75 Best Nightlife in Japan

Okinawa is the birthplace of karate and a place of pilgrimage for black belts from all over the world. During the day they punch, kick, and block under the tutelage of martial arts legends, then in the evening they eat and drink at the Dojo Bar. British ex-pat James Pankiewicz started the Dojo as a place where both locals and foreigners could mingle—it has great food and atmosphere. Try a shot of goya juice. Across the road is the Asato Dojo where you can try karate for the first time, or keep up with your training while visiting Okinawa.

Even before Lost in Translation introduced the Park Hyatt's signature lounge to filmgoers worldwide, New York Bar was a local Tokyo favorite. All the style you would expect of one of the city's top hotels combined with superior views of Shinjuku's skyscrapers and neon-lighted streets make this one of the city's premier nighttime venues. The quality of the jazz and service equals that of the view. With the largest selection of U.S. wines in Japan, drinks are priced as you might expect, and there's a cover charge of ¥2,200 after 8 pm (7 pm on Sunday). Local jazz bands play on Sunday.

This wood-paneled one-room izakaya pub doesn't look like much, but it regularly fills up with expats and locals. Visitors and regulars sit around the communal tables to swap stories and adventures. Watch out for flying bottle caps, though—the staff have a knack for popping open beer bottles with chopsticks.

In this authentic Mexican cantina, your palate will be tempted by a choice of more than 550 kinds of tequilas and mescals—making this the world's largest selection. Most of the varieties here aren't available anywhere else in Japan, so the steep prices may be worth paying. Foods are mostly Mexican appetizers.

Don’t let the name “beer hall” confuse you: this Harmonica Yokocho institution is shoulder-to-shoulder snug, as many of the best yokocho watering holes in Japan are, helping to make it a very convivial place for Belgian beers on tap, as well as sake and spirits. To go with your drinks, try the fish-and-chips. It’s a small portion but done well.

Almost every great gay night out begins at this welcoming street-corner pub with a large red shrine gate, where the patrons spill out onto the street. This is the perfect place to put back a few cocktails, meet new people, and get a feeling for where to go next. The crowd is mixed and very foreigner-friendly.

The emphasis here is nama, unrefined, unpasteurized sake. About 80 kinds from 60 brewing companies are available daily. You may want to sample this unique beverage while in Tokyo, since you won't find it at home: nama is short-lived, too delicate and fresh to transport or export, so it's not widely available overseas. You can accompany your choice with authentic Japanese fare, served here as small bites. Reservations are recommended.

Cheap and cheesy, Arty Farty is a fun club, complete with a ministage and stripper pole. Those with aversions to Kylie Minogue or Madonna need not bother. The crowd is mixed and foreigner-friendly.

Baird Beer, one of Japan’s leading microbrewers, opened this taproom in 2019. In keeping with Kichijoji’s hip vibe, it’s a small venue, but it packs a big punch with a fantastic line-up of Baird’s year-round and limited release beers. Those include the hop-heavy Suruga Bay IPA, rich Kurofune Porter, and refreshing Wheat King Witte. It all goes well with the American soul food on the menu, such as tacos, burritos, and chili nachos.

This tiny, artsy bar adorns its walls with paintings and deer heads, along with its many chandeliers, attracting crowds with its friendliness and affordability. The clientele will likely be an eclectic mix. Luckily its sign will light your way in Golden-Gai's tiny alleys.

This dimly lit basement bar has become a late-night haunt for anime fans. Beer, whisky, and cocktails are on the menu, while anime figurines dot the counter, and anime plays endlessly on the bar’s TV. The owners have several thousand anime DVDs in their collection, so you never know what will be on.

Should a cocktail be on your mind, hit up Bar Six, on the sixth floor of the Amuse Museum, and enjoy the views of the Senso-ji Complex from the outdoor balcony.

Tatsuro Yamazaki opened this cocktail bar in Susukino in the late 1950s and was still serving well into his nineties, before passing a few years ago. In that time, his bar established itself as one of Japan's classics; he became a legend on the drinks scene, winning international awards with concoctions like the sweet, vodka-based Sapporo, one of 200 original cocktails on the menu. The staff keep the traditions going in old-school fashion, with plaid waistcoats, white shirts and ties, and can also mix up standards or suggest a good whiskey. It's closed Sunday, and there's a ¥770 seating charge, as well as 10% service charge.

