Quote:
Originally Posted by zachary
(Post 663098)
I was out, it was fun, yea careful of what??
BUT on a Monday night in Tokyo Shinjuku it was pretty much dead, I wen to Kabukicho and Roppongi
Kabukicho, I walked in circles it was so difficult to know what is what, I couldnt tell an internet cafe from a restaurant from a bar, strip club, massage place, etc etc, it was difficult, then the Nigerian guys buggin at me every 2 minutes was retarded, I finally gave in and went with 1 guy to a place that costed 3000 yen for 1 lady drink! WTF is that all about!!!!! Hung in "Hub" a lot tho it was cool but sucks being alone
Roppongi was SUPER dead, went into a couple bars with ZERO people inside, there was absolutely nowhere to go in Roppongi that was "on"
anyone know of a certain specific place to go where you can chill drink 600yen (or under) beers and chill?
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This is why I don't bother with night clubs in Japan. They are overpriced, overcrowded, and are more trouble than they are worth. Japan is not the place to visit if you are into nightlife; if you are into clubs, you should be travelin to Miami, LA, or Vegas.
Any place with Nigerian doormen is a place to avoid. Get too drunk and you might get back to your hotel and find your wallet has disappeared, and that your credit cards were charged for three or four thousand dollars worth of drinks over a 20 minute period. Good luck getting the charges reversed, the staff will swear you were drunk, and ordered drinks for everyone in the club.
If you just want a place to drink and relax, there are thousands of places to choose from. Most are small, located in back alleys, and are not frequented by tourists. You'll find good places in Meguro (near Shibuya), Akasaka, or even in older areas like Shinshichiro.
My Japanese friends prefer Ikebukuro, or Hachijoji, but I find those places too crowded, even if they aren't very expensive. My favorite places are the monja restaurants in Tsukishima. They are comfortable, the food is tasty, and most have a very good selection of beer, which is not overpriced. "Ataru", is probably the best. It's stylish, the food is excellent, and the prices are reasonable.
Tsukishima is an older neighborhood, but still very popular. It's located across the Sumida river from Tsukiji (which is next to Ginza). You take Harumi Dori (the main street which runs through Ginza and Tskuji), cross the large bridge. To get to Tsukishima, you turn left at the first street on the other side of the bridge (there will be a police box there). Following this street will take you through the middle of Tsukishima. Ataru is located near the far end of the street on the left. If pass under the highway, you've gone too far.
Tsukishima is not popular with tourists, hence the good food and reasonable prices. Monja is quite good. Your table will have a heated griddle on it, you cook the monja on this griddle, and eat it straight from the griddle once it is cooked. Be careful not to burn your tongue, it's quite hot. Your waiter or waitress will be happy to prepare it for you (at no extra charge) if you don't think you can make it yourself. Monja is a delicious Japanese dish which most foreigners aren't familiar with, and it goes especially well with good beer. I recommend it for the experience, if nothing else.
