Looking for awesome non-tourist fun

Hello Everyone! I'm planning a trip to Japan this coming year and as I'm planning I realized that I didn't want to stick to doing what most tourist do, which is site-seeing