Hi,

A few friends and I from Australia wish to travel to Tokyo in just over a years time and experience the nightclub scene at Roppongi. I have heard it is Japans best, but I have also heard there are many problems with crime in the area ranging from petty theft/extortion to drugging foreigners to steal their credit cards.

Are there specific things we should know before we set out to Roppongi?

Cheers,

Sure.. they have all those problems and more...
Lots of foreign losers and assholes looking for innocent victims.

Roppongi and all those other Tokyo gaijin ghettos are the crappiest shitholes in Japan..

My advice would be to not waste your time there..
forget the clubbing and go see some real Japan..

But your choice, of course.

Which part of Japan should I go clubbing in then?

i wouldn't recommend vacationing to japan simply for the club scene.

there is some much more to see and do, beyond dingy, expensive "clubs".

however, if you are determined to experience the club scene i might offer a little advice...

i was only in the Roppongi area once. i went looking for a bar with a Japanese Beatles cover band. after some searching, i found the place and also found that they weren't performing that night.

i vividly remember being hassled the entire time i was walking the streets of Roppongi by "foreign losers and assholes" just trying to get me to come up into their nightclub and charge a fortune..its not worth it and it will ruin your experience of Japan..

i've heard way to many horror stories. check out the book "Tokyo Vice".

however, it's possible to have fun in Roppongi without the fear of getting "roofied".

i found a tiny little Jazz Bar somewhere in Roppongi that was about the size of a broom closet. it was filled to the brim with old records and stacks of jazz CDs. it was relaxing, without the worries of hidden "buy me drink" charges. it emptied out as the night went on and i really enjoyed the small, intimate atmosphere.

there are probably nightclubs in every city in japan. roppongi probably has the most in one area, but, more money more problems...just be careful.


why not check out Kyoto?? there are tons of old historical sites to visit during the day, and Kyoto also has it's own share of seedy nightclubs that are generally foreign friendly.

if you're simply looking for nightclubs, i would recommend a trip to Thailand or somewhere in Europe.