. Hiro Station.

Velfarre
7-14-22 Roppongi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3402-8000
Hours: 6 p.m. to midnight
One of the most lavish nightclubs in Tokyo -- not surprising since it cost its owners more than 4 billion yen to build. Features marble staircases and vast dance floors. The entrance charge is high, but this includes food and drinks, which help soften the sting. It's a good idea to get there early as the club packs out around 9 p.m. on weekends. Roppongi Station.

Yellow
1-10-11 Nishi-Azabu
Minato-ku, Tokyo
There's nothing but a blank yellow neon sign to advertise one of Tokyo's trendiest clubs and longest-running nightspots. It's a basement club with a wide range of music, depending on the night you drop by (it's mainly a techno and house music scene on weekends). The cover charge is pricey. Roppongi Station.

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Ginza

Henry Africa
7-2-17 Ginza
Chuo-ku, Tokyo
One of just many Ginza "theme bars", this cocktail lounge-cum-taxidermist showroom follows an African safari theme. Moose and buffalo heads poke out of the indoor palms and its huge range of cocktails are a big draw for those with a sweet tooth. Bar snacks are also available. Ginza Station.

Jazz Club Ginza Swing
2/F Ginza Inz
2-2 Ginza Nishi
Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3563-3757
Hours: Show times at 6:45 p.m., 8:15 p.m., 9:45 p.m. Closed on Sundays and holidays.
Classy jazz club where famous musicians play. Wide range of styles and age groups in the audience. Membership mandatory. Best to get there 30 minutes before curtain time. Reservation not required but recommended.

Kento's
6/F Takiyama-cho Bldg.
6-7-12 Ginza
Chuo-ku,Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3572-9161
Hours: 6 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., last order at 1:15 a.m. daily, up to midnight on Sundays and holidays This is an oldies spot, where American pop tunes from the 1950s and '60s are played. Small dance floor. Meals are available. Reservation not required but recommended.

M. Carlo
B2 Mouri Bldg.
7-5-4 Ginza
Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3571-5671
Hours: 5 p.m. onwards daily except Sundays and holidays
Fun disco in Ginza. Popular with office ladies and businessmen. They play the oldies on Wednesdays. Reservation required.

NB Club
8-5-6 Ginza
Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3571-7636
Hours: 5 p.m. to midnight except Sunday
American-style beer hall with Miller as the beer of choice. Elegant décor and plush seats plus nightly band performances and in-house DJs. If that's not enough, check out the beautiful waitresses.

Pilsen
1/F Kojunsha Bldg.
6-8-7 Ginza
Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3571-3443
Hours: noon to 10 p.m. daily, up to 9 p.m. on Sundays and holidays German-style beer restaurant, but classy.

Shibuya

Bar Aoyama
Daikyo Bldg
4-5-9 Shibuya
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Around midnight is a good time to visit this lively city-chic bar next to Roppongi-dori. Drinks cost around 700 yen, and on Saturday nights there's a heavy techno-jungle music theme. Near Shibuya Station.

Blue
6-2-9 Minami-aoyama
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Multi-level 1960s acid-jazz lounge with dance floor. Popular with young professionals and full-time Tokyo hipsters looking for a mellow night on the town. Reasonable cover charge which includes one drink. Look for the blue neon-lit doorway on Kotto-dori, near Omotesando Station.

Blue Note Tokyo
5-13-3 Minami-aoyama
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3407-5781
Hours: 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.; show starts at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.. From 5 p.m. to 1 p.m. on public holidays; show starts at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Closed on Sundays.
Top jazz club in Tokyo. All the world-class jazz artists perform there. Music charge starts at 7000 yen per person. Reservation required, sometimes two to three months in advance for the really top acts.

Fellow
Hayakawa Building
1-6-10 Dogenzaka
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 5458-2010
Hours: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily except Sunday
One of Shibuya's best-kept secrets, according to full-time Tokyo bar-hoppers. This place is cozy, ethnic, big on dreadlocks and uses a large chunk of triangular stainless steel for its bar. There's a 300 yen table charge which includes otsumami (snacks).

