Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [116]
Tokyo Apartment Café (Map; 3401-4101; 1-11-11 Jingūmae, Shibuya-ku; 11-4am; Chiyoda line to Meiji-jingūmae, exit 5 or JR Yamanote line to Harajuku, Omote-sandō exit) The Apartment Café is a pleasant afternoon refuge for spring rolls, a glass of wine or even Fruits Conscious Frozen. But in the evenings it transforms into a cocktail lounge, good for chilling with the locals.
Ebisu & Daikanyama
These two neighbourhoods are excellent choices for a night out in Tokyo, striking the balance between hip and unpretentious.
Enjoy! House (Map; 5489-1591; 2nd fl, Kokuto Bldg, 2-9-9 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku; 1pm-2am Tue, Thu & Sun, to 4am Fri & Sat, closed Mon & 1st Sun each month; JR Yamanote line to Ebisu, west exit) A multilayered world of sparkly, ’70s retro funkiness awaits inside the gleefully named Enjoy! House. The freespirited dude who runs this joint will elevate your mood.
Frames (Map; 5784-3384; 1st fl, Hikawa Bldg, 2-11 Sarugakuchō, Shibuya-ku; 11.30am-3am Sun-Thu, to 5am Fri & Sat; Tōkyū Tōyoko to Daikanyama, main exit, or JR Yamanote line to Shibuya, south exit) Kick back with a glass of wine in this airy Daikanyama bar-restaurant. It’s a dog-friendly establishment, so the pup-watching is as interesting as the human kind.
Munch-ya (Map; 5722-1333; 1-10-23 Naka-Meguro, Meguro-ku; noon-3pm & 6pm-4am Mon-Fri, 6pm-4am Sat & Sun; Hibiya line to Naka-Meguro) This casual little canal-side bar in Naka-Meguro serves beer and wine, as well as Japanese small plates, for around ¥500 a pop. From the exit, turn right on Yamate-dōri, make a left on Komazawa-dōri and then a right along the cafe pathway next to the river.
What the Dickens (Map; 3780-2099; www.whatthedickens.jp; 4th fl, Roob 6 Bldg, 1-13-3 Ebisu-Nishi, Shibuya-ku; 5pm-late Tue-Sat, to midnight Sun; JR Yamanote line to Ebisu, west exit) Live music, British beers, pub grub and a good time in Ebisu – a combo that works, as the happy crowd will attest. Live music, spanning a variety of genres, happens almost every night.
Roppongi
Roppongi is a floating entity apart from Japan – it’s like Mardi Gras in Asia, where gaijin and locals mix it up and boozily schmooze until the first trains at dawn. Tokyo nightlife is most intensely concentrated here. There are loads of shot bars and cheap dives in which to get wasted, and those will be obvious to you when you emerge at Roppongi Crossing. But plenty of bars here offer style as well as stiff drinks.
A971 (Map; 5413-3210; www.a971.com; Tokyo Midtown, 9-7-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku; 10-5am Mon-Thu, to 5am Fri & Sat, to midnight Sun; Hibiya, Toei Ōedo lines to Roppongi, exits 4a & 8) The ¥500 beers are a big draw to this corner bar at Tokyo Midtown, but the outdoor terrace is also enticing. A good mix of locals and gaijin hang out here.
Agave (Map; 3497-0229; B1 fl, 7-15-10 Roppongi, Minato-ku; 6.30pm-2am Mon-Thu, to 4am Fri & Sat; Hibiya, Toei Ōedo lines to Roppongi, exit 2) This amiable spot, all dolled up in warm Mexican hues and design, is more about savouring the subtleties of its 400-plus types of tequila rather than tossing back shots of Cuervo. Walking west from Roppongi Crossing, find it on the small alley on the north side of the street.
Heartland (Map; 5772-7600; www.heartland.jp; 1st fl, West Walk, Roppongi Hills, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku; 5pm-4am; Hibiya, Toei Ōedo lines to Roppongi, exits 1c & 3) At the foot of Roppongi Hills and thus removed from the sloshed amateurs around Roppongi Crossing, Heartland is a good choice for starting your evening. Order a Heartland beer (¥500) and observe the foreign male and Japanese female social dynamic for a primer on Roppongi relations.
Mado Lounge (Map; 3470-0052; www.ma-do.jp; 52nd fl, Mori Tower, Roppongi Hills, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku; admission Sun-Thu ¥500, Fri & Sat ¥2000; 10am-11.30pm Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat; Hibiya, Toei Ōedo lines to Roppongi, exits 1c & 3) On the 52nd floor of Mori Tower, the views are indeed stunning from this very cool lounge. To get in, you must first pay admission to the Mori Art Museum and/or Tokyo City View, so it’s only worth the additional