A NIGHT IN
SHINJUKU
NI-CHOME
NIGHT
TOKYO
Shinjuku Ni-chome is famous, but much of what makes it interesting happens behind small doors, upstairs, downstairs and across tiny counters.
This is not a “best bars” ranking. It is a simple way to enter the neighborhood without making your first night unnecessarily difficult.
START
EASY.
DINNER
Eat before drinking. Stay around Shinjuku-sanchome or Ni-chome.
WALK IN
Walk the neighborhood before choosing your first door.
FIRST DRINK
Start somewhere relatively open and easy to enter.
GO SMALLER
Try a smaller bar once the neighborhood feels familiar.
YOUR NIGHT
Club, another bar, last train or stay out late.
BIG
FIRST.
SMALL
LATER.
Your first bar does not need to be the most “local” bar possible.
Start somewhere with a visible entrance, straightforward ordering and a mixed local/international crowd.
Once you understand how the neighborhood works, the tiny upstairs bar suddenly becomes much less intimidating.
ONE
STEP
AT A TIME.
DINNER FIRST
SHINJUKU-SANCHOME / NI-CHOMEDo not begin your first Ni-chome night on an empty stomach. Eat nearby and enter the neighborhood without rushing.
WALK NI-CHOME
DON’T CHOOSE YETWalk a few streets. Look up. Many bars are not on the ground floor. One building may contain several completely different venues.
FIRST DRINK
START OPENPick an easy first stop. Have one drink. Watch how people order, talk and move through the neighborhood.
SECOND BAR
GO A LITTLE SMALLERNow try something more intimate. A smaller gay bar can feel very different from a standing bar or party venue.
If the atmosphere does not feel right, simply move on. Ni-chome has many different rooms.
CHOOSE YOUR LATE NIGHT
CLUB / BAR / HOTELThis is where your night stops being an itinerary.
Check tonight’s event before choosing a club.
OPEN
THE FIRST
DOOR.
AiiRO CAFE
A visible, street-level option that can work well as a first look at Ni-chome nightlife.
OPEN GOOGLE MAPS →EAGLE Tokyo
Another practical starting point for visitors before moving into smaller bars.
OPEN GOOGLE MAPS →GB TOKYO
Smaller and more intimate, useful when you want to move from “nightlife” toward conversation.
OPEN GOOGLE MAPS →
JUST
ASK.
II DESU KA?
DAIJOBU DESU KA?
DAIJOBU DESU KA?
CHOOSE
YOUR
NIGHT.
EAGLE TOKYO BLUE
A louder, more party-oriented option when you want the energy to rise.
OPEN MAP →AiSOTOPE LOUNGE
One of Ni-chome’s major event venues. The experience can be completely different depending on the event.
OPEN MAP →Arty Farty
A long-running Ni-chome nightlife name for a later, more dance-oriented part of the night.
OPEN MAP →
CHECK
THE EVENT.
NOT JUST
THE VENUE.
Club schedules in Ni-chome can change from night to night.
The crowd, music, admission fee, opening time and entry policy may depend on the specific event.
Some events require photo identification or have age restrictions.
Always check the official schedule before leaving your hotel.
AiSOTOPE SCHEDULE →
READ
THE ROOM.
LAST
TRAIN?
OR NOT?
Decide before the trains stop deciding for you.
Tokyo trains do not normally operate throughout the night.
If your hotel is not within walking distance, check your final train before you start the late-night part of your evening.
Miss it? Taxi, stay out, or wait for the first morning trains.
JAPAN TRAVEL BASICS →
CHECK
FIVE.
MORE
TOKYO.
DON’T FIND
THE BEST BAR.
FIND YOUR BAR.
Maybe it is loud. Maybe it has six seats. Maybe nobody speaks much English. Maybe you stay for twenty minutes. Maybe you return tomorrow. That is Ni-chome.