15 Nightlife Experiences in Tokyo for a First Trip

1.Tokyo Bar Hopping Tour in Shinjuku (All-You-Can-Drink + Dinner)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,587 reviews · from $106Our pick

Spend about three hours exploring Shinjuku’s backstreet bars with a local guide and a group of no more than seven. Visit izakaya in Omoide Yokocho and Kabukicho, then a bar in Golden Gai or, depending on the day, a sake bar. Food and drinks are included, and guides such as Yohei, Yusuke, and Momo have been praised for their local insight and friendly style.

“This was our favorite experience of our trip! Our guide Naoki was so informative and fun. Would recommend him to anyone!! The experience is also great value. We got plenty of drinks and food for the price. So much better doing this experience with a local guide versus us trying to figure out where to go.”

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2.Shibuya Meltdown Nightlife Tour: All-You-Can-Drink Bar Hopping

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,058 reviews · from $106

Spend about three and a half hours bar hopping in Shibuya with a local guide and a group capped at eight. Start with Japanese beer, visit tucked-away izakaya-style bars, and enjoy food and drinks along the way, including all-you-can-drink at one venue. Karaoke may be part of the final stop.

“We loved our Shinjuku tour with Mayu! No one else booked our time slot so we ended up with a private tour which was pretty cool as it allowed us to ask a lot of questions about life in Japan. It was great to get to experience Shinjuku like a local! Definitely recommend this tour.”

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3.Pub Crawl and Bar Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 951 reviews · 5 hours · from $27

Meet your English- or Japanese-speaking host at Bar Propaganda in Roppongi, then make your way through local bars before ending at SEL OCTAGON TOKYO. Expect icebreaker games, welcome shots, discounted drinks, and a large international group. Hosts on past nights have included KT, Leah, Crystal, and Andrew.

“One of the most amazing experiences I had in Japan!! We do so many activities that it’s impossible not to make friends, I went there by myself and ended meeting so many wonderful people. You get free shots and drinks all the time. I highly recommend to do it I you’re in town during the weekend!”

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4.Shinjuku Bar Hopping with All-You-Can-Drink & Dinner

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 440 reviews · 3 hours · from $108

Follow an English-speaking local guide through Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and Golden Gai, stopping at three izakaya bars for dinner and drinks. Two drinks at the first bar, unlimited drinks from a set selection at the second, and one at the last are included. Guides such as Yuki, Icchan, and Mao have led the tour, but assignments vary.

“Great tour of three bar experiences. Good food and great drinks. Really enjoyed meeting with the other people on the tour and ‘resolving’ the problems of the world. Our guide was helpful and enabled a great tour.”

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5.Shinjuku Nightlife & Secret Backstreets Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 229 reviews · 1h 30m · from $22

Spend 90 minutes walking Shinjuku after dark with a local English- or Japanese-speaking guide. The route links Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, Golden Gai, and Hanazono Shrine, with stories about the district and tips for places to eat. A guide-recommended vending-machine drink is included. Guides such as Rinna, Sota, Mao, and Akira have led recent tours.

“Our tour guide was great. She took us to cool places that we would never have found on our own. It was a fabulous tour and we’ll worth the money.”

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6.3-Hour Tokyo Pub Crawl Nightlife Welcome Guided Tour in Shibuya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 209 reviews · from $46

Start at 7 pm outside Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu and follow a guide through two to four Shibuya nightlife spots. The route may include a standing bar, a sake bar in Shibuya PARCO, and a club-area stop. Shots between venues are included; drinks inside the bars are extra. Guide Yuri-san is one named guide associated with the crawl, but guides may vary.

“It was great fun and it was interesting to actually go out with some people local. There genuinely isn't any more to say but I cant post a shorter review ;)”

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7.Shinjuku Local Bar Hopping Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 186 reviews · from $118

Join a local guide for a three-hour Shinjuku night out, with stops at Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, and a Nishishinjuku sake bar. Dinner includes five local dishes, four drinks across the first two bars, and four sake samples. Guides have included Haru and Yo, though your guide may vary.

“We really enjoyed this tour - Haru took us to some great pubs we wouldn’t have otherwise found, in a neighborhood that we found to be confusing to navigate on our own.”

