Roppongi and Shinjuku are two of Tokyo’s liveliest nightlife districts. You can party through the night in both, but there’s a lot to discover for those who tend to head to bed a tad earlier as well: from atmospherically lit alleys and late-night food spots to skyline views and impressive museums. Trot Op! took a small discovery tour and listed the most important sights to visit.
Shinjuku & Roppongi after dark: more than just nightlife
Shinjuku and Roppongi don’t seem all too similar at first sight. They’re not particularly close to each other, attract different audiences and both have quite distinct vibes. I’m still going to talk about them in the same article though. Partly because I’m a lazy degenerate who’d like to finally be able write about something else after nine extensive pieces on Tokyo, but mainly because both areas have more in common than you might think.
Most importantly: both Roppongi and Shinjuku truly come alive in the evening. I myself am of course not averse to the occasional nightly bacchanal, but because I wandered through Tokyo on my own for weeks and my feet were usually worn out by dinner time, I mostly experienced these neighbourhoods before things spiralled completely out of control. The heaviest binge-drinking therefore took place in my little 50 square feet hotel room, supported by a bag of random snacks bought in the Lawsons next door (Japanese snacks are awesome btw). Fortunately for me and many others, both districts offer plenty of other things to do for people already passed out at ten pm.
Shinjuku was one of three neighbourhoods (together with Shibuya and Ikebukuro) selected to be developed into Tokyo’s main urban centres in the 1950s. This worked out pretty well: today, Shinjuku Station is the busiest train station on the planet. It has more than two hundred (!!) exits and 3.6 million commuters pass through it daily. Over the years, the district filled up with skyscrapers housing hotels and multinationals. For a great (and completely free) view of them, pop into the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
At ground level, Shinjuku is far more chaotic. As soon as the sun goes down, it transforms into Japan’s largest nightlife district, packed with neon lights, tiny bars and endless food options.
Roppongi, on the other hand, offers a more polished take on Tokyo by night. Located in Minato Ward south of the Imperial Palace, it’s one of Tokyo’s most central neighbourhoods. After World War II, large numbers of American soldiers were stationed here, and the area has attracted foreigners ever since. Even today, Roppongi remains one of Tokyo’s most international districts. You’ll hear more English than usual in restaurants and bars, and many businesses explicitly cater to an expat crowd.
Its nightlife scene is more cosmopolitan than in Shinjuku or Shibuya, which explains why most pub crawls for tourists are organised here. If you’re looking for a place to dance, you’ll also find several large clubs to choose from. Around the turn of the millennium, the whole area was thoroughly overhauled, adding upscale hotels and shopping malls clustered around two massive real estate projects: Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown. You’ll find some of the city’s more prestigious art museums in and around these two developments as well.
Now, let’s take a look at the main evening and nighttime attractions in Shinjuku and Roppongi.
PS:Before you get lost in Kabukicho: is this your first trip to Tokyo? You might want to read my Complete Tokyo Neighbourhood Guide first. In it, I go over every important area, its biggest sights & activities, its hidden gems and its most convenient hotels.
1. Kabukicho: Shinjuku’s most notorious nightlife district
Kabukicho is located right next to Shinjuku Station and is the largest entertainment district (as well as the largest red light district) in Japan. Visually, neon-covered Godzilla Street is the most impressive part of it – of course named after the life-sized head of the monster rising menacingly above a local movie theatre.
It’s in the small streets surrounding however, that Kabukicho really comes to life. These are filled to the brim with izakaya, pachinko halls (a gambling game involving little steel balls half of Japan seems to be addicted to), karaoke bars, hostess clubs (bars where you talk to beautiful women while you pay for their drinks: not recommended) and discotheques. In total, there are well over a thousand bars and restaurants to choose from.
Note that Kabukicho is one of the very few neighbourhoods in Japan where you actually need to use your wits at night. Never (and I really mean never) follow one of the random touts trying to take you to their “favourite bar”. You’ll likely find yourself back outside with a plundered credit card and potentially even drugged a few hours later.
If you keep that warning in mind, Kabukicho is still an incredibly atmospheric place to explore in the evening, even if you don’t plan on staying out late. Some of the most enjoyable and safe spots include:
Golden Gai: tiny bars and big atmosphere
Golden Gai is a network of narrow alleys packed with more than 200 minuscule bars. Many of them only seat five to ten people, which makes the whole area feel more like a shared living room than a nightlife district. It’s extremely photogenic, especially after dark, and one of the nicest places to ease into a night out in Shinjuku.
