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As one of the safest places in Japan and even the world, Tokyo is a great city to enjoy both day and night. Whether you have just a few days or several weeks to explore Japan’s capital, the nightlife is undoubtedly going to be part of your plans. You want the best restaurants, bars, shopping, and entertainment you can find.
What can you see and do in Tokyo at night? You have nearly countless options for nighttime excitement in Tokyo, such as:
- Visiting a coin bar
- Seeing a shrine, temple, or flower garden all lit up
- Sampling the endless restaurants and other eateries
- Popping into a themed bar
- Partaking in a summertime barbeque party
- Revving up for a go-kart ride
- Attending a live sports event
- Playing video games at a café or arcade
- Riding a roller coaster at a theme park
Has the above list whet your appetite and got you itching to try all the nighttime offerings in Tokyo? In this article, I’ll give you even more activities to do, including specific addresses and places to put on your itinerary. Let’s get started!
Food/Drink
1. Enjoy Cheap Drinking at the Coins Bar 300
If you’re wondering why the Coins Bar 300 is touted as being such an affordable option, it’s because drinks there cost just ¥300. That’s the equivalent of $2.73 United States dollars. Trust me when I say you won’t find another deal like that around.
You do need a voucher to begin an evening of drinking, but once you have it, you’re ready for a fun time ahead. Many US tourists will gravitate towards the Coins Bar 300, so you’ll be far from alone if you’re missing home. Most of the staff there speak English as well, making this a great stop if you’re still adjusting to the language.
By the way, did I mention the cheap beer? If you think American beer is expensive, wait until you go to Japan. You’ll want to do all your drinking at a place like the Coins Bar 300.
2. Experience a Different Side of the Tracks with Gado Shita
The railway tracks that crisscross through Tokyo are impressive. If you’re traveling through the city, you’ll rely on those rail lines often. Have you ever seen what’s underneath them, though? Probably not since you’re always bustling from one place to another.
As you venture out into Tokyo at night, give those railway tracks a second glance. There’s plenty of restaurants and bars to behold underneath them. These are known as Gado Shita establishments. In Japanese, Gado Shita translates to “under the girders.” Despite being off the beaten path (literally), some of the bars here have a rich history, having been around for more than 50 years.
Try strolling the Yamanote Line, particularly from Shimbashi to Yurakucho. There, you should be able to spot clumps of bars and restaurants in a seemingly endless row. Do keep in mind that sometimes the trains passing will cause some vibrations if you’re inside a bar or restaurant. Also, since these establishments are so small, they can get a little humid, especially in the summer. Plan accordingly.
3. Check Out the Vowz Bar
While sure, there’s the nearby Geronimo Shot Bar that feels a little more American (it boasts a Wild West theme, after all), you’re in Japan, so you might be craving an experience that’s truly authentic. The Vowz Bar is pretty much as authentic as it gets.
You won’t just be drinking in this Shinjuku establishment. You could be the one behind the bar, being instructed on how to make drinks with Buddhist Monks! Even if you’re on the other side of the bar the whole night, hearing the Buddhist verses and seeing the unique dress of these Monks makes the Vowz Bar a must-visit.
Then there are the drinks. The Vowz Bar specializes in shaved cocktails, calling itself an original in this area. One beverage on the bar’s menu is named the Lust of Hell. It’s a deep ruby red concoction that’s just begging you to try it. You should also see the Paradise Gokuraku-Jodo, as it lives up to its name with its rainbow colors.
4. Go to Hibiya Oktoberfest
If you happen to be visiting Tokyo in July, then you should not miss Hibiya Oktoberfest. It’s a captivating fusion of German and Japanese traditions and cultures. Plus, it’s a great chance to take in the Gothic flavor of Hibiya Park, which has been around since 1903.
It turns out Hibiya Park has German roots as well. Several years after the park opened, in 1910, a house was erected with German style design. That background makes it the perfect home to host Hibiya Oktoberfest.
