Tokyo at night is one of the best cities in the world – a kaleidoscope of colourful lights, late night bites and 24 hour shopping delights, Tokyo at night is an epic evening of entertainment.
From Akihabara’s Electric Town karaoke to the Kawaii delights of Harajuku and Takeshita Street, there is something to suit all ‘tastes’ – and yep, there is even a Love Hotel Hill in Shibuya.
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There are lots of free things to enjoy in Tokyo at night too, from Shinjuku’s street performers to night-time observation decks, plus the world’s biggest free permanent light show.
From the Godzilla head to stress-relieving spas, maid cafes to craft beer bars, here is our ultimate guide to things to do in Tokyo at night.
This article was originally published on 10 June 2024.
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Recommended Tokyo accommodation and hotels
If you want to see the best of Tokyo at night, be sure to stay in one of the central entertainment districts like Shinjuku, Shibuya or Akihabara (Asakusa is also nice).
Tokyo’s best hotels include:
Budget ($)
The Millennials Shibuya
Highly rated hostel with modern capsule style rooms. Facilities include a workspace, kitchen and lounge, plus unlimited free draft beer between 5.30pm and 6.30pm everyday! Check rates and availability on agoda.com, expedia.com and trip.com
Mid-Range ($$)
Hotel Gracery Shinjuku (AKA Shinjuku Godzilla)
Popular hotel with a terrace that has a giant Godzilla head! Check rates and availability on booking.com, expedia.com, agoda.com and trip.com
Mid-Range ($$)
The Tourist Hotel & Cafe Akihabara
Highly rated 3 star hotel located close to Akihabara station. Check rates and availability on booking.com, agoda.com, expedia.com and trip.com
Luxury ($$$)
Hilton Tokyo Hotel
Luxury 5 star hotel located in west Shinjuku, with indoor pool, sauna, fitness centre, salon, restaurants and a free shuttle to the train station. Check rates and availability on booking.com, expedia.com, agoda.com and trip.com
Luxury ($$$)
Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya
Stylish and centrally located 5 star boutique hotel with a rooftop terrace / bar / restaurant. Check rates and availability on booking.com, agoda.com, expedia.com and trip.com
Tokyo at Night things to do
1. Shinjuku Golden Gai at night
Best visited at night, Golden Gai is a series of narrow alleyways and streets packed full of small hole-in-the-wall style bars and tiny taprooms.
A popular place for locals and expats, Golden Gai comes alive at night with buzzing bars, popular pubs and small sake sipping spaces (try saying that after a few highballs).
Very photogenic (especially on rainy nights when the neon lights reflect in puddles) and atmospheric, most of the bars only have a handful of seats and each pub seemingly has its own set of rules and regulations.
Also take note that some (but not all) Golden Gai bars charge an entry fee on top of the drinks and snack prices and some bars are Japanese only – so you want to double check as you enter. ‘Kanpai’ to a memorable night out in Golden Gai!
Check out this Shinjuku izakaya and Golden Gai bar hopping tour or Shinjuku Golden Gai food tour.
2. Catch a Tokyo baseball game
Baseball in Tokyo and Japan is one of the countries most popular sports (along with sumo wrestling).
So if you happen to be visiting Tokyo at night during the Japanese baseball season (usually March to October), you must purchase tickets and make a home-run to see the Yomiuri Giants play at the Tokyo Dome.
Tokyo Baseball tickets can easily be bought by foreigners or visitors, either online or in person at the Tokyo Dome Box Office. You can sometimes purchase tickets using the kiosks in Japanese convenience stores like 7-Eleven or Lawson.
From ticket prices to food and drink plus live entertainment, here is our guide to getting Tokyo baseball tickets plus what to expect at the ground >
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3. Late night Tokyo karaoke
OK, karaoke in Tokyo at night might be a cliche but we do know it is pretty inexpensive and really good fun (especially if you are visiting after going to an izakaya or Tokyo craft beer bar).
Karaoke is commonplace in Tokyo / Japan but Akihabara has its fair share of karaoke booths and lounges (over 10 on our last count). Incidentally, if you’d rather do karaoke by day, the daytime rates are a bit cheaper.
Given the area’s reputation, several of the karaoke lounges even have themed rooms like the Monster Hunter concept karaoke room at Karaoke Pasela Akihabara.
All the major chains can be found in Tokyo like Big Echo, Karaoke Manekineko and Karaoke Kan, and song language choices usually include Japanese, English and Mandarin.
This is one of the best late night activities in Tokyo with most karaoke lounges open from 9am until 5am to 6am the next morning – so get singing!
4. Kabukichō Tokyo night ‘delights’
If you only plan to see one lit-up area of Shinjuku / Tokyo lit at night, make it Kabukichō, the heart and soul and night-time capital of the area.
Best described as a heady mix of sass and seediness, a lot of the bars in the Kabukichō area are quite ‘adult focused’ and many of the clubs have girls dressed in outfits beckoning you in or handing out flyers.