Because there’s more social control here and no touts, Golden Gai is also one of the safest parts of Kabukicho. Many bars have their own theme – from punk rock shrines to film memorabilia – so you’ll be spoilt for choice even if you only pop in for one drink.
Samurai Restaurant: dinner as an evening spectacle
The Samurai Restaurant is the successor of the iconic Robot Restaurant and offers a two-hour extravaganza of neon lights, pounding music and wildly over-the-top dance performances. You’ll eat your dinner while performers in samurai armour, feathers and LED-lit contraptions storm past your table. Not very subtle, but a very Tokyo way to spend an evening. Tickets are best booked in advance.
Kabukicho Tower: games, food and late-night entertainment
Opened in 2023, Kabukicho Tower is a brand-new entertainment complex. Inside you’ll find a spectacular game centre, a large food court, a concert hall and an escape room that feels more like a physical obstacle course than a puzzle experience. Even if you’re not planning to do any actual activities, the building itself is fun to explore at night and adds to Kabukicho’s futuristic feel.
Shinjuku Nichōme: Tokyo’s LGBTQ nightlife district
Just a few minutes’ walk from Kabukicho lies Shinjuku Nichōme: the heart of Tokyo’s LGBTQ scene. The area is packed with small bars and clubs, many of which only open in the evening. The vibe here is generally friendlier and more relaxed than in Kabukicho proper.
While you’re in the area, visit Jōkaku-ji Temple as well. In the garden of this somewhat neglected little temple lies a cemetery where more than 2,000 19th-century prostitutes are remembered. After being victims of human trafficking, they were dumped into a mass grave, but today people still place sake glasses and bottles on the tombstones as a sign of respect.
2. Omoide Yokocho: izakaya dining after dark
Would you like to have a bite to go with all that boozing? Then Omoide Yokocho is the place to be. Like Golden Gai, this is a network of narrow, atmospherically lit alleys, but here most of the tiny businesses are restaurants rather than bars.
Many of these izakaya are grills where you can order all kinds of meat and fish per skewer (including the famous yakitori chicken). Also like in Golden Gai, you’ll sit shoulder to shoulder with the other diners. This almost forces you to be social, which is very pleasant for people like me who travel alone – had a lot of fun down here.
The literal translation of Omoide Yokocho is “Memory Lane”, which is quite appropriate. You’re walking through a version of Tokyo that has long since ceased to be in many other parts of the city. People sometimes call it “Piss Alley” as well, but fortunately this is also a term from a bygone past. The place is quite clean these days, so no need to worry. Lovely spot for pictures as well.
PS: here’s a fun pub/izakaya crawl taking you through Kabukicho, Golden Gai and Omoido Yokocho in one go.
3. Tokyo Tower: classic Tokyo views at night
Always wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower, but didn’t feel like traveling all the way to Paris? Don’t worry, there’s one in Tokyo as well. This one’s called Tokyo Tower, is bright orange and actually a little taller than the comparatively pretty pathetic original in France.
Until the Tokyo Skytree was completed in 2012, this was the tallest structure in the entire city. Built just outside of Roppongi in 1958, it originally served as a radio and television transmission mast. As more and more high-rise buildings were built around it, the signal quality deteriorated and its broadcasting function was eventually taken over by the much taller Skytree.
Today, Tokyo Tower is mainly a tourist attraction, and an especially pleasant one to visit in the evening. Two observation platforms can be accessed: one at 150 and one at 250m. From there, the view over Tokyo is almost endless, with the city lights flickering below.
This said, it’s not my favourite viewpoint in Tokyo. The simple reason is that you can’t actually see Tokyo Tower itself while you’re standing on it – and its beautifully lit silhouette makes up half the skyline. For the full picture, it’s better to admire it from the next stop.
4. Roppongi Hills & Mori Tower: Tokyo’s best evening view
Roppongi Hills is one of the two major redevelopment projects in Roppongi, and in my opinion the more interesting of the two. Completed about twenty years ago, it acts as a city within the city, with office towers, hotels and apartments, a cinema, a museum and an overwhelming number of shops and restaurants.
The idea was to allow people who could afford it to live, work and relax in comfort without spending hours on the metro every day. For visitors, however, the real highlights are on the upper floors.
Here you’ll find the Mori Art Museum, which focuses on modern art from both Japan and abroad and – even more impressive – Tokyo City View. This 250-metre-high observation deck offers what is arguably the best view over Tokyo, especially after sunset.