Great Appetizers
1-25-1 Ebis Minami
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 5724-6105
Hours: 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Thursday; up to 4 a.m. on Saturday; up to 11 p.m. on Sunday One of the best tapas bar in Tokyo also offers Caribbean-style appetizers, but either way they go really well with red wine and cigars. Near JR Ebisu Station.

Hub
B1 Poan Shibuya Bldg.
3-10 Udagawa-cho
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3496-0765
If you're looking for the best happy hour promotions in Tokyo, look no further. This British pub offers cocktails at less than 200 yen daily from 5-7 p.m. As a bonus, there's a foosball table.

Oh! God
6-7-18 Jingumae
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3406-3206
This is very much a Western-style bar with classic movies screened nightly for extra ambience. It's located in the basement of the same complex as the popular La Boheme and Zest restaurants. Drinks cost around 700 yen and there are two pool tables. It stays open until around 6 a.m. Meiji-jingu-mae Station.

Pylon
4-5/F Dr Jeekan's Bldg
4-6 Maruyama-cho
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Open on Friday and Saturday nights, this happening club never fails to woo a glamorous crowd. DJs spin a wide mix of music including jazz, funk, hip-hop and British pop. The door charge usually includes two drinks. Shibuya Station.

Radio Bar
2-31-7 Jingumae
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3405-5490
Expensive Harajuku bar offers a classy selection of Scotch whiskeys.

Uluru
3-22-6 Jingumae
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3403-0125
Trendy Harajuku wine and cigar bar with a wine menu that runs almost 40 pages and a one-page cigar list.

What the Dickens
1-13-3 Ebisu-nishi
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3780-2099
Very popular British pub that uses illustrated Dickens as a decorative motif. Live music nightly.

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Shinjuku

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The Dubliners
2/F Shinjuku Lion Hall
3-28-9 Shinjuku
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
The Irish theme prevails in all its fake mahogany and brass glory here. There is a good range of pub food including fish and chips, Irish stew and several other dishes, which also make it a ideal place for a late lunch. Old favorites of Guinness and Kilkenny bitter are on tap. Shinjuku Station.

Footnik
B1 Marujo Building
3-12-8 Takadanobaba
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 5330-5301
For the soccer fanatic. This typical British pub has a giant TV showing live football matches on weekend nights, with sports highlights during the rest of the week.

Kokucho no Mizuumi (or Black Swan Lake)
B2 Alao Building
2-25-2 Kabukicho
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3205-0128
Hours: 6 p.m. onwards daily except Sundays
Features a high-quality transvestite floorshow, and dancing. Reservation required.

Liquid Room
Shinjuku Humax Pavilion
B1-20-1 Kabukicho
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3200-6831
Live gig joint features rock, pop, punk, drum and bass and happening parties.

Pub Elvis
2/F Tack Eleven Bldg.
2-19-7 Takadanobaba
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Feel like being Elvis for a night? For 200 yen you can at Tokyo's only Elvis karaoke bar. You will find it directly opposite the JR exit, virtually under the tracks. On Tuesdays, there's a house band (300 yen extra). The standard cover charge is 800 yen with a 20% service charge after midnight. Closed on Sunday. Takadanobaba Station.

Rolling Stone
B1 Ebichu Bldg.
3-2-7 Shinjuku
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3354-7347
Hours: 6 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. daily, from 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
Well-established rock 'n' roll bar - what else could it be? - with music ranging from classic rock to punk, heavy metal and grunge. Don't even bother attempting conversation. Near Shinjuku-Sanchome Station.

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Other Locations

The Barge Inn
538 Omotesando
Hamazaki-cho
Narita-shi, Chiba
Tel: +81-476 23-2546
Hours: 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Traditional British pub serves hearty fare like roast beef, shepherd's pie and ploughman's lunch, plus a wide selection of imported beers. Live bands rock the house on weekends. But more importantly, a lot of the flight crews and some lonely singles stuck in Narita for the night hang out here. Near JR Narita Station

Chishima Chichibu
2-22-3 Shimbashi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3431-5037
Hours: 5-11 p.m., last order at 10:30 p.m. Closed on Sundays and holidays.
Specializes in game (e.g. deer, horse, wild boar); serves wild boar stew from September to April. Their Chichibu sake is recommended. Reservation required for private rooms or large parties.