All the beer, food, and atmosphere you’re used to at Oktoberfests on your home turf will be here, and then some. Yes, that includes the larger-than-life beer steins and the equally sizable soft pretzels. The Hibiya Oktoberfest lasts for 10 days, so there’s plenty of time to eat, drink, and be merry, even if you do it several days in a row. I won’t tell.
5. Lose Hours Immersing Yourself at the 8 Bit Café
Japan certainly has its fair share of themed cafés, but in the evening hours, the 8 Bit Café is a nice refuge from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo’s city streets. If you want to do more than sip and play video games, you can also get some small bites to eat.
If you want to see what it’s like, take a quick look at this video.
The weekday hours are a little limited, as you can only hang around until midnight. On Fridays, the 8 Bit Café is open until 5 a.m., and on Saturdays, the fun stops at 1:30 in the morning. It is a little tough to find, as you’ll have to get there on foot from the Shinjukugyeon-Mae Station, walking for about seven minutes. Then, head to the bar nearby and go up to the fifth floor. You should see signage pointing you in the right direction.
The quarters are a little close inside, but if you’re looking to make some pals for the evening, huddling up and playing Mario or other gaming classics is as good a way as any to do so.
6. Go to a Tokyo Barbeque Party
If you can brave the heat and the rains of Tokyo in the summertime, then treat yourself to a more familiar treat: barbeque! Futako Shinchi and other riverside parks are the homes of these events. While it’s hard to tell who will host a barbeque party, you can typically find one by the huge throngs of people these gatherings attract.
The time of day doesn’t seem to influence when the barbeques happen, nor does the weather. Even if it’s raining or the middle of a weekday afternoon, someone somewhere will want to party it up with some barbeque food. Yes, the parties go on at night, too.
There are fewer better ways to enjoy the summer and immerse yourself in the wonders of Tokyo than to partake in one of these parties. If you’re lucky, a known DJ might even spin some tunes to get everyone in a fun mood. Good music and good food? It hardly gets better.
7. Get Dazzled at Magic Bar Tejinaya
Magic Bar Tejinaya isn’t called that for no reason. This bar is one of the only places where you can see a magic show while sipping on a wide array of drinks. It may be another themed bar, but it stands out due to the nature of the entertainment.
If you’re near Seibu-Shinjuku Station, then Magic Bar Tejinaya is only a short five-minute trip by foot. The bar is open late into the night, like very late; it doesn’t close until 5 a.m. It’s a great option for those who want some middle-of-the night drinking and fun.
You don’t have to young to appreciate the mysticism of a magic show, just young at heart. As you get bewitched and stupefied, you’ll find that the Magic Bar Tejinaya is just one more reason of many to love Tokyo.
Architecture/Nature
8. Stroll Through Ashikaga Flower Park in the Moonlight
With a history that stretches way back to 1870, Ashikaga Flower Park is hard to miss due to its countless wisteria blooms. In Japan, the flower is known as fuji. If you want to see every fuji color available, you can at the park. Here, yellow, purple, and pink flowers grow in beautiful vividness.
There are eight other flower gardens to behold on the grounds, so plenty more blooms are well-represented as well. While you’d of course want to plan your trip to Ashikaga Flower Park in the spring or summer to see the full breadth of the flowers, if you’re in Tokyo in the winter, feel free to come by as well. There are winter light shows that will make your visit worthwhile and get you in the mood for the holidays to boot.
For those reasons and many more, you should certainly make it a point to come to Ashikaga Flower Park on at least one of your nights in Tokyo. By moonlight, the tall structures that house the hanging wisteria are illuminated by glowing lights that mingle with the flowers. It’s a magical, romantic experience you have to see to believe.
9. Take a Few Minutes to Appreciate the Huge Gundam Statue
If you’re near the Tokyo Teleport Station, you only have to walk about six minutes to get to the Gundam Statue. Trust me when I say you can’t miss it if you’re in the vicinity. The thing is 64.6 feet high. You don’t even have to be a fan of Gundams or anime to appreciate this oversized slice of Japanese culture.