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8.Shibuya Meltdown Night Tour: All-You-Can-Drink Bar Hopping

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 183 reviews · 3 hours · from $103

Meet your English-speaking guide near Shibuya Crossing, then visit three local izakayas for a full dinner, Japanese beer, sake and other drinks. The small group is limited to 10, and the final stop may be a cozy bar or karaoke spot. Guides such as Lam, Masa and Yuki have led past tours, but your guide may vary.

“Yuki was great. He definitely went with the flow and let the group let loose. Definitely appreciate his friendly attitude and fun personality. By the second stop, everyone was having a blast in Shibuya.”

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9.Shinjuku Bar Hopping & Night Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 137 reviews · 3 hours · from $30

Spend three hours walking Shinjuku with a local guide, visiting Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho and Golden Gai. You’ll stop at three izakayas or bars, with chances to try sushi, kushikatsu, gyoza and sake. Guides such as Ayaka, Yuki and Hajime have led tours, but food and drinks cost extra. Bring cash, and arrive on time at Shinjuku Station’s East Exit Police Box.

“Miko was excellent! We visited three different restaurants—the first had really good sushi, and the second was amazing. We also had a sake-tasting experience where Miko explained the differences between each type of sake. I don’t think we would have found this place on our own. Lastly, we went to a little hidden-away karaoke bar and met some new people. Overall, it was a great experience with Miko!”

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10.Shinjuku Izakaya and Golden Gai Bar Hopping Tour (2h)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 67 reviews · 2 hours · from $96

Join a local English-speaking guide for a walk through Shinjuku’s drinking lanes, from yakitori stalls in Omoide Yokocho to the tiny bars of Golden Gai. The tour includes three alcoholic drinks and six to eight foods in a group of up to eight. Guides have included Hiro, Ryota, Ash and Sean, though you cannot count on a particular host.

“It was an amazing experience! Our guide Ash was really nice and interesting, it was a pleasure to talk with him. We really had a great time experiencing the drinking habits of Japanese people and wandering in this colorful neighborhood :)”

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11.WARP SHINJUKU Nightclub Ticket with Drink / VIP Plan

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 55 reviews · 1 day · from $9Best value

Choose a WARP SHINJUKU admission ticket with two drinks or all-you-can-drink, or book a VIP plan with priority entry and a traditional Japanese-style celebration. The club opens at 9 p.m. in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district and stays open until 4:30 a.m. Bring your original passport for age checks.

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12.Explore the Hidden Local Bars – 3.5 Hours

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 41 reviews · 3h 30m · from $87

Spend three and a half hours on foot around Nishi-Shinjuku and Kabukicho, stopping at three food venues for at least six dishes and included alcoholic drinks. Your English-speaking guide explains local food and customs, then walks with you toward Golden Gai. Past guides have included Emma, Miharu, Ryo, Natsuki and Hikaru, though your guide may differ.

“very good explanation of the food we had. great guide”

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13.Shinjuku Bar Hopping & Karaoke Night Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 19 reviews · from $32

Walk Shinjuku’s Kabukicho and Golden Gai with a local guide, visit bars and finish with karaoke. Guides have included Shun, Chihiro, Kann, Ayaka, Meiko and Naoto. The route and stops vary, and food and drinks cost extra.

“Really enjoyed my evening with Chihiro and Kann - thank you for showing me around Shinjuku last night! The sushi was delicious, sake is not my favourite but I am glad I have tried it, and the karaoke bar was lots of fun. Chihiro and Kann were knowledgeable, personable, and had good recommendations.”

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14.Shinjuku Golden Gai Bar Hopping Night Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 8 reviews · 3 hours · from $61

Walk Shinjuku’s nightlife streets with an English-speaking local guide, stop at two Golden Gai bars, and learn about Japanese whisky, sake, or shochu. Guides on past tours have included Annie, Kazu, and Tomoko, though your guide may differ. Food and drinks are not included, so budget for your bar tab as well as the $61 tour price.

“Honestly the best tour I’ve done in Tokyo.Good food, amazing atmosphere, and such a knowledgeable guide !”

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15.PUREMIE Ginza Japanese Nightlife Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 7 reviews · 2 hours · from $54

PUREMIE is a high-end dance show club in Ginza, a four-minute walk from Shinbashi Station. Your two-hour visit brings dance performances, pole shows, and regular acts, with occasional guest DJs and rap artists. The club emphasizes high-quality sound, and staff aim to explain drink and service costs clearly.

“Everyone was very nice and friendly. Really cool dance show”

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