With everything from rock and J-pop to soul and funk, this three-story joint makes one of the best food-and-live music experiences in Tokyo, all with panoramic views of Roppongi. Patrons love this venue partly because they're so close to performers like George Clinton, Dicky Betts, Neneh Cherry, and Howard Jones; they often end up on the stage dancing and singing or shaking hands. Shows usually kick off at 7 and 9:30 pm on weekdays, 6 and 9 pm on Saturday, and 4:30 and 7:30 pm on Sunday.

Stop here for the smooth, relaxed atmosphere, and sample some of the 10,000 soul records the owner, Takeshi, has on display behind the bar. If you're in the mood to hear Marvin Gaye and the Isley Brothers, this is your place. There's usually a cover of ¥500.

This premier live jazz venue isn't for everyone: prices are high, sets short, and patrons packed in tight, sometimes sharing a table with strangers. But if you want to catch Pat Metheny and Larry Carlton in a relatively small venue, this is the place. Expect to pay upward of ¥11,000 to see major acts, and ¥6,500 to ¥9,000 for most others.

This place feels like you've stepped into a Quentin Tarantino movie. Even the sound track is right: soul and funk LPs are artfully blended one to the other on dual turntables. Tasty pizzas and pastas are served up alongside good cocktails. It's northwest of Tokyu Hands department store.

Buri serves up tasty ji-zake (local sake) from around Japan in the one-cup style; think sake in a mini mason jar, pairing it with a range of tapas-like servings of sashimi, yakitori, salads, and prosciutto, albeit in a standing-room-only setting. They also have beer on tap. Just a five-minute walk from Ebisu Station, this casual bar fills up quickly on weekends, so it's best to stop in early if you want to grab a table.

On Hirokoji-dori, opposite the reverse side of the Nagoya Kanko Hotel, this second-floor bar with friendly, young staff specializes in craft gin and craft beers (in cans and bottles) from around the world. They also cook decent pizzas, and have sports on screens around the bar.

Popular Metro frequently hosts famous DJs from Tokyo and abroad. The range of music played—experimental dance, hip-hop, reggae, disco, salsa, and more—is very broad.

This 100-year-old tenement house, all dark woods and creaking sounds, is one of Koenji’s most unique bars. Part library (you can pick up and read any of the hundreds of books), it also serves cocktails and bar snacks, and even has some cocktails on the menu inspired by literary legends. Although it's only open after 6 on weekdays, it's also open from noon to 3 on weekends.

In these intimate and luxurious surroundings you can listen to not only jazz but also a diverse range of music: soul, R&B, J-pop, and world music. The club has such an excellent sound system that musicians such as Ron Carter record here. Fine French cuisine lures music lovers for special nights out and important business entertaining.

Located in the Ichibangai bar and restaurant district, this cluster of a dozen covered food stalls, each with counters that barely seat six or seven people, is a great place to try Hida-gyu beef, Takayama ramen, yakitori, and other dishes that pair well with Takayama's sake. You'll probably end up chatting with locals too.

This venerable bar claims to be Shinjuku's oldest—established in 1951—and has hosted Yukio Mishima and Akira Kurosawa among many other luminaries. It's also one of several bars that claim to have invented the popular chu-hai cocktail (shochu with juice and soda). The vibrant atmosphere feels more like a pub, and the four floors are almost always packed.

Tokyo's swankiest gay lounge, this neon-lit space would look right at home in New York or Paris.

Close to Exit 5 of the Fushimi subway station, this popular English pub has Guinness on tap, frequent challenges on the dartboards, and live soccer on TV. The food includes traditional fish-and-chips, but most come just for the beer. Happy hour is 6 to 7.

This jazz bar has been popular with locals since the 1970s. Sit at the bar or on the corner sofas and choose from the extensive list of cocktails. Eonta is in a quasi-dilapidated two-story building a few blocks southeast of the castle.

Video monitors at this club show contemporary music hits. On weekends the place is packed with rather quiet and reserved gentlemen, mostly in their thirties and forties, and is also quite popular among foreign residents and visitors—especially before a night out clubbing.

Tucked away in a side street of Azabu Juban, this stylish cocktail bar has just eight counter seats, so it's worth booking ahead if you fancy some of the most innovative tipples in Tokyo. The bartender uses in-season Japanese produce like Okinawan pineapple and ume from Wakayama, along with fine liquor, to produce superb cocktail tasting menus.