The RX-78-2 Gundam was the original installation, but as of 2017, a Unicorn Gundam was added. It’s 5.5 feet higher, making the whole sight even more magnificent. Not only that, but it has a bonus Destroyer mode and will transform off and on daily. Since the area housing the statue is open 24/7, you can take in the magnificence of it anytime. I recommend doing so at night. Not only will there probably be less of a crowd (hopefully!), but the lights that surround the Gundam statue make it look even more awesome.
Make sure you snap a selfie or several to make all your friends back home jealous. Just don’t expect to fit the whole Gundam in the picture unless you’re standing several feet away from it.
10. Ascend the Skytree Observation Deck
There are tons of observation decks scattered throughout Japan, but if you’re limited on time and want the best of the best, that can only be the Skytree. It’s 2,080 feet high, making it the tallest tower in the world. Like the Gundam statue, it’s very hard to miss it. It’s even more pervasive than the giant robot figure. It’s only on overcast days that the Skytree becomes enshrouded and hard to detect.
As soon as you walk into the observation building, you’re greeted with a floor covered in glass. Continuing up, your view of Tokyo will be more and more awe-inspiring. There are hardly words to describe the view if you can make it to the very top. No matter how many spectacular sights there are in Tokyo, the Skytree is unmatchable.
If you’re by Sensoji Temple, you’ll have to hoof it 25 minutes on foot to get to the Skytree. Even from Asakusa Station, you’d have to walk 20 minutes. While it’s not necessarily the easiest structure to get to, you’ll want to put it on your must-see list regardless. Just be ready to do some more walking since the Skytree is such a behemoth of a building.
Still not sure if Tokyo Skytree is for you? Then you really should read Is Tokyo Skytree Worth it? Original photos and a few pro tips.
11. Get a Dose of Culture at the Sensoji Temple
Speaking of the Sensoji Temple, I’d recommend you spend some time there if you’re near the Skytree. It’s worth seeing, and nighttime might be one of the only chances you get to do so. Most days, the Sensoji Temple is mobbed, but the crowd thins out once the sun goes down.
It’s one of the oldest pieces of architecture in Tokyo. Depending on which time of year (or day) you’re there, you can participate in all sorts of interesting events. On New Year’s Day, there’s the customary Hatsmuode trip to the shrine. This is considered a must to ensure a good year ahead. You can also receive your omikuji fortune, venture to the purification fountain, or join in on an incense ritual.
On Nakamise Dori, a nearby street, you’ll find plenty of delicious street food and souvenir shops, nearly 90 in all. It’s impossible to explore them all in one evening, but you can certainly try! Another landmark of note are the giant owaraji or woven sandals at the Thunder Gate. These are kept at the temple as a tribute to its Nio protectors. If all those reasons haven’t convinced you to go, then know that the Sensoji Temple just looks nicer at night when all the lights come on. Now aren’t you convinced?
12. Attend a Hanami Party
Few flowers are more beloved in Japan than sakura or cherry blossoms. These tall trees have large, stretching branches laced with seemingly millions of the pink flowers. To see as much sakura as you could ever wish for, make sure you go to a Hanami party. In Japanese, this means a “flower viewing.”
You’ll often have to be in Tokyo during the springtime for such an event, since this is when the sakura trees are in full bloom. Make sure you get to the party grounds as early as possible if you want a good spot. It’s not uncommon for people to arrive way ahead of time to claim their place, up to 12 hours early. Once you do settle in, you can mark your area with a blue mat. Make sure you take your shoes off as a sign of respect before you sit on the mat.
Besides just the flowers, sometimes there are live DJs at Hanami parties. Picnic food and alcohol are also common sights, but you’ll probably have to bring your own (unless someone is feeling generous!). If there’s no DJs around, expect live music or some other impromptu entertainment to make the party livelier.
Other Great Options
13. Cruise the Waters in a River Boat (Yakatabune)
While sure, you could always go on a boat ride around Tokyo during the day, Yakatabune only cruise the water at night. These river boats have a rich history. In the early days of Japan, specifically the Heian Period, aristocrats would ride Yakatabune to attend parties where they’d watch the moon. That’s why Yakatabune are known to travel at night.
