Bar Hopping in Tokyo! 10 Tours to Get a Taste of This Fascinating City's Happening Nightlife

Japan’s nightlife is like no other, and going on a tour of Tokyo's gastropubs is one of the best ways to explore the city's vibrant and diverse bar scene. To avoid the overpriced and crowded tourist spots, why not join a Tokyo bar hopping tour? These allow you to connect with other travelers during your trip, and also experience Japanese dining culture and authentic izakaya cuisine with friendly locals. With a tour guide to facilitate smooth interactions and teach about Japanese drinking culture, it's guaranteed to be a fun night out!

There is an entire series on Netflix of this tour experience and not without a reason. The midnight Diners Tokyo Experience is one of the best and most appreciated experiences in Tokyo. From spending time exploring the local izakaya in the neighbourhood of kichijoji to tiny bars, this tour offers the best. Throughout your tour here, your guide will be well-versed in three languages. There are a lot of pubs that are themed in 1950s styles with record-scratching bartenders and creative things such as horse meat cuisines along with specialty cocktails and oolong tea shochu.

The tour consists of four hours of bar hopping tour of Kichijoji and Harmonica Yokocho, the know-how of Japanese drinking culture and etiquette tips from an expert and some of the most delicious cocktails such as whisky highballs and umeshu plum wine. The package does not include the cost of drinks and the cost should be borne by the tourist. Also, a drink would cost somewhere in the range of 500-700 yen. The booking amount per guest would be around JPY 12000 or USD 90 around and can be booked online as well.

Yet another vibrant bar hopping night tour in Japan is Tokyo Bar Hopping Night Tour hosted by Magical-Trip in Shinjuku. For those who are unaware, izakaya is the term for Japanese people drinking in local bars. If you are looking for those less known but incredible pubs in the Shinjuku of Tokyo at night then this tour is perfect.

This bar hopping includes drinks and foods and a total of 3 hidden local bars and pubs are open to be discovered. Further, the local food tour guide ensures that you are indulged in the beautiful evening throughout the day. In the tour, you have a option on 4 drinks and 3 dishes or 3 drinks and 4 dishes. Further, there is also vegan menu available for those who want it. Hop through the bars, eat good food and take a lot of pictures all for USD 94.

Bestowed with the 2018 Travellers Choice Award Winner, this is Tokyo’s largest and longest running nightlife tour. During the tour you can enjoy at least 4 different bars and clubs. Moreover, you will get discounts and offers on drinks along with a few free shots throughout the night. In the dynamic crowd of the happening people, you get to meet some of the finest and make great memories. Within the tour, all the venue charges are covered along with a welcome shot per bar.

Further, throughout the tours you will also find special discounts on drinks. You will enjoy Unlimited Jägermeister, Jose Cuervo, or Stolichnaya bottle shots between bars. Along with free club entry, the tourists can also enjoy various games and activities. While booking for this pub crawl make sure that you are reading some important information such as carrying a valid photo ID and so on. Also take a look at their cancellation policy. The booking amount starts from USD 25 or so per person. Book this tour on viator.com

Just like the Shinjuku tour, Shibuya Bar hopping night tour from Magical-Trip also takes you through 3 local bars that are close to Japanese local culture. Enjoy the drinks and food throughout the tour and experience Shibuya’s night culture as you share the table with the locals. Start the tour with Japanese beer from the most iconic landmarks – Shibuya crossing and then taking a halt at the first bar where the tourists can enjoy Japanese beer and local grilled dishes.

The second bar is situated on the indoor streets and is called a yokocho. Throughout the tour you get to taste delicious Wagyu, sushi and Japanese Sake. The tour is open to anyone above 15 years and can follow the itinerary mentioned on the website. Make sure to reach the starting point on time to start the tour on time and respect everyone’s time. An important point to note is that although anyone above 15 years of age can join, only those above 20 years of age are allowed to consume alcohol as per Japanese law. Get started with this tour by booking it for USD94 per person on magical-trip.com.

Klook Travel's local bar hopping experience is a 2-hour bar drinking, eating and enjoying the experience that you should definitely experience. This tour provides a guided and first-hand experience of Japan’s nightlife. While you will visit the places that are popular with locals, the guide will also take you to the places that are not usually visited by tourists but are hidden treasures. A minimum of 2 people are required for the tour. Also, make sure to read the requirements before booking the tickets. For this tour, the cost per person is around USD 125. Book on this tour on Klook's site

If you want to enjoy the craft beer of Japan then Koenji Craft Beer Bar Hopping Tour is perfect for you. The Kraft beer tour around Tokyo’s “Retro Hub” starts with the local beer and liquor shop to see and taste the collection of craft beer. Thereafter, the tourists will spend the next 2.5 hours in and out of the local bars with a guide and tasting the growing Japanese craft brew scene. One of the best things about this tour is the relatively less expensive drinks compared to downtown Tokyo.

