Introduction
This guide will be regarding night life in Japan, but more specifically Tokyo. It is for sure not a must to drink alcohol to enjoy the night life. That being said, the drinking culture in Japan is quite big, and being part of that can be quite fun at times. I would summarize the night life as izakayas, bars (of various kinds), clubs and of course karaoke. Drinking in Japan is cheaper compared to Sweden and the US (I assume). The beer usually ranges between 250 to 800 yen (2-6 USD), while drinks might go for a little bit more. Eating out is also considerably cheaper. My usual night out consist of starting at an izakaya to eat out while taking a beer or three, heading out in Shibuya to a Family Mart (convienece store) to buy a quick drink, chat with people outside if they are open to a conversation, head to a bar, then continue the night at a club or going to a karaoke. That or catching the last train, which is a very important concept to understand before going out in Tokyo (or the major cities in Japan).
The last train
What is it and what to do in the case that you miss it.
Where
Most of the time, I will head out in Shibuya, occasionally Shinjuku as well. There are other places, but if you want to be in the more lively parts of the night, they are the locations I recommend. They are also the locations where the majority of the tourists or foreigners will hang around in, which can be good and bad. Good because it can be easier to chat and hang around with foreigners that speak English, but bad because you will miss the Japanese side of the night life, that can be quite difficult to experience because most people won’t speak a lot of English. Still, the big majority of my nights have been spent in Shibuya, and I don’t regret it.
Shibuya
There are so many places to go to in Shibuya, mostly because I have been there so many times and because I know the place much better than the other locations. Therefore this section will be longer than the other. We have to divide them into the groups that I mentioned previously.
Restaurants / Izakayas
You could maybe categorize restaurants and izakayas into a few groups, but generally you will have the more traditional restaurant where you can take a short break and chill while eating. Then you have the Izakayas where it is much more hectic, but more lively. People go to Izakayas for food but an equal part for drinking. These usually are more traditional super small restaurant/bars where you are face-to-face with the owner, or a more bigger one where the establishment is quite large but at the same time quite crammed. Then you also have the more fast-food kind of place where you dine and dash. Be respectful if you happen to go into one of those kind of restaurants and don’t stay too long. It might be difficult to know if you stumble upon that kind of restaurant. I would recommend to simply be a little bit mindful of the surrounding guests and see if they seem to leave right after finishing their dish. I think you will feel the vibe.
Recommended locations: I would for sure recommend Torikizoku. It has a bright yellow sign with black Japanese characters on it. Check on Google Maps. It is like a McDonalds Izakaya, they are everywhere. But don’t be discouraged that I called it a McDonalds. It’s a yakitori (grilled chicken) chain restaurant that has quite cheap food and drinks, everything on the menu is 350 yen.