You’ll be plenty comfy in one of these boats. Tatami floors and appealing interiors decorate the vessel, and some fancier ones even do dinner cruises. There’s also Nomihoudai offered, which is all-you-can-drink booze. Maybe don’t do this if you’re the type who gets seasick.
If you ride in a Yakatabune, it’ll typically be to Tokyo Bay and back.
14. Try a New Reality at a VR Park
Virtual reality is all the rage these days, and that’s true in Japan as well. Tokyo is home to the VR Park at the Adores Arcade. If you’re by the Shibuya Station, you only have to walk about seven minutes to get there, which isn’t bad.
Like the VR entertainment you’d find in America, at VR Park, you strap on a headset and partake in a variety of different games, puzzles, and digital adventures. These are all themed. In Circle of Saviors, you might hold items to make the game feel more realistic. That’s certainly true in Jungle Bungee VR, where you strap on bungeeing gear even though your feet never truly leave the ground.
The VR Park is open until nearly midnight every evening. If you’re tired but still want to enjoy some entertainment around Tokyo, this is a fun way to spend a night in the city.
15. Sing Your Heart out at a Karaoke Bar
With house parties sparse and Rock Band or Guitar Hero not always handy, the main way Japanese residents will sing is at karaoke bars. These are not the average karaoke bar you’re used to back home. Instead, there may be karaoke rooms in the hundreds depending on where you go.
You rent a room for several hours and then sing with your buddies. To get rid of those performance jitters, it’s not uncommon for karaoke bars to offer Nomihoudai. You might want to refrain since a night of karaoke in Japan is often quite pricy before you factor in the cost of alcohol.
Where can you find karaoke bars? The better question is where can’t you find them. Try Osaka’s Dotonbori or head to Shinjuku to track down plenty of places to showcase your voice.
16. Watch Live Soccer, Sumo, Baseball, or Wrestling
Another way you can spend your nights in Tokyo is by seeing some live sporting events. In Japan, soccer is soccer, not football. However, it will often be referred to as football, just like in other parts of the world. There are men’s and women’s teams, including the V-Varen Nagasaki, FC Tokyo, Shimizu S-Pulse, Urawa Red Diamonds, Nagoya Grampus, Gamba Osaka, Yokohama F. Marinos, Shonan Bellmare, and Kashima Antlers.
While the national sport of Japan is sumo wrestling, the events are limited. In Tokyo, the tournaments take place in September, May, and January. You can get balcony seats, box seats for four (don’t wear your shoes!), and ringside seats if you’re eager to be as close to all the action as possible.
For another type of wrestling, there’s pro wrestling or puroresu. New Japan Pro Wrestling is the best-known organization, and it includes stars like Hiroshi Tanahashi, Minoru Suzuki, Kazuchika Okada, and plenty more. There are shows throughout the year, including the organization’s major event, Wrestle Kingdom, every January 4th.
If you prefer a more American pastime, then go see a baseball game in Tokyo. Since 1872, Japan has embraced this sport. It’s not exactly like what you’re used to back home. For instance, the playing field, strike zone, and the baseballs themselves are not as big as those in America. Some well-known Japanese baseball teams are the Chiba Lotte Marines, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Chunichi Dragons, and Hanshin Tigers.
The Kashima Soccer Stadium is home of the Kashima Antlers, but you can see sports of all kinds there and at the Nagoya Dome, Niigata Stadium, Sapporo Dome, Tokyo Dome, and many more.
17. Sign up for a Beauty of Japan Tour
Don’t be fooled by the name; during a Beauty of Japan tour, you’re going to be doing a lot more than sightseeing. This is a Tokyo staple that’s meant for passionate food lovers who want to try an experience that’s a little something different. Namely, the entire tour includes real sumo wrestlers acting as your guides.