Be aware that many bars in Kabukichō have an admission fee or minimum spend and some tourists have been known to have been drugged and woken up to find their money gone and credit cards maxed out. So have fun in Tokyo at night but be safe too!
The Kabukichō Shinjuku streets are generally safe to walk around at night and there is lots of security outside most ‘entertainment’ establishments.
Check out this dark side of Tokyo night walking tour of Kabukicho or this Shinjuku guided walking tour at night.
5. Shinjuku Lightshow – the world’s largest projection mapping show
New for 2024, the world’s largest projection mapping show now takes place nightly projected onto the side of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Number 1 building.
As featured in the Guinness World Records as the largest permanent show of its kind, the building lights up every evening between several different shows, each designed by a different local Tokyo artist (a recent introduction to the lightshow was Godzilla).
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building projection mapping shows currently run every day from 7pm in the winter months and from 7.30pm in the summer (until around 9pm to 9.30pm approx at night).
Read more in our guide to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building lightshow >
6. Asakusa observatory at night (free)
One of the best free Tokyo observatories is open at night – head to the free Asakusa Observatory atop the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center.
Located on the top floor, the Asakusa observatory is open daily from 9am until 10pm and offers stunning views of Sensō-ji temple, nearby Nakamise-dori Street plus a view of the Sumida River and the Asahi Golden Flame building (jokingly known locally as the ‘golden turd’ due to its interesting shape).
One of the best free things to do in Asakusa, the observatory can be accessed via the lifts.
Check out our guide to the best observation decks in Tokyo >
7. Shinjuku street performers at night
One of our favourite sights and sounds of Shinjuku was the nightly array of buskers and street performers that sang and played live music outside Shinjuku Station.
They can be found from dusk onwards on the pavement, in front of the station, facing across from the Shinjuku Southern Terrace mall.
Whilst some singers were great (and some not so), most Shinjuku singers and street performers seem to have their own fan clubs / fan groups who attend every gig with light sticks, whooping along – it is so much fun!
Many Shinjuku singers also live stream their performances to their adoring followers, many of whom tip online.
8. NinjaBar Asakusa
Heard about the ‘underground’ ninja bar in Tokyo? Asakusa is usually associated with Sensō-ji Kappabashi street but beneath its streets lies a very unique and unusual thing to do in Tokyo – the subterranean NinjaBar, Tokyo’s top themed ninja bar.
A sake and beer bar operated by a secretive and stealthy ninja, the NinjaBar is a fun night out in Asakusa and a fun experience with over 300 sakes to choose from.
From the quirky interiors to drink prices (and the samurai sword toilet key), release your inner ‘otaku’ with our full guide to drinking in Tokyo’s NinjaBar >
9. Omoide Yokochō (AKA P*ss alley) at night
One of the best things to do in Shinjuku (link) at Tokyo at night – take a stroll down Omoide Yokochō, day or night.
By day, Omoide Yokocho is full of small eateries frequented by workers and salarymen.
As evening falls, the alleyways are teeming with tourists and locals drinking beer and sake in close proximity – conversations and good cheer emanate from the dozens of small bars and restaurants.
Omoide Yokochō means ‘Memory Lane’ in Japanese and started life as quite a notorious black market hang-out full of illicit back-street bars in the 1940s.
As the bars were so small and often didn’t have toilets, drinkers would often have to relieve themselves in alleys or train tracks outside – hence the ‘P*ss Alley’ nickname for Omoide Yokochō.
These days, it still retains a little of its original grit but many of the eateries here are quite mainstream now (like Coco Ichibanya) and some of the most frequented in Shinjuku.
Popular joints include ramen stalls (with only a half dozen seats – eat quick!) and izakayas. The smell of grilled yakitori also wafts through the alleys – be sure to arrive hungry!
10. Tokyo 3D Billboards at night
Fun for all ages at night in Tokyo (and free), huge crowds gather to watch several huge immersive 3D billboards across Tokyo, featuring immersive cartoon characters like a 3D cat or playful panda.
As of 2025, there are five huge and popular 3D billboards in Tokyo:
- the calico cat in Shinjuku (the very first 3D billboard that started it all off)
- the adorable akita inu puppy in Shibuya
- a playful panda near Shibuya Crossing
- another 3D Panda in Ueno by the Hirokoji Entrance of Ueno Station
- a 3D billboard in Harajuku
Check out our cult of 3D billboards in Tokyo article with videos >
11. Hoppy Street at night
Kanpai to Asakusa’s Hoppy Street, packed full of izakayas, outdoor bars and a generally very merry place to be in Tokyo at night!
Hoppy Street lives up to its name and is full of boozed up characters, happy hours galore and some delicious smelling soul food like yakitori skewers or steaming bowls of ramen.
Open until very late, this is an awesome and atmospheric drinking street to visit at night, sip some sake and get friendly with the locals – so hop on over to Hoppy Street.
