Tokyo nightlife does not have to mean packed clubs, loud izakayas or standing shoulder-to-shoulder in Shinjuku. Some of the best chill bars in Tokyo are small cocktail bars, hidden lounges and vinyl listening bars where you can slow down, have a proper drink and actually enjoy the atmosphere. For a relaxed night out, Ebisu and … Read more
Tokyo has no shortage of places to drink, but finding somewhere that feels genuinely interesting can take a little more effort. Beyond the crowded streets of Shibuya and the traditional whisky counters of Ginza, a different bar scene has developed. Former coffee-shop concepts have been reinvented as cocktail destinations, fashionable hotels have opened social lounges, … Read more
Tokyo looks completely different when you’re drinking 40 or 50 floors above it. At street level, the city can feel crowded and relentless. From a terrace high above Toranomon or a bar looking across towards Tokyo Tower, all that movement becomes part of the view. There is one catch: searching for the best rooftop bars … Read more
Tokyo is one of the most interesting cities in the world for exploring wine, although many of its best places look nothing like a traditional European wine bar. A tiny standing counter in Ebisu might have a handful of unusual French wines open by the glass. A bottle shop in Jingumae can introduce you to … Read more
Tokyo can feel overwhelming after dark. Shibuya’s crossings are crowded, Shinjuku’s streets are filled with music and neon signs, and even some of the city’s most famous cocktail bars can become surprisingly busy. But behind discreet doors and down narrow basement staircases, there is another side to Tokyo nightlife. In Ginza, bartenders prepare cocktails with … Read more
Going out alone in Roppongi is much easier than many first-time visitors expect. Roppongi is one of Tokyo’s most international nightlife districts, with everything from sophisticated hotel bars and specialist whisky counters to underground tequila bars, cocktail bars and lively late-night venues. For solo travellers, that variety is particularly useful. You can sit quietly at … Read more
Roppongi and Shinjuku are two of Tokyo’s biggest nightlife districts, but they deliver very different nights out. Roppongi is compact, international and built around bars, restaurants, lounges and late-night clubs. Shinjuku is bigger and more varied, combining Golden Gai’s tiny bars, Omoide Yokocho, the neon streets of Kabukicho, karaoke, izakayas and major clubs. If you … Read more
Ginza is one of the best neighbourhoods in Tokyo for serious cocktails. Behind discreet doors, down basement staircases and several floors above the shopping streets, you’ll find some of Japan’s most respected bartenders working in remarkably small bars. The experience is very different from drinking in Shibuya or Shinjuku. Ginza cocktail bars tend to be … Read more
Asakusa is the Tokyo many first-time visitors imagine before they arrive. There’s the enormous red Kaminarimon gate, incense drifting across Senso-ji, traditional shops along Nakamise and rickshaws weaving through streets that feel very different from Shibuya or Shinjuku. It’s also one of Tokyo’s easiest neighbourhoods to explore. Most of the main sights are close together, … Read more
Shinjuku at night is one of the best places to experience Tokyo after dark. Neon streets, tiny bars, yakitori alleys, panoramic city views, karaoke, arcades and late-night ramen are all packed into a surprisingly walkable part of the city. For a first visit, you don’t need to spend the entire night drinking or jumping between … Read more