Day or night, Tokyo is a fascinating blend of contradictions. While exciting and fast-paced, the city is also clean and quiet. It often resembles an alternate New York City. There are millions of things to do, the skyscrapers appear to touch the clouds, and the fashion is top-notch. A seemingly endless stream of people and cars pour across the intersections in waves, yet rarely bump into each other, honk their horns or exchange angry words. The people tend to be friendly and polite.
When the sun goes down in Tokyo, there are countless activities to engage in. The four main areas I recommend you explore are Ginza, Roppongi, Shibuya and Shinjuku. Ginza is the high-end shopping district, where everything Western and Eastern in the modern fashion world collides. There's a Gap and Dolce & Gabbana but also the Sony Store, where all the latest technology gadgets from the popular Japanese corporation are on display in an almost museum-like setting. The department stores tend to take up an entire city block, but they don't just sell clothing. The ground floor consists of a market selling everything from tea to seafood to pastries. The top floor usually contains "Restaurant City", where sushi establishments, noodle houses and other restaurants congregate. Unless you tell them not to, the sushi chefs will put wasabi on everything, even kappa maki (cucumber roll.)
Roppongi is a haven for twenty- and thirty-somethings. There are many clubs, bars, cafes and restaurants to keep you entertained. The international flavor extends to the food and music offerings. You can find Italian food and an Irish pub side-by-side. My favorite club is Gas Panic, where regular girls often dance on the bar and techno music from top DJs blasts all night long. Almond, a bright pink café on the corner where the subway lets you out, is a popular meeting place for couples or groups of friends who arrive from opposite areas of Tokyo. The food and coffee are a bit pricey, though. If you're feeling frisky, there are some modeling contests going on in a few of the bars. The bookstore near Almond has English language magazines (such as EL Magazine), not unlike Time Out New York, that will help you decide where to go and how best to get there. They also have discount coupons for drinks. Remember, though, subways generally stop running by 2 a.m. so you if plan to stay out really late, bring enough cash for a taxi.
It might sound like a waste of time to visit Starbucks in Japan, but the one in Shibuya overlooks the main intersection from a few stories up, and it's fantastic for people-watching. If you can't bear to spend money at a place you see every day in the States, opt for Excelsior Coffee instead. It sports a similar logo but a way different vibe: much more local, with better food. Shibuya attracts younger kids than Roppongi does – most are in high school or junior high, and love to hang out in the arcade and shop. You will probably hear the familiar noises of Pachinko, an extremely popular game among Japanese of all ages and backgrounds. It resembles pinball but it's much louder. You can also make fancy sticker photos with your friends at the arcade. You'll look perfect – the computer airbrushes out any facial imperfections automatically.
Shinjuku is more of a "red-light" district, though not dangerous by any means. Don't leave the subway station there too quickly: department stores fill the underground and it's also great for people watching. Outside, hostess bars populate the streets. These bars cater to the Japanese Salarymen. Women of all nationalities are paid to keep them company, laugh at their jokes and persuade them to buy more drinks. The Park Hyatt Hotel from the film Lost in Translation (starring Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray) is nearby.
If you can make it to Harajuku, it's worth a quick stop to see the Harajuku Girls, who hang out in groups on the bridge before the Meiji Temple. They are dressed in what appear to be random outfits but are actually carefully calibrated styles culled from punk, goth, new-wave and mod fashion.
Don't let the subway system intimidate you. Because of the World Cup Soccer Tournament held in Japan some years back, there are English signs nearly everywhere.