12. Shinjuku Godzilla Head
Perhaps the most famous night-time sight in Shinjuku, the ‘roarsome’ Godzilla head sits atop Hotel Gracery Shinjuku and the Shinjuku Toho Building, looking out across Tokyo’s sublime cityscape. It even roars and has smoke emerging from the mouth every hour or so in the evening.
If you are lucky enough to stay at Hotel Gracery Shinjuku, there are even some rooms you can pay a premium for to look out across the city with Shinjuku Godzilla’s head in shot – plus there is a small viewing deck next to it and lots of Godzilla theming across the hotel.
Don’t worry, if you aren’t staying in the hotel, you can still get a great view of Shinjuku Godzilla from Shinjuku Central road, next to Don Quijote Shinjuku Kabukicho.
13. Love Hotel Hill, Shibuya
If you feel the need to rent a hotel by the hour in Shibuya (lucky you), head to the Love Hotel Hill (we explored here but just to visit the Mikkeller Tokyo craft beer bar – honest).
Tokyo is known for its love hotels and Shibuya is a hotspot of hourly hotels, known for their affairs and romantic themed rooms.
Ikebukuro is another neighbourhood with a hotchpotch of hourly hotels and themed hotels like Hotel West One.
It is quite the weird experience and you can even see some quite weird and wonderful posters in the hotel windows where you can rent ‘toy’s and the like.
Probably not somewhere you will want to visit with your parents or elderly relatives.
PS If you don’t get lucky on Love Hotel Hill, you can always check out our ‘stimulating’ guide to TENGA, Japan’s biggest love toy company >
Looking for Shibuya accommodation but not on Love Hotel Hill? Check Shibuya accommodation availability with Booking.com >
14. Asakusa Yokocho
Asakusa Yokocho is a neon hotbed of cool street food eateries and Japanese restaurants with some top theming (you can even pose as a ninja next to a well ‘lit’ neon background).
As well as an epic epicurean experience at night, you can hire traditional costumes here plus in the daytime, there is a nice outdoor terrace (although not on the scale of nearby Asakusa Observatory).
Inside, you’ll find everything from iconic izakaya bars to sushi and sashimi plus Korean fried chicken. People come here for the festive theming of Asakusa Yokocho so some say this appears to be the focus more so than the food quality.
15. Kimono Rental
Kimono rental in Tokyo is usually a daytime activity but many offer 24 hour rental so make the most of this and do some traditional kimono photos in Tokyo at night.
Given all of the historic temples and ancient alleyways in Asakusa, traditional kimono rental is a popular activity – we’d often see tourists wearing kimono rentals at night, often with the Tokyo Sky Tree tower as a stunning backdrop.
You can either hire costumes and take them out for the day or some kimono rental agencies can also organise professional photographers to accompany you.
There are several places to hire kimonos in Asakusa including:
- Kimono Yae rental experience in Asakusa >
- Kimono rental experience at Kimono Komachi Ruri Asakusa >
- Traditional kimono rental experience at WARGO Asakusa >
You might like these Japan chain restaurants guides
A Happy Pancake >
CoCo Ichibanya >
Denny’s >
Kura Sushi >
Matsunoya Tonkatsu >
Mister Donut >
Saizeriya >
16. Don Quijote – 24 hour shopping
Don Quijote Japan discount department stores are home to thousands of items generally at low prices, from Hello Kitty to Japanese Kit Kats (plus more interesting ‘adult sections’ selling TENGA).
The best Kawaii Don Quijote store in Tokyo has to Mega Don Quijote Shibuya – it has eight floors of purchasing pleasure plus you can even try the legendary 10 Yen cheese pancake!
Head to floor 7 of Shibuya Mega Don Quijote for one of Tokyo’s largest character selections (including Kirby and Hello Kitty) plus travel goods.
Don Quijote Akihabara is also one of the best Don Quijotes in Tokyo and is open 24 hours a day, so it is somewhere to shop day and night in Akihabara.
Please note many of Tokyo’s larger Don Quijotes are open 24 hours but some close in the early hours.
You might like Plan My Japan’s guide to Don Quijote stores >
17. AKB48 Theater live music venue
‘Give Me Five’! One of J-pop’s most iconic girl groups (with a mainly male fan-base), AKB48 is named after the Akihabara area and regularly perform in the AKB48 Theater, which is (weirdly) above the Don Quijote Akihabara store.
Formed in 2005, the AKB48 girl group has had many different members over the years (and various versions including trainees) and is one of the biggest selling Japanese female acts of all time.
The AKB48 Theater in Akihabara is a way to see the girl group (or a version of it) up close (and well attended by sweaty men with glow sticks).
Such is the AKB48 phenomenon, they even have international AKB48 theatres and groups overseas in countries such as Taiwan and China.
AKB48 Theater tickets are not easy to come by – the theater only has a capacity of 250 people (so you can get up close) and AKB48 tickets are usually allocated by lottery.
You can increase your chances of getting AKB48 tickets by becoming a paying member of their fan-club.