You have a 360 degree view on the city from here, the Tokyo Tower and the main skyscrapers are nearby and you can even see Mount Fuji in the distance (only if the weather allows it). Moreover: it’s so large and spacious there’s always a window available somewhere.
5. Maman & Mohri Garden: spiders, space fish and an evening breather
Directly below Mori Tower you’ll find two completely different attractions for you to have a look at. Roku Roku Plaza is home to what is arguably the most terrifying sculpture in Tokyo – at least for arachnophobes. Maman is a gigantic bronze spider created by French artist Louise Bourgeois. It stands nine metres tall, spans ten metres in width, and if you dare to look up while standing underneath it, you’ll see an egg sac containing twenty-six babies dangling from its abdomen.
According to Bourgeois, the sculpture is an ode to her mom, who enjoyed working the weaving loom. I don’t know whether she was disinherited immediately after unveiling this thing, but the chance is real. Lit from below in the evening, the spider becomes even more unsettling.
Just a couple of minutes’ walk from the spider lies Mohri Garden: a 400-year-old Japanese garden that feels completely out of place in this hyper-modern complex. With its pond, stone bridges and carefully trimmed lawn, it’s an anachronism in the best possible way – and a great spot for a quick rest.
The pond is home to a group of tiny rice fish whose ancestors have achieved more in life than most of us ever will. In 1994, they were taken on a mission aboard the Space Shuttle, officially turning them into fish astronauts. Sadly their offspring is so tiny I couldn’t really spot any of them – but they might have stolen nasa’s chameleon technology, who knows.
6. The National Art Center: modern art and design in Tokyo
A short walk from Roppongi Hills brings you to the National Art Center, located in a small park. It’s one of the largest art museums in Japan in terms of exhibition space – not in terms of collection though, because it doesn’t actually have one.
Instead, the museum hosts a rotating programme of temporary exhibitions throughout the year, most of them focused on modern and contemporary art. While you’ll have to pay for many of these exhibitions, the building itself can be entered free of charge.
The architecture alone makes it worth a visit. In this glass UFO-like colossus, several circular “islands” rise up from the floor of the entrance hall, and can only be reached via a foot bridge. Once on top, you can order a coffee or a piece of cake at leisure (if the vertigo doesn’t spoil your appetite that is).
“That’s great and all, but this isn’t really a Tokyo after dark activity now is it.”, you say? Wrong! The museum is open until 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and the whole structure is illuminated after sunset, giving it an ominous, almost sci-fi feel.
7. Hachikō’s grave: a quiet pilgrimage to honour Japan’s most famous dog
This one actually isn’t an evening activity as it closes somewhere around 5 p.m., but I felt it was too cute to leave out of this guide. Take another short walk from the National Art Center and you’ll end up in the vast Aoyama Cemetery. This place is worth a visit in itself – Japanese cemeteries are very peaceful and this is one of Tokyo’s largest – but there’s a unique grave to spot for those who can find it. Follow the marker on Google Maps and you’ll walk straight to Hachiko’s tombstone.
Hachiko was the loyal dog whose statue in front of Shibuya Station still attracts crowds of spectators every day. This akita became world famous in the early 20th century, after waiting for his deceased owner outside of the station every day for more than ten years. That owner was Professor Hidesaburō Ueno. When Hachikō died in 1935, his ashes were placed in the grave next to Ueno’s, rewarding his loyalty posthumously.
Maybe even more moving than the story is the fact the grave became a pilgrimage for people missing their own pets. As a result it’s always full of coins, teddy bears and dog toys.
8. Sunshine City (Ikebukuro): one last Tokyo skyline at night
For those who still can’t get enough Tokyo views, Sunshine City in Ikebukuro makes for a worthwhile final stop – even though it’s ofcourse outside both Shinjuku and Roppongi.
This massive complex is comparable to Roppongi Hills but older, and includes offices, hotels, an enormous shopping mall and several attractions. One of the upper floors houses the Sunshine 60 Observatory, which was redesigned as a stylised sky garden. The idea is that you enjoy the city lights while lounging rather than pressing your face against a window. They even thought of the Instagram crowd, and decorated some of the windows as impressive selfie spots.
There is of course lots to explore in the mall as well. The Gachapon Department Store is the most unique place here. This is the largest Gachapon Hall on the planet, with no less than 3.000 machines spewing out capsule toys. Not even Akihabara has this many under one roof.
