Nightlife

When considering a visit to a club or bar at night, it is possible that tourists are not allowed instant entry. It is advisable to bear in mind that a number of these entertainment joints will take on newcomers only if a regular introduces them. A perfect night experience begins after 10:00pm. Bars and clubs are mostly open from 6pm to midnight and could have extended work hours during the weekends. There are a large number of gay and lesbian bars but as per Tokyo nightlife norms all are not open to tourists. This calls for visiting such places in the company of regular customers. Hostess bars are popular but tend to be expensive as most often a pretty hostess works her charm and gets the visitors to pay for her drinks in exchange for being his escort for the evening. This of course is a strategy to increase business volume at these bars. Of course there is more for grabs than just the alcohol. The locals love the dive bars, shot bars and the numerous wacky themed dance clubs. Drinking in the streets is legal in most locations and so the nightlife gets interesting even if you have a drunken walk down the street. Beer cans are sold without restrictions via numerous vending machines. Karaoke bars are also an option for night activities but may not be all that enjoyable as the music is mostly Japanese, which tends to be beyond the comprehension of most tourists. Entry to bars, cover charges and costs of a shot, tend to be high at most places. Price points for entry at jazz clubs averages $70, inclusive of cover charges. Drinks charges around the town area are about $10 for a shot. There is no fixed time limit as to when nightlife activities come to a stop. There are bars that open at five in the morning for people who work through the night. A large number of nightspots have English-speaking doormen who try to tempt tourists to step in for a drink or two. The interesting fact is that Tokyo does not have just one area that is famous for nightlife activities and there are numerous neighborhoods or districts where tourists can opt to spend their evening.

A. Favorite Spots

Magambo

This is an African-themed bar that is visited by whites as well. A bell, placed above the bar, is rung out as an indication when someone opts to buy drinks for everyone present. The shots are priced at $10 and a round of sponsored drinks comes around more often than one would imagine. The walls and ceiling are filled with Polaroid snapshots of people, their names and phone numbers.

Roppongi

This nightclub is popular amongst Westerners and also known as gaijin. Many of the staff members are of American and European origin. This is where Hard Café Tokyo is situated as well as, Roppongi Hills, which is an upscale mall. It also houses a few good, restaurant cum bars that dish out authentic Western-style food. Tokyo's Roppongi Crossing is comparable to New York's, Times Square.

Cerveza

This pub is reputed to serve beer varieties from the world over. Unfortunately just when the weekend starts to settle in, it chooses to remain closed on Sundays.

Almond

Pronounced all-mon-doe, it is a popular coffee house. It serves as an excellent meeting point apart from being ideal for a dating venue.

Birdland

The place has live acoustic jazz on Tuesdays - Saturdays. On Mondays they present Hawaiian music and remain closed on Sundays. The cover charges at this joint are ¥3,000.

Velfarre

This place features amongst the most popular clubs in Tokyo. It is spacious and draws in a young crowd. They are open every day of the week and the cover charges for men range between ¥3,000-¥4,000 and for women it is ¥2,000 to ¥3,000.

Yellow

Reputed to be amongst the most popular hangouts in Tokyo, it is filled with the latest music and events. So much so, that it actually draws in a very hip clientele. Considering that it draws a youthful group of people, ID checks are frequent in order to maintain decorum and handle such eventful nights and visitors. They are open, Mondays - Saturdays from 8pm and visitors are required to pay a cover charge of ¥3,500.

Oh-Garcon

It may be strange to imagine a club that in reality is an all-male ‘girlie' venue. The truth is such clubs are popular in this sub continent. The practice has been adapted from Japanese theater wherein; role changes have been a traditional practice. It is just a matter of time till tourists begin to enjoy the evening. It is closed on Sunday and visitors need to make reservations apart from paying ¥5,000 as cover charges.