18. Shibuya Center Gai
The heart and soul of Shibuya, Center Gai is a narrow street packed full of chain restaurants, convenience stores, fashion shops and nightclubs.
One of the best places to explore in Tokyo at night, Shibuya Center Gai is an atmospheric alley-way and neon nirvana, home to pubs, bars and one of the city’s best collection of sneaker and record stores.
A bit like Akihabara or Kabukicho in Shinjuku, join all of Tokyo’s cool kids with a Shibuya Center Gai late-night shopping or sunset supping session.
You might like – 25+ best chain restaurants in Japan including Matsunoya and Coco Ichibanya
19. Shopping in Tokyo at night
Tokyo is a shopping heaven, from the high end fashion stores of Ginza to cute Kawaii stores in Harajuku and Akihabara.
Japan’s capital city Tokyo makes for a joyful shopping experience with BIG malls, many of which have opulent interiors (plus incredible food halls to ‘reward’ yourself afterwards in).
Better yet, most Tokyo department stores and malls are usually open until at least 9pm at night (some later) – and don’t forget you can always head to selected MEGA Don Quijote stores for 24 hour shopping.
Check out our guide to Tokyo’s 30+ best shopping malls and districts >
20. Round One Gaming Arcades
Round One is a large entertainment complex chain that has 100+ branches across Japan.
Our favourite Round One is in Ikebukuro, located on the busy Animate Street and offers a variety of activities over several floors such as arcades, bowling, gachapon machines, billiards, karaoke, darts, table tennis, plus food and drink.
Google says it is open 24 hours a day, but many of the recent reviews say it closes at 1am. Many reviewers also mention the claw machines are difficult to win so bear that in mind if you plan to visit.
21. Yurakucho Sanchoku Inshokugai
Hidden away beneath a busy railway arch, Yurakucho Alley is full of cool little eateries, dive bars and iconic izakayas and is one of the best things to do in Ginza at night.
Lit by lanterns and like a scene from a movie, Yurakucho Sanchoku Inshokugai Alley is famed for its regional ingredients and fresh foods.
Each restaurant in the alley has an indoor seating area plus lots of small box style tables and chairs outside.
Half the fun here is deciding where to eat plus the smells wafting along the alleyway are sublime.
Yurakucho Sanchoku Inshokugai Alley is located between JR Shimbashi station and Yurakucho Station.
22. Tokyo Sumo Wrestling
‘Wrestling’ with what to do in Tokyo at night or some epic evening entertainment?
Sumo Wrestling is a BIG sport in Japan (literally) and no trip to Japan is complete without purchasing tickets for a Tokyo sumo wrestling match at the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena.
If you happen to be in Tokyo during a national sumo tournament (usually every January, May or September in Tokyo), do try and get a ticket as it is one of our top 5 experiences in Japan, up there with seeing the snow monkeys in Nagano.
Check out our guide to going to a Tokyo sumo wrestling tournament here and how to get tickets >
Incidentally, if you are in Tokyo outside of sumo wrestling tournament time, there are lots of Tokyo sumo wrestling things to do from chowing down on ‘chanko nabe’ (sumo wrestler stew) to enjoying a sumo wrestling show with dinner.
You might like Plan My Japan’s guide to 10+ Tokyo sumo wrestling activities >
23. The American / New York Bar at Park Hyatt Tokyo (reopens December 2025)
Relive ‘Lost in Translation’ at Tokyo’s Park Hyatt hotel – not only does it have incredible views of Tokyo and live jazz music most nights, it is also where most of the key scenes between Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson took place in ‘Lost in Translation’.
Get there very early to guarantee a prime seat with city views or get a good spot to see the live musicians.
Please be aware that the New York Bar at the Park Hyatt Tokyo reopens at the end of 2025 and we took the above photo before the refurbishment – so it may look different now.
24. Tokyo late night gaming arcades
There are plenty of games arcades and retro gaming machines in Tokyo – the biggest and best arcades are typically Taito Station and SEGA GIGO (try Akihabara, Ikebukuro or Shinjuku).
They all have the usual UFO / claw machines, dance machines, photo booths and cool games like Taiko no Tatsujin Japanese Drumming Game. If you only have time to visit one, our recommendation would be SEGA Ikebukuro GIGO.
Alternatively, Namco Akihabara arcade comprises six floors of gaming and is the first official Namco arcade in Akihabara. It has everything from trading card tables (5F) to official Bandai Namco gachapon machines (4F) and crane games galore plus Gundam.
You might like – Our guide to Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo in Ikebukuro, Japan’s biggest Pokémon Centre >
25. Tokyo craft beer bars at night
Kanpai to Tokyo’s craft beer bar scene and brewery beer halls! From Tokyo’s top taprooms to more modern pubs, Tokyo’s craft beer bars are a fun thing to do at night after a day of sightseeing.
Tokyo has much to offer craft beer drinkers, from pour your own pints in Shinjuku to international beers at Mikeller or ØL by Oslo Brewing Co. Many Tokyo craft beer bars offer dozens of draft beers and hundreds of Japanese craft beer cans.