Sadly I have to advise against visiting the Sunshine City Aquarium. It looks very impressive on the photos you’ll find online. You’ll see penguins and sea lions seemingly gliding through the air with the skyline as a backdrop. In reality however, these animals are stuck in enclosures that are too small and offer little enrichment. The sea lion in particular has it bad: it’s just swimming in circles in some sort of glass slide, bored out of its mind. If the water had been somewhat deeper, it would have drowned itself years ago. Pass.
Practical travel tips for Shinjuku & Roppongi
**There are a couple of affiliate links to interesting activities or hotels in this article. These were personally selected to make sure they actually add value. If you’re already planning to book a tour or hotel in Tokyo, consider doing so via one of my links. Doesn’t cost you an extra dime and I’ll get a small compensation for my efforts. Thank you in advance.**
Where to stay in Shinjuku?
Shinjuku is one of the most practical places to stay in Tokyo, especially if it’s your first visit. The main reason is transport. Shinjuku Station is not just the busiest train station in the world, it’s also one of the best-connected. From here, you can reach almost any part of Tokyo quickly, and several JR lines make it easy to leave the city for day trips as well. Here are some very good hotels in different price ranges.
–UNPLAN Shinjuku: very highly rated and social hostel in the heart of Shinjuku, offering capsule style dorms.
–Premier Hotel Cabin Shinjuku: popular budget hotel in Kabukicho, with much better reviews than a bunch of even cheaper alternatives.
–Sakura Cross Hotel Shinjuku East (high end, sometimes midrange): smaller hotel, outside of the busiest part of Shinjuku, but close to a popular subway station.
–Hotel Gracery Shinjuku (high end): large hotel in the heart of Kabukicho. Godzilla’s gigantic head is literally on the rooftop terrace.
Activities in Shinjuku
-a pub/izakaya crawl taking you to Kabukicho, Golden Gai and Omoido Yokocho.
-a nighttime photography course.
-a food tour with 13 different dishes.
-a “dark history” tour (crime! murder!) through Kabukicho.
Where to stay in Roppongi?
Roppongi offers a very different experience and works especially well for travellers who prefer a more polished and international atmosphere. The area is centrally located in Minato Ward and is well connected by metro lines, making it easy to reach districts like Shibuya, Ginza and Asakusa without too much hassle.
–Akasaka Guesthouse HIVE: very decent hostel offering capsule style dorm rooms in Akasaka (about a kilometre from the centre of Roppongi).
–Sotetsu Fresa Inn Tokyo Roppongi (budget to midrange): decent business hotel right next to Roppongi Station.
–Hotel Minato (high end): fantastic hotel close to the National Art Center. Beautiful rooms and a huge spa. Obviously a bit more expensive.
–Grand Hyatt Tokyo (luxury): huge luxury hotel in Roppongi Hills. Everything you’d expect from a Hyatt, in a great location (but at a steep price).
Activities in Roppongi
-a popular pub crawl in Roppongi.
-a guided tour to teamLab Borderless (there are two teamLabs in Tokyo: the other one is in Odaiba), Roppongi Hills and the National Art Center.
Getting around Tokyo
Buy a Suica Card (or Welcome Suica Card for tourists) to use trains, subways and buses smoothly. The card also works as an electronic wallet in convenience stores, vending machines and even some restaurants. Suica Cards work all over Japan. No need to buy a different one for the next city you’re visiting.
Mobile data is essential in Tokyo. Google Maps will tell you exactly which train to take, which carriage to board and which exit to use. Without it, getting lost is almost guaranteed. Buy a local eSIM card before you get to Japan, you’ll need it. I’ve been using Airalo for years. This is an app that lets you buy data in almost every country on the planet. It just takes a couple of clicks. Install the sim at home and activate it after landing: that’s it.
Japan Rail Pass or individual tickets?
If you plan to visit a lot of different cities with the Shinkansen bullet train, it’s best to buy a Japan Rail Pass (book it here directly). You’ll have to do this from home and long before your departure, because they’ll actually send you the pass by mail and you can’t buy one in Japan. If you’re only visiting three or four cities like I did, it might be better to buy separate tickets on the spot – you’ll have to do the math to see which option is preferable. JR-passes can be booked here.
Don’t want to bother with all of this and looking for a tailor-made trip (either individually or in a group) instead? Check out Japan Experience: they offer plenty of wonderful itineraries throughout the entire country.
Further reading
Ready for more Tokyo? Read my articles on Odaiba, Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ginza, Asakusa, Ueno and Marunouchi next.
Looking for another Asian Trip? Read my blog posts on Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Hanoi. Would you rather go to Texas? Read my posts on Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
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