Open from 8 p.m. till 12 a.m.
Sunday to Tuesday and on
Thursday, and till 5 a.m. on
Friday, Saturday, and
Wednesday.
Uchida Bldg. B1F,
4-12-6 Roppongi,
Minato-ku.
(03) 3404-5531
¥¥¥
J Trip End Max
The J Trip conglomerate runs the hippest chain of clubs in this city and this one is their best. It is a very cool dance venue patronized by young, fun, and funky locals and a sprinkling of gaijin who have already infiltrated. It is also big. The second basement houses a large dance floor where you can bop till you drop—and that's what you'll want to do when the DJs are really cooking. The interior on this floor is suitably industrial with bare concrete walls and a small hideaway bar area at one end. Upstairs you will find a more subdued and comfortable atmosphere with low tables and couches where you can take a break from the frantic pace below. They play a lot of classic funk, soul, and rock on this floor, so you may not want to stop dancing if you go upstairs for a break. It does make a nice retreat from the blood-boiling thumpety-thump house music downstairs, though. This is one of the few clubs in Tokyo that almost achieves that dark, heady, and mysterious New York feel.
Open from 7 p.m. till 2 a.m.
Sunday to Thursday and till 5
a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Hara Bldg B1F & B2F,
3-4-18 Higashi-azabu,
Minato-ku.
(03) 3586-0639
¥¥¥
Java Jive
In my hall of fame for staying power, this venue rates an honorable mention. It is still going strong after the best part of a decade—in fact, it's predecesor in the same space managed an equally long stint. On the weekend, this large two-story basement venue attracts a faithful flow of expats, models, GIs, and some brave new local adventurers. Because of the club's norowdies-allowed door policy, it is a reasonably well-behaved group of partiers who end up thronging the dance floor and bar areas until closing. The walls are swathed in cute island-inspired graphics featuring repetitious silhouettes of dancing girls in grass skirts. A rough-hewn staircase connects the club's two interior floors, but its unevenness requires some negotiation after a few drinks. They used to have a novel sand-pit dance floor, but the band complained of sore throats so it was removed. Live reggae starts from eight p.m. with DJs dishing up an excellent mix of house and Latin dance favorites in between sets.
Open from 6 p.m. till 5 a.m.
every day.
Square Bldg. B1F & B2F,
3-10-3 Roppongi,
Minato-ku.
(03) 3478-0087
¥¥¥
Cave
Unpredictability has been this venue's middle name since it opened a few years ago. Nothing ever stays the same, but the heaves and sighs of a changing clientele are almost audible in this club. The nuts and bolts of the place make going here worthwhile, so to avoid disappointment in terms of who else you might find, I suggest taking your own group of party people. Two sizable black-as-night dance floors and an excellent range of DJs throughout the week make dancing here a highly contagious and deliciously addictive activity. The darkness quotient also makes it a great place to brush up your steps if you are at all shy. One of the only drawbacks is the club's relatively small mezzanine bar area. Sweaty, dehydrated escapees from the dance floor practically line the length of the interior waiting for some relief. But, as the dance floors are so dark, this will be your only opportunity to check out who's there. Despite its variability, it remains a fairly hip place to hang out.
Open from 8 p.m. till 3 a.m.
Sunday to Thursday and from 7
p.m. till 5 a.m. on Friday and
Saturday.
M&I Bldg. B1F & B2F,
34-6 Udagawa-cho,
Shibuya-ku.
(03) 3780-0715
¥¥
J Trip Bar Dance Factory
This venue offers a unique opportunity for firsthand observation of the Shibu-kaji (Shibuya casual) set— that mob of Japanese youngsters who dedicate their lives to the L.L. Bean catalog, but who think they are assuming a kind of Californian cool. This sociological offshoot from Tokyo's ever-evolving selfish youth have found (or rather created) their niche in this basement dance hall. Don't be fooled by the colorful psychedelic retro-60s murals all over the walls—you won't see too many punters who match the decor. The crowd depends on the night but they always tend toward young. Various DJs have regular slots on different nights of the week ranging in bias from soul to neo-surfer music—so check ahead to make sure. On the weekend, you can get down to a suitably mixed bag of hyper dance and disco. No bogus place this, dudes. There are not many dance clubs worth knowing about in Shibuya besides this one and Cave, so people pile in on the weekend.
Open from 6 p.m. till 12 a.m.
Sunday to Thursday and later on
Friday and Saturday.
Kokusai Bldg. B1F & B2F,
3-16 Udagawa-cho,
Shibuya-ku.
(03) 3780-0639
¥¥¥
Lexington Queen
The Lex first flung its doors open in the days when there were few party alternatives and has survived through the demise of all its original competitors. Part of the reason for its longevity is that it is actively co-hosted by this city's most seasoned social diplomat— Bill Hersey. The club is inconsistent in terms of party voltage, but because of Bill's strong Hollywood and Billboard ties, he frequently throws parties for visiting celebrities. You will occasionally run into a real movie star or the members of a flavor-of-the-month heavy metal band hanging out at the bar. The place was swamped with fans both inside and out the night Guns'n'Roses dropped by. The decor is getting a bit shabby these days and could definitely do with freshening up. Also, the dance floor is backed by revolving mirrored panels,