From legendary pubs like Beer Club Popeyes to backstreet gems like Shibuya’s Y.Y.G. Brewery & Beer Kitchen, here is our guide to the best Tokyo craft beer bars and brewery halls with photos >
Prefer sake over beer? Try this sake tasting class with a sake sommelier >
Please note the legal drinking age in Japan is 20 years of age – please drink responsibly.
26. Tokyo Go Karting at night
You’ve played the video games but now you can actually whizz through the streets of Tokyo at night on go-karts dressed as gaming characters (but not officially as Mario, Luigi or Princess Daisy as Nintendo’s lawyers have put paid to that).
Tour Tokyo’s night-time highlights dressed as cute, Kawaii comic characters seeing sights like the Tokyo Skytree, Asakusa and Akihabara.
Tokyo street go-karting prices vary depending on the experience but most Tokyo go-kart experiences cost between 15,000 Yen to 20,000 Yen per person as of 2025. There are both daytime and night-time street karting tours in Tokyo.
Please note an international drivers license is required to go street karting in Tokyo.
Book your Tokyo Mario Style Go Kart tour with Klook or Viator.
27. Cat Cafe Mocha Tokyo
Tokyo Cat Cafe Mocha is one of the most ‘purr-fect’ things to do in Tokyo at night – ‘fur’ real.
With around 10 Mocha Cat Cafe Tokyo locations (as of October 2025) including Akihabara, Harajuku and Shinjuku – you can also find them across Japan including Mocha cat cafes in Osaka, Kyoto and Fukuoka.
You might have been to cat cafes in the past but the Tokyo Mocha Cat Cafes take it to the next kitty level.
We think cat feeding time at Mocha Cat Cafe might be the cutest thing we ever did in Japan. You should visit these top Tokyo cat cafes right ‘miaow’ – well before 8pm at night, as that is when they close.
Feeding time is usually 10:30am and 7:30pm at night (half an hour after opening and half an hour before closing).
From prices to cute kitty pictures, here is our guide to Mocha Cat Cafe in Tokyo with photos >
28. Tokyo Hub Pubs
‘Kanpai’ to a little bit of Britain in Tokyo – walk around Tokyo at night and it won’t be long before you see the gleaming lights and hanging pub sign of a HUB Bar or 82 Ale House.
One of Japan’s biggest bar chains with over 100 pubs, the 82 Ale House and HUB pubs are British themed pubs that have (VERY) happy hours, pub grub style food plus bar interiors just like British pubs.
You’ll find Hub Pubs in every Tokyo late-night neighborhood like Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Akihabara and Shibuya.
The bars are popular with both locals (especially ‘salary men’) and overseas tourists (particularly from Europe, the USA and Australia).
Whilst it may not be a traditional Japanese night out, it does make for a fun night out in Tokyo (especially where there is live sports on).
Bringing a bit British pub culture to Tokyo, raise your glass to our guide to drinking and eating in 82 Ale Houses and Hub British bars in Japan >
29. Puri-kura a plenty – Japanese photo booths
Looking to take a cute Kawaii selfie or pop into a Japanese photo booth? There are plenty of ‘puri-kara’ photo booth stores in Harajuku open late at night especially along Takeshita Street.
Purikura Noa is one of the most popular Puri-kara / photo booth stalls here. You can choose character backgrounds or cosplay outfits, plus there are even make-up stations and tables full of props and plushies – so get snap happy!
30. Ryu no Miyako Inshokugai
This neon-lit food court and late-night bar complex is epic – boasting almost 20 street food eateries, sake bars and dining experiences, Ryu no Miyako Inshokugai is one of the most popular places to eat in Shinjuku, especially at the weekends.
This Shinjuku Yokocho style eatery recreates the narrow alleyways of Tokyo in a cavernous huge building, kinda like Golden Gai on a grand scale.
There are three floors of food at Ryu no Miyako Inshokugai, from Japanese izakaya style bars to international eateries serving up Thai, Chinese noodles or pasta pronto.
The basement levels have a rather good line up of ramen noodle restaurants and the theming is top notch.
A short walk (or stumble) from Shinjuku Station, Ryu no Miyako Inshokugai is open 24 hours a day (selected stalls) and great for late night bites or boozy brunch and lunches.
31. Thermae-Yu Onsen
Time to get steamy in Shinjuku at night (and we don’t mean in a Golden Gai backroom kind of way).
Thermae-Yu Onsen is a public spa, sauna and hot pools that are open 24 hours a day. You can even have hot scrub treatments to get rid of the hangovers you might experience from all the nearby izakayas.
You could stay here for hours as there is a bar, restaurant, cafe and shop onsite to enjoy mid soak.
Please note onsen bathing at Thermae-Yu Shinjuku is nude and tattoos are not allowed.
32. Kura Sushi Tokyo at night – open until 11pm
Kura Sushi has to be Japan’s most joyful revolving sushi bar (“kaitenzushi”) and conveyor belt restaurant.
