Only One Night in Tokyo? Visit the Red Light District

Updated - Mar 2019

So how do you spend your only night in Tokyo? 

Simple. You head to the rooftop of one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo and then visit the heart of Tokyo's red light district! In this post, you will find some things to do in Tokyo.

Disclaimer: Leave all your belongings at your hotel. Be sure to bring cash. Have a credit card limit in place. Do not follow any touters into their drinking establishments (Izakaya's, or Japanese drinking pubs). Jamaicans bringing you into a pub in Tokyo is not a good sign. Always watch your drinks - gents, this especially applies to you! If you wake up in the morning and do not remember anything about Shinkuku the night before, you will know that you have forgotten about this disclaimer. Immediately, proceed to do a collect call to your credit-card company. Place a block on your card, and hope for the best. Good luck! ;-)

1. Take the subway to Roppongi Station. Head up the surface. If you see the resident giant Maman spider, you are in the right place.

2. Get tickets (museum, plus rooftop), pass through security and ride the elevator up to the 53rd floor - the Mori Art Museum. 

3. Assuming that it is still possible, have your good friend(s) carefully hang off the side the building. Take Instagram photos of her/them.

4. Be inspired by some amazing modern art, and then proceed upstairs, outside the building, on to the rooftop. In wintertime, be on this rooftop smack at sunset. Enjoy the romantic view of famous Mount Fuji against the setting sun.

5. Whilst you see Tokyo city light up, try to spot Japan's version of the french Eiffel Tower. They make most things here in Japan easy for you. To help you spot this structure, they painted the Tokyo Tower red. It is beautiful.

6. When it is close to pitch darkness here and your fingers are too numb/frozen, head back down. In December, you will see Christmas lights. 

7. Take the subway to Shinjuku - Oedo Line, 4 stops, 9 minutes, ¥220. 

8. Shinjuku is one of the biggest, and most happening areas in Tokyo. Feel free to have a look, but please skip the Pachinko parlours.

9. Arrive the gates of Kabukicho - the seedy red light district of the Shinjuku area, Tokyo.

10. Look for Godzilla. If you see his flaming atomic breath, you'll know it's your very lucky day.

11. Buy a disposable outfit from Donkihote; just in case you decide to head out for a costumed after party. (ha ha, no .. just kiddin here .. LoL)

12. Head straight for the Samurai Museum. Get in before the last tour at 8pm (?). Learn about samurai gear, ask lots of questions, be brave and get your picture taken.

13. Beeline to the Robot Restaurant with your pre-purchased tickets for your selected show time (tip: skip the dinner option). En route, there will be lots of seedy looking men in suits along street corners (with very direct questions to you gents). Do not be too concerned. They are just trying to make a living and doing their jobs. Relax, grab a beverage and enjoy the show. After the show, your retinas (and ears) will require a few days to fully heal. No worries, you should still be able to see afterwards.

14. By now, you'll be feeling peckish (hungry). Pick a ramen restaurant and buy your dinner from a vending machine (coz that's just how they do it in Japan). If you're in the mood for a simple snack, head to Gindaco first, for a scoop of octopus balls! (aka Takoyaki)