If you are looking to book this tour, then know a few important things such as the amount you pay including the guide and one drink. After that, you would need to pay for all the drinks and food after that. This tour can be booked on Airbnb which requires the guests who attend the tour to be 20 years old and above. Airbnb will also require you to carry a photo ID and Japanese Yen (cash) as some of the restaurants and pubs in the area take cash. You can book this Airbnb experience on AirBnB where it starts from around USD 30 per person.

Late night food and bar experience has a charm of their own and if you want to experience the nightlife of Japan in its truest sense then Shinjuku After Dark Izakaya Tour is your experience. With the guide taking you to the spots bustling with the locals, you will experience the most authentic environment of Japan during the night. From traditional standing bars to the authentic izakaya gastropubs, this tour has everything to give you a peek into and enjoy the vibrant Japanese night. Along with the beer, there are a host of food options such as grilled Japanese dishes and so on.

Starting with the tour, your first stop will be Kabukicho entertainment area and experience the truly authentic and unique drinking experience of drinking district that is as old as 1940. There are over 200 eclectic bars to hop around and have the best experience. You can either explore throughout the night once the tour ends. Talking about total duration of this tour, it takes around 3 hours and the tour is family friendly. Total number of guests in this tour are 1-5. When it comes to dishes, there are a total of 4 dishes in the tour and three complimentary drinks. The price of this tour starts from JPY 15000 yen or USD 115 per head. You can book the tour on byfoods.com.

In this tour, you will experience Japanese specialities such as okonomiyaki known as Pancakes, grilled meat and vegetables known as yakitori in Japanese and sashimi along with the sake which is also known as Japan’s national beverage. The small group evening izakaya tour includes tour guide only.

The tour guide will take you to some of the most hidden but lively pubs of Japan where you can eat and drink and enjoy the local culture and cuisine. Since the group will be small, the experience would be very personalised. The tour offers the tourists to explore either Shinjuku, Shibuya or Yotsuya districts according to their convenience. Once the tourists choose their meeting point, the tour starts at 5 pm and ends back at the meeting point. The total time of the tour is 2 hours and 30 minutes post and your guide will guide you on how to reach the starting point or will guide you to the nearest station. Do note a few points such as to book the tour a minimum of two people are required and there is no straddle or wheelchair assistance. Last but not the least, the cost of this tour package starts at around USD 180 per person. Book it on Viator

Asakusa is an area in Tokyo that brims with the ethnicity and local food. A very popular area of Tokyo, you will find some of the best pubs and bars in this area along with delicious Japanese cuisine. It is the same area where famous and beautifully lit Asakusa Sensoji temple is situated. One of the many attractions of this tour is knowing about and tasting sake, the national drink of Japan. Further, stroll around the area to know the local culture and traditions of Japan.

Apart from Sake tasting, you will also be accommodated to the street Izakaya bar and last but not least Monja-yaki restaurant. The tour begins at 5 p.m. and one has to do a lot of walking so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. The minimum number of people required to book the tour is 2 and in the event of cancellation, the amount will be refunded completely. It is highly advised to read all the information before booking the appointment. You can book this tour on JapanWonderTravel at the cost of around JPY 11000 or USD 85 per person.

Get going with this Tokyo Local Food and Drink Experience with a Bar Hopping Master tour. On this tour, you get to explore the bars of Ueno, Shinbashi and Ikebukuro districts of Tokyo with the local guide. In the 2 hours of this tour, you will come across the local pubs, food and culture and some of the local spots that tourists generally do not know about. Coming to the tour, you either get to choose 1 dish and 2 drinks or the other way around. All additional food and drinks as well as transportation to and from the bars will have to be arranged by the tourists themselves. The two-hour bar hopping experience will cost you Rs. 10,525 or around USD 125 per person. Tour book head to Viator.

Tokyo bar hopping tour is a exciting and novel experience that also helps the tourists get acquainted with the local culture of Japan and have fun filled night. Be prepared better for the experience by knowing basic nitty-gritties

A bar hopping tour will typically include guided tour of 2-3 popular bars and some complimentary food and drinks. On your tour, the guide will also take you to the unique places and to the destinations most enjoyed by the locals. There would be some tours that might also offer discount over the drinks after the complementary ones.

Drinking in Japan is a costly affair and therefore a lot of locals go prepared to these pubs and bars. All you need to do is to go to the Konbini (convenience store) and get a $2-$3 drinks. Drink up on the street as in Japan it is not frowned upon.

There is usually no dress code to visit the bars in Tokyo and jeans, sneakers, tees and dresses are good to go everywhere. When it comes to tattoos, know that there are still a few places in Japan where you are not allowed with tattoos on. So if you have one, make sure to cover it before visiting public places like bars and restaurants.