All of the sushi and drinks arrive by conveyor belt, plus putting away your finished dishes has been ‘gamified’. For every five dirty plates you drop into a slot on your table, you get a free go at an online game – great for families and big kids of all ages!
As prices at Kura Sushi in Japan start from just 120 Yen, it is one of the most affordable and authentic revolving sushi bar experiences you’ll encounter.
Most Kura sushi restaurants are open until 11pm at night (last orders at 10:30pm) including the new Kura Sushi Ginza flagship branch.
From ordering food to sushi conveyor belt etiquette (plus our visit to Japan’s largest Kura Sushi), here is our ultimate guide to eating at Kura Sushi in Japan >
33. Tokyu Kabukicho tower
Newly opened in 2023, Tokyu Kabukicho Tower in Shinjuku is a 53 storey building (48 floors above ground and 5 below) and one of Japan’s tallest 20 buildings.
An entertainment epicenter, here you’ll find everything from two hotels (Hotel Groove Shinjuku and Bellustar Tokyo) a cinema, theatre, clubs plus there is even a bus stop area built into the first floor for a very quick getaway.
Kabukicho tower really looks the part with vibrant artwork from Japanese artists dotted throughout plus a yokocho-alley style food-court, Kabuki Hall.
Namco also have set up an arcade and gaming bar (Namco Tokyo) complete with gachapons galore (there are said to be almost 300 different gachapon toy capsule machines).
On our last visit to Tokyu Kabukicho tower at night, we watched a J-Pop band on the main stage whilst playing arcade machines and also got the elevator up to the free viewing deck on the 17th floors (OK for free but the views aren’t exactly spectacular).
34. Grab a gachapon
Gachapon capsule toy stores are open until very late in Tokyo, and many are accessible 24 hours including the ones in convenience stores like 7-Eleven and FamilyMart.
Popular with otaku (オタク – Japanese pop culture) and visiting families, Gachapon machines in Japan are vending machines that dispense capsule toys in a small round plastic case.
Most gachapon machines have four to six types in each machine meaning you often don’t know which one you are going to get.
The world’s biggest gachapon store is Gashapon Ikebukuro Main Store, which has between 3,000 and 4,000 gachapon machines (and open until 9pm).
Harajuku is also home to CAPSULE LAB Harajuku Takeshita Street which is open til 9pm. For the best choice of late night gachapon stores, head to the Akihabara neighbourhood.
You might like our guide to the coolest gashapon capsule toys in Japan >
35. Ginza Lion Beer Hall
No less than Tokyo’s oldest beer hall and pub, a trip to Ginza Lion is like taking a step back in time.
A world away from the shiny skyscrapers and sleek shopping malls just metres away, the Ginza Lion Beer Hall is one of the most unique things to do in Ginza.
Built in the 1930s and now a listed building, Ginza’s gorgeous beer hall is very similar to the beer halls of Munich – it is almost like a little piece of Germany in Ginza.
All of the staff are very attentive and wear traditional uniforms – we also found Ginza’s beer hall a very popular place with the Japanese after work crowd / ‘salary men’ and women.
Read more in our guide to Ginza Lion Beer Hall >
36. Shibuya Scramble crossing at night
Perhaps the number one thing to do in Shibuya at night, Scramble crossing is said to be the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, with hundreds of thousands of commuters and visitors crossing the four way intersection every day.
Best viewed from Starbucks Shibuya Tsutaya (open until 10.30pm) or the nearby malls, you also have to experience and traverse Shibuya Scramble Crossing for yourselves.
It can be quite a challenge during peak periods but it is much easier to get across without bumping into others at night. Another alternative in Tokyo at night is to head to Mag’s Rooftop overlooking the Shibuya Crossing and grab a beer with the view.
A fun activity by day or even in Tokyo at night, Shibuya Scramble Crossing is a spectacular site – the annual New Year’s Eve celebrations here are pretty awesome too (crowds still turn up every year despite there being no fireworks or NYE time ball anymore).
You might like our Shibuya things to do + neighborhood guide >
37. Shibuya Yokocho
The best way to describe Shibuya Yokocho? Yum, yum yum – or even ‘Kanpai!’.
An epic epicurean evening experience (try saying that after several sakes), Shibuya Yokocho is an awesome alleyway of traditional izakaya bars and Japanese restaurants, recreated by a modern building (so it is all ‘fake’ old).
A short walk from Shibuya Station, all of the bars and outdoor chairs and tables in close proximity make for an atmospheric night out – you can even try the famous sumo wrestling stew, Chanko Nabe.
Inside, gaze at vintage interiors lit by lanterns and retro stalls like candy shops or an old bath house – Shibuya Yokocho is sublime for a post-sunset session of sake and skewers; you’re welcome!
You might like – Our guide to Tokyo’s best garden, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden >
38. Explore Akabane
Looking to go out in a less explored Tokyo neighborhood at night? Welcome to Akabane, an under the radar district with cheaper hotels and local izakayas (and not so many tourists – yet).
