from 9 p.m. till 5 a.m. orlater every night. Sometimes
closed on Sunday.
Cesaurus Bldg. B1F & B2F,
1-10-11 Nishi-azabu,
Minato-ku.
(03) 3479-0690
¥¥¥
Zoo
Though Shimo-kitazawa features very few dance clubs making Zoo the unchallenged winner, this venue would hold its own when compared to many Roppongi clubs. It has evolved as the headquarters of Tokyo's truly cool and very young up-and-coming clubbing crowd. This place has atmosphere, but not the sort of superficial attitudinizing you find in Tokyo's mega-clubs. It's an almost tangible and slightly brooding atmosphere that hangs in the air like the sulk on a teenager's face—desperate to be recognized but slightly unsure of asserting itself. These kids have definitely got potential. Foreigners are not uncommon, but they are mostly low-budget western-suburb ghettoites who are similarly young and living on the edge. You'll find no high rolling or high heels in this club. Some say Tuesday is best, some say Thursday, but just like a teenager's mood this can change on a dime. So go check it out, but if you're over 25 be prepared to feel like a grandparent.
Open from 8 p.m. till 4 a.m.
every day. Open from 9 p.m. on
live nights.
Central Bldg. B1F,
2-14-7 Kitazawa,
Setagaya-ku.
(03) 3413-2266/3413-2428
¥¥
Pickford Live Hall
This is definitely a dancing venue. Though the club itself is not very big its value is enormous if you prefer your music live. Two very polished bands take turns delivering cover versions of the latest hits from the dance charts with a few funky favorites thrown in for good measure. The lineup of performers includes Americans, Africans, Filipinos, and Japanese, but regardless of who is up on stage at any given point, you are sure to be entertained with very slick show-time renditions of some of your favorite dance tunes. It is well-run and reasonably well-appointed. The dance floor could be bigger, but here as with everywhere else, this only seems to be a problem on the weekend. The price is a little steep for your average punter—¥3,000 at the door does not include drinks. So, if you have some fun-loving business pals in town on an expense account for a few days, they would not be disappointed with a night out here. Even if you treat yourself, it would be well worth every penny.
Open from 8 p.m. till 5 a.m.
Monday to Saturday. Closed on
Sunday.
Roppongi Raidick Bldg. B1F,
4-11-13 Roppongi,
Minato-ku.
(03)3423-1628
¥¥¥¥
Ink Stick Suzue Factory
The original Ink Stick was a very small but very chic downstairs club near the Boecho. That venue has since become a flamenco bar but Ink Stick has moved on to bigger and better things. The Suzue Factory is a large, modern, well-designed split-level club featuring interesting local bands and a variety of overseas acts ranging from jazz through ska to hip-hop. Quality live music has always been a priority. The entrepreneurial insight of the management in the days of the original venue led to Sade's first break in Japan. The decor is refined and the lighting subdued. The first floor is set up for dancing and mingling while the mezzanine is furnished with tables and chairs overlooking the stage. Separate bars service each level. If you go on a live night, the crowd will vary according to the band both in terms of who goes and how many people. But, if you drop by midweek on a non-live night, you'll pretty much have the place to yourself. This is definitely one of Tokyo's more up-market venues.
Open from 6 p.m. till 11:30 p.m.
every day, and till 4 a.m. on live
and event nights.
Suzue Baydium Bldg. IF & 2F,
1-15-1 Kaigan,
Minato-ku.
(03)3434-1677
¥¥/¥¥¥
Buzz
This was the boppers' choice of disco when it first opened a couple of years ago. Lots of local Bobby Brown impersonators clad in baggy suits and Doc Martin's flocked here in droves. They pranced about in front of their favorite music videos like religious supplicants imitating the movements of their gods. The club manages to maintain a following because of its reasonably large dance floor and giant video screens. It is extremely young and crowded on the weekend, but sparse enough during the week to comfortably accommodate your mom and dad—this would be a safe choice were they interested in sampling some of Tokyo's nightlife. All the staff graduated from the same too-cool-to-fool school of catering from which Roppongi's prepackaged discos hire. They are efficient and attentive, if a little snooty—just the sort of treatment that impresses moms and dads, but who else? The floor is a little uneven in places (especially around the tables), so watch your feet.
Open from 6 p.m. till 5 a.m.
every day.
Square Bldg. 5F,
3-10-3 Roppongi,
Minato-ku.
(03) 3470-0088
¥¥¥
Ethno-bop
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