Double Decker Bus
1-7-1 Nishi-Shinbashi
Minato-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3597-0242
How's this for novelty. A converted No. 10 London double-decker bus is as a coffee shop during the day and a bar by night. Ignore the no-smoking sign - this is Tokyo after all.

Endorphine
1-31-9 Jiyugaoka
Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 5701-1510
Hours: 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. daily except Sundays
A '70s rock cave best describes this place. Heavy wood chairs, dripping candelabras and Led Zepplin posters are the standard decor. Vodka is the house beverage. There is a 500 yen music charge and drinks cost 600-1000 yen.

O'Carolan's
2-15-22 Jiyugaoka
Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3723-5533
Irish pub with Guinness and Kilkenny beers on tap. If you don't like the bar, get a table at the relaxing greenhouse area.

The Tavern
2/F Sunwood Meguro
1-3-28 Shimomeguro
Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 3779-0280
Hours: noon to 1 a.m.
Traditional British pub serves what is probably the best fish and chips in Tokyo. Apart from a wide range of draft and bottled beers, cocktails and spirits, The Tavern has a comprehensive pub grub menu. Sunday afternoon features an eat-all-you-can affair with roast beef, lamb and pork and Yorkshire pudding.

T.Y. Harbour Brewing Co.
2-1-3 Higashi Shinagawa
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Tel: +81-3 5479-4555
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., 5:30-10:30 p.m.
More than just a brew pub with a fantastic selection of ales brewed on-premise, this inventive waterside restaurant also serves California cuisine and sunset barbecue. Terrace seating available except in winter.

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Nightclubs
As with most anything, the Japanese can be quite extreme, be it at work or at play. And it doesn't take long for a visiting businessman to discover the pleasure offered in Tokyo. Just glance at the pay-TV guide in your room and check out the numerous adult channels available on the system (these are, however, censored, with certain body parts blurred out).

The center of Japanese vices is the Kabuki-cho area in Shinjuku East, which has everything from adult movie houses to sex clubs. While there are hardly any English signs, establishments display sexy photos of women that leave little room for doubt as to what their business really is. While you may feel a bit lost, chances are a tout will approach you and ask if you would want to avail of massage services.

A majority of these establishments do not allow foreigners. If you are barred from entering a Japanese-only club, do not insist and avoid making any trouble as most of these are run by the Yakuza or the Japanese mafia.

Some of these establishments (including so-called "fashion health clubs" and some massage parlors) do not offer "full" services although you will most likely be informed about that beforehand.

Given the Japanese obsession with cleanliness, the most popular of these clubs are tagged "soaplands" in which you are first given a Tokyo-style bath. If you have an exhibitionist streak, then you shouldn't have a problem with "pink salons," where the deed occurs right in your box seat.

Strip clubs are common and most employ entertainers of various nationalities, with little rooms upstairs for those who are interested. However, Japanese prefer going to a "love hotel" which are designed purely for sex.

Telephone numbers for escort services can be found in most tourist guides, special-interest magazines and even flyers. Freelance hookers operate in hotels lobbies, high-profile bars and on the streets of Kabuki-cho and nearby Shin-Okubo. Gaijin (foreigner) bars in Roppongi are also frequented by women, including non-Japanese, who are looking for a Caucasian boyfriend. Just hang out in the bar and it won't take long before a woman starts talking to you.

Do remember that this is Tokyo, where the price of melons (and we do mean the fruit) is around US$100. So you can imagine how much the real thing will cost you.

The Japanese are also quite disturbed at the alarming rate of increase in teen prostitution (or enjo kosai). Unlike in other countries where widespread poverty has forced young girls into the sex trade, Japanese teenagers merely seek money to buy expensive clothes and other high-lifestyle products and services.