Located in northern Tokyo, we initially chose Akabane as the hotels are cheaper but we soon realised it is a really good area to stay in with lots of bars and chain restaurants, great transport links (Akabane Station is served by multiple JR lines) and very few tourists.
Hang out with the locals in alleyway pubs at night – but avoid the red light zone.
Love cute and ‘kawaii’ stores in Japan?
Check out our shopping guides!
• Tokyo Character Street stores
• Studio Ghibli stores
• Don Quijote stores
• Doraemon Future Department store
• B-Side Label stores
• Mandarake stores
• Best Gachapon Capsule toys
• Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo
Plus our guide to the best kawaii things to do in Tokyo >
39. Karaoke Ferris Wheel and Amusements at Tokyo Dome City
Japan loves karaoke and ferris wheels – so why not combine the two! Take a spin and sing a song on the Tokyo Dome Big O Ferris wheel at night, also known as Tokyo’s Karaoke Ferris wheel.
The world’s first centerless ferris wheel now also has JOYSOUND karaoke machines aboard every one of the 40 capsules so you can sing to your heart’s content on a 15 minute spin – it is open until 8pm every night.
You can find the karaoke song list here – we can’t believe they didn’t include ‘Spinning Around’ By Kylie Minogue or ‘Ferris Wheel’ by the Imagine Dragons.
Tickets for the Big O Ferris wheel cost 1,000 Yen per person or save money and buy this Tokyo Dome City attractions ride 5 ticket with Klook >
40. Sensō-ji
Is this Tokyo’s most beautiful temple? If not, Sensō-ji is certainly the busiest temple in Tokyo given its urban setting and close proximity to the Metro. So to avoid the biggest crowds, we recommend visiting at night (but yep, it will still be a little busy).
Although many of the buildings are quite recent due to the bombing in World World II, Sensō-ji was first established in 645 AD making it Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple.
Also known as Asakusa Kannon, Sensō-ji is the city’s most sacred and sublime Buddhist temple.
It is a must-do attraction in Tokyo just to see locals at worship, explore the grounds and see the guardians of Hōzōmon Gate.
41. Kabuki-za Theatre
Likely Tokyo’s most famous theater, this venerable venue plays host to kabuki style Japanese theater in the evenings (plus there are often matinee performances).
Kabuki is known for its incredible costumes and make-up and you can see a kabuki show most nights at Kabuki-za Theatre (but you generally have to book well in advance).
It is worth a visit even if you don’t have theater tickets as you’ll often see performers outside drumming up business for future shows plus the facade is so beautiful- we really think it is one of the most photogenic buildings in Tokyo at night
The original Kabuki-za Theatre was built in 1889 but it has been rebuilt several times due to fires, bombings or earthquakes – the current Kabuki-za theatre may look old but only dates around 10 years.
Check out this Kabuki talk in Ginza tour >
42. Nonbei Yokocho
Or as it means in Japanese, ‘Drinkers Alley’ – so yes, Nonbei Yokocho in Shibuya is certainly our kind of place!
A couple of small lanes of candle-lit bars, interesting izakayas and retro ramen restaurants Nonbei Yokocho has been around since the 1950s and is a popular salaryman spot after work.
Lit by lanterns, this place is ‘snoozeville’ by day but an entertaining evening may lie ahead in Shibuya.
43. Play Pachinko
Hear the noise of coins rattling and arcade slots ringing? That’ll likely be one of the numerous Pachinko parlours (you’ll find them all over Tokyo at night).
A bit like casinos in the West, Pachinko arcades consist of hundreds of machines in close proximity where players play the pinball style Pachinko machines, where getting the balls in certain areas wins tokens or cash prizes.
Given each machine has dozens of small ball bearings and there are hundreds of machines constantly in play, the noise can be quite deafening – we also found them to be quite smokey places as cigarettes linger in the area.
There are several huge Pachinko parlors and lounges in Shinjuku including Maruhan, Kaleido Shinjuku, Vegas Vegas and Aladdin.
You might like – Our guide to the 12 best Tokyo parks and gardens >
44. Yurakucho yakitori alley
An outdoor enclave of yummy yakitori restaurants and popular izakayas, this is one of the most popular evening dining spots in Ginza, frequented by students, workers and the occasional tourist.
Chock full of little eateries and huge great restaurants, the area is located under the railway line (although the sound of trains is often drowned out by all the noise of cheerful diners and lots of ‘cheers’).
As well as lanterns and neon-lights, look out for the huge sake barrels / bottles outside many restaurants. Given competition is so fierce, many restaurants and bars in Yakitori Alley have inexpensive set-menus or evening drinks and dining offers.
Try this – Japanese Whisky Tasting Experience at Local Bar in Tokyo >
45. Grand Hammer
Grand Hammer is a relatively new 9 floor entertainment complex that opened up a couple of months ago in Tokyo and is located across the road from JR Shimbashi Station. It was created by Yoshinori Hamakura (the brains behind Entame Yokocho in Kabukichō Tower, Shinjuku).
