Best bars in japan
 

Ok, I have a handle on restaurants in Tokyo...
What about Bars in Tokyo and Kyoto?

Where are the fun, hip places to go? I plan to go to the ICE BAR, but what else is interesting ?

I generally look for classier places where I can relax and get a decent martini, and these often inlcude hotel bars :)

In Tokyo, I'm rather partial to the bar at the Hotel Metropolitan Marunouchi (part of the restaurant "Tenqoo"). It helps that you can get an awesome view of Tokyo Station from here.

In Kyoto, I recall enjoying the Westin Miyako's bar Moonlight, though they had a cover charge when featuring live music (use Keage station on the Tozai subway line). Excellent view of the city.

Also, the bar adjacent to the Yokohama City Air Terminal (YCAT), of all places, is a very interesting place with some interesting people. The bartenders periodically put on a show with flying bottles and glasses, and they're not always successful:eek:. Don't know if it's still open, but I've always meant to go back. Can't remember the name, but it's hard to miss.

It depends on what you feel is interesting, too. I thought Bar Popeye (review) was a great place to taste a lot of Japanese beers, but it really depends on what you're looking for (in that case, beer). ;)

I can hardly wait for our resident gurus to weigh in on this one. You really need to tell us what makes a bar "good" for you. Tokyo has more bars than Australia has 'roos!

if you're looking for an adventure.. during my stay in tokyo...my friends and i found this really local bar in ikebukuro. hang a right at the kfc. go straight.it's the one with a brown awning left hand side. in a basement. the place is about 20 feet by like 5 feet- can only fit like maybe 15 people. im pretty sure the owner lives there. it's called the american bar...with an american theme and everything- with war uniforms hanging from the ceiling and other weird stuff! except the owner is japanese and does not speak a word of english! nothing fancy..but everything there was pretty cheap 1 shot would be equivalent to 2 or 3 shots elsewhere! the guy would give us like a glass of vodka..lol. we went there a few times and it was quite enjoyable.

Very cool. Actually, I like a variety. Some evenings, a dressier classy place.. other times, beer and peanuts. So, I want variety! Any places that are "typical Japanese" if there is such a thing?

I have read that most of the nightclubs are mostly "under 30's". Any place for we 40 somethings?

THank you all so far for the posts.. i'm going to print all this stuff out.

You can find izakaya (Japanese style bar) in almost any part of Tokyo. Near most major stations, you'll find whole streets of hole-in-the-wall places. One celebrated example is Shinjuku's Golden Gai.

I guess it's unlikely that many flyertalkers will find themselves in Kachidoki... but if you ever stray there, I would recommend stopping by Bar Tin. It's one of the tiniest and friendliest bars in town. Standing room only for about eight customers.

For more Japanese flavor you could try any of the excellent sake pubs that are recommended in this article by John Gauntner:
http://www.bento.com/drinks/sake01.html

And... many more bar reviews in Metropolis:
http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/530/bars.asp

When I lived in Tokyo, Frigo was always my preferred spot for Beer and Snacks. It was only a couple blocks from my office - one of the things I miss most from being there.

http://www.bento.com/rev/1481.html

I had the privilege of getting plastered with John Gauntner last Wednesday. Let me tell you, sake must have some aromatic alkyls not present in other lesser forms of alcohol, because the good stuff will disconnect your central nervous system from its network.

Kyotoites think of their city as a Japanese Paris of sorts and it shows in a French touch in much of the bar scene. Italian style is also popular.

For fashionista Izakayas Pontocho is still the right place, Imadegawa street has a few beautiful bars/cafes. Or you could get up to Kurama, buy some rice wine from the village shop and sip it while bathing in the outdoor tubs.

There's an area around a canal in central Kyoto (Kiyamachi) that's one of my favourite places for going out ever.

The are maybe 20-30 bars with just ~8 chairs in each, with some really unique styling. It's like Berlin, but with Bonn-like attention to detail in the creation of cocktails.

Pretty Space Mushroom Bar is unique, but my favourite has to be Dog Bar - a small bar with a yapping dog sitting on the bar. Genius.

I didn't do the underground Tokyo scene (which sounds worthwhile), but for anyone who has seen Lost in Translation and those who haven't I can recommend a drink or two at the New York bar at the Park Hyatt. Annoyingly they charge a 2,000 yen cover charge even for premium Hyatt members staying at the hotel, though.

Edited: As noted 2 posts below, I was being over-optimistic about the amount that I spent that night, so entry to the New York bar has been corrected...

Shinuya Piss Alley
 

In addition, and in the style of Goruden Gai is the Piss Alley remenant in Shibuya. Exiting the station at the main plaza area (Hachiko exit) walk under the Yamanote tracks on the North East side and take the first immediate left as you just begin to walk out from under the cover of the overpass

Unfortunately, there is one detail wrong there, I believe the cover charge in the NY Bar after 8pm is Y2000.

It's been a few years, but in Tokyo I very much liked the bar-restaurant Kamiya Bar, in Asakusa between the Kaminarimon Gate and Sumida River. This is (or was some years ago) an interesting, century-old plus joint with real old fashioned Shitamachi atmosphere. The food (mostly Japanese but with some Western dishes) was good and cheap, and you could buy big foaming mugs of draft beer. They also had a house specialty drink (forget the name) made with a special type of brandy which was supposed to be potent, but I didn't try it. I may have been the only non-Japanese in there, but everyone was friendly and I didn't have any problem getting into conversations in English. I remember it was smoky though -- maybe by now there are non-smoking policies. Does anyone know if this place is still there and still good?