I’m not saying you have to eat like a sumo, but getting to know a wrestler and seeing what they consume to bulk up and challenge opponents if quite a unique experience to say the least. Plus, these are locals who know the city like the back of their hands and can show you the best places to eat, not necessarily the most popular ones.
It’s not cheap to go on a Beauty of Japan tour. If you have a group of four or over, expect to pay about $130USD. If it’s three people, it’s $173USD, and if it’s just two, you might fork over $260USD. To participate, you’ll want to head to the west exit of the JR Ryogoku station. The tour lasts about two and a half hours.
18. Rev up Your Engines at MariCAR
If you’ve ever wished you could live out your Mario Kart fantasies in real life, it turns out you can, and in none other than Tokyo. MariCAR is an Akihabara service that lets you get behind the wheel of a go-kart and see the city in a brand-new manner.
Did I mention you get to dress up? Okay, more like you have to dress up. When you reserve your go-kart through MariCAR, you get a costume with the keys. These costumes are just like your favorite Mario Kart characters as well as some other recognizable favorites like Spider-Man, Superman, and even Hello Kitty.
To get to MariCAR and spend a fun evening driving, exit at Keikyu Kita-Shinagawa Station and walk for about three minutes. You’ll find it. Before you get too excited, do know that you must possess a driver’s license from Japan to drive the karts. Otherwise, you can ride in a convertible or a Thailand Tuk-Tuk. Still fun!
19. Spend a Night (or Day!) of Fun at Cosmo World
Japan is known for its amusement parks, so make sure you get to see one (or several) during your time in Tokyo. For a park that looks amazing even once the sun is down, Cosmo World is a phenomenal choice.
The main attraction is the ginormous Ferris wheel, which is available to ride at night. In fact, I’d go as far to say that it’s better to do so in the cloak of darkness since you can take in the amazing lights that surround the ride. You’ll also get a wondrous view of Yokohama and its shining skyline.
Not so much into Ferris wheels? Maybe you just want something else to ride. Don’t worry; Cosmo World has it in spades. You’ll be able to enjoy river rapid rides, roller coasters, and even kiddy rides. There’s something for everyone here!
20. Don’t Miss the Sky Circus Sunshine, As It’s Not Just Another Observation Deck
In the last section, I recommended the Skytree, as there’s no other taller observation deck around. That doesn’t mean you should skip over other observation decks, especially if they’re Sky Circus Sunshine. This is anything but a pretty view of a skyline.
Okay, so what is the Sky Circus Sunshine? That’s a great question. It’s like a mini arcade hidden in an observation center, specifically the Sunshine Observatory. With games, VR entertainment, food, a sports bar and café, live entertainment, and of course the lovely views outside, you’ll be able to spend an entire evening here for certain.
21. Play More at Joypolis Sega
If you need more games during a night in Tokyo, make it a point to get over to Joypolis Sega. This is both a theme park and a huge arcade, so you might want to come back more than one night. It’s convenient to get to Joypolis Sega, too, as you only need to exit the Odaiba-kaihinkoen Station and then walk about seven minutes on foot.
Plan for an early evening, as the place closes by 10 p.m. each night and people usually spend around three hours there. While you’re there, you can take in the breadth of entertainment, which includes race car driving (yes, in a race car, no VR here!), fortune reading, a spiraling rollercoaster that’s indoors, and 4D movies. You’ll also find the standard arcade fare, including VR games, claw machines, and as many prizes as you could ever hope to win.
Did we mention there’s food and drinks to have, too? There’s so much entertainment to take in at Joypolis Sega that there are three whole floors of fun and games. Like many parts of Tokyo, there’s no place like it.
Conclusion
Tokyo is one of the safest cities in Japan, and that goes for at night, too. There’s no reason to sit in your hotel and get an early night once the sun sets. Outside, the nightlife beckons. Whether your idea of nightlife is a bar, an arcade, or seeing shrines and flowers, you can find it in Tokyo. Check out this article if you want to read about what you should watch out for at night in Tokyo.
I hope this comprehensive guide gives you some great ideas for where to spend your evenings during your next Tokyo visit!
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