A bit of Las Vegas in Tokyo, it was free to enter so we wandered around one afternoon and it seemed pretty quiet but we guess it will be much more bustling at night.
On the first couple of floors are some awesome looking neon lit food courts, full of local workers and young couples.
The basement has a seafood restaurant with a huge aquarium, and the upper floors have a nightclub, a spa, geisha dining, sake bar, karaoke and more!
It also houses ‘The Grand Tokyo’ which is a live performance restaurant featuring magicians and martials arts! We also hear there are also real mermaids….
Check out this Grand Hammer admission and food / drink voucher on Klook >
46. Ginza 300 bar
Japan’s very first standing bar where all drinks cost just 300 Yen (plus tax), the first branch of Ginza 300 opened in 1992 and has been packing them in ever since with several new additions to the chain.
Upon arrival, drinkers buy drinking tokens / tickets at 300 Yen each (plus tax) which is around £1.60 / $2USD. These can then be changed for any drinks or food on the menu. The minimum ticket purchase is three tokens at any one time and if you buy 10, you also get one free.
300 Yen food includes persimmon and cheese pizza, assorted pickles or chicken ranch salad and cocktails range from mint julips to mojitos. This is incredibly good value and a great place in Ginza to hang out after a ‘hard’ day of sightseeing.
Ginza 300 also has a very Happy Hour between 5pm and 7pm each day where drinks are 2 for the price of 1.
At the time of writing (2025), there are three Ginza 300 Yen bars in operation, all open from 4.30pm until midnight on weekdays and Sundays (and until 2am on Saturdays).
47. Ikebukuro Nightlife
Perhaps best known for its late night bars, night-clubs and adult clubs, Ikebukuro is an izakaya hot-spot plus there are some very ‘interesting’ bars at night like the one with girls dressed as Playboy bunnies trying to beckon you in.
From maid and butler cafes to moonwalk bar, Bar Libre to Hub Pubs, Ikebukuro caters for all tastes at night, be they culinary or carnal. Be aware that many bars in Ikebukuro charge for entry or company and prices can be expensive – buyer beware.
48. Nakano Fureai Road
Eat, drink and be merry around Fureai Road (which also translates as ‘Getting to Know Each Other’ in Japanese). From the merriment of maid cafes to copious beers in the numerous izakayas here, this is Nakano’s top nightspot and nocturnal playground.
A myriad of bars and restaurants, Nakano’s Fureai Road is also one of Tokyo’s most photogenic streets.
At night, all the various eateries and bar’s signs light up to create an incredible nightscape, reminiscent of a Hong Kong street-scene.
Given all the reflections, it is also a popular photography spot when it rains in Tokyo.
49. Hooters Tokyo
If you are looking for some cheap eats or daytime drinking in lively surroundings, the Hooters branch in Ginza might be for you! This is the last remaining Hooters Bar in Tokyo as of 2025.
If you weren’t already aware of this bright orange eatery, Hooters is a huge worldwide sports bar and American diner chain with several locations in Japan including Ginza in Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.
As well as its cheap beer and massive food menus and lunch specials, Hooters is perhaps best known for its chirpy waitresses and happy hour specials such as cheap chicken wings.
50. Tokyo convenience stores at night
Japanese convenience stores (also known as ‘konbinis’ in Japan) are mostly open 24 hours and are a treasure trove of tasty snacks like egg sandwiches, plus alcohol like beer and sake.
There are around 55,000 convenience stores in Japan as of summer 2024 and the biggest convenience store chain is 7-Eleven with 22,000 7-Eleven stores, who sell oodles of instant noodles every day (although we think FamilyMart is much better).
Check out our Tokyo konbini convenience store guides:
- 7-Eleven
- FamilyMart
- Lawson (the best egg sandwiches and fried chicken)
- Daily Yamazaki (the best bakery products)
You might like our guide to Japan’s viral craft beer 7-Eleven Hammerheads store, that has hundreds of different craft beers!
Tokyo at night – our final thing to do
51. Late night okonomiyaki
One of our best nights in Tokyo was eating at the Aka Oni okonomiyaki restaurant (in Ikebukuro) during a Tokyo baseball game.
The restaurant is renowned as a popular spot to watch the Tokyo and Hiroshima teams playing, and has baseball merchandise and posters all over the walls – a cool way to watch live Tokyo baseball with local fans.
Better still, the Aka Oni Okonomiyaki was one of the best okonomiyaki we had in Tokyo, cooked on a hot griddle in front of us, served up with ice-cold beers.
The place was packed with workers eating well, drinking highballs and watching the sign. Highly recommended
Plan My Japan tip – if you are visiting Hiroshima, visit Okonomi-mura which has over 20 okonomiyaki restaurants under one roof.
PS. If you are based in the UK, check out our guide to London’s best okonomiyaki restaurants >
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