Five ways to enjoy Tokyo after dark

Looking to fill your itinerary with more things to do at night? Put these recommendations on your list now

Time Out in association with Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Advertising

Just because the sun has gone down doesn't mean you have to retreat back to your hotel room – Tokyo really does offer a whole new experience after dark. To promote this, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has identified six itineraries that take in the best the city has to offer at nighttime, and has invited a select group of influencers from USA, Australia and France to test them out. You, too, don't have to be left behind as we've listed here five of the most interesting recommendations you can do at your leisure.

  • Art
  • Kamiyacho

Ultra-technologists TeamLab are the force behind this new and immensely popular exhibition space, which spreads out across 10,000 square metres, covering five distinct areas. You'll get to experience about 50 high-tech (and supremely Instagrammable) works of dynamic digital art, including several immersive creations that can only be found here. There is no set route through the museum, so you are encouraged to wander freely around TeamLab's psychedelic world.

Feast on seasonal dishes at Happo-en
  • Things to do
  • Shirokanedai

Originally part of a samurai lord's estate, this vast Japanese garden is now used mainly for weddings and other large parties. Enjyu, the historic Happo-en's own Japanese restaurant that overlooks the garden, offers a series of 12 monthly dishes made only with the finest seasonal ingredients – they are even served on plates inspired by the time of the year.

Advertising
  • Attractions
  • Sightseeing
  • Roppongi

Take in a jaw-dropping 360-degree view of the world's greatest city from the 52nd floor of the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. At this vantage point, you can spot all of Tokyo's greatest hits – from Shinjuku Gyoen and the National Diet Building to Tokyo Tower and the Skytree. The ticket price includes entry to the Mori Art Museum one floor above, so you might want to check out some art during the day and then admire the sunset through the observatory's floor-to-ceiling windows.

Go night paddleboarding with Outdoor Sports Club Zac

Want to see Tokyo from the water? Book a SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) or canoe tour with Outdoor Sports Club Zac, whose instructors will guide you up the Kyu-Naka river towards the Skytree. The view enroute will be different every season, with cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer and fiery foliage in autumn. Beginners and small groups welcome.

Advertising
  • Restaurants
  • Akabane

Akabane is the north Tokyo neighbourhood of choice for anyone looking to drink on the cheap, and Torobako is the best seafood-focused izakaya in town. This is the kind of eatery that will satisfy gourmands and boozehounds in equal measure: it offers fresh fish you can grill at your table and photogenic offerings such as perilously high piles of ikura (salmon roe) and uni (sea urchin). Its OK Yokocho location has only counter seats on the ground floor, where the chefs cook up delicacies over a charcoal grill. Don't miss out on the fatty 'maguro kamayaki', which is grilled tuna meat cut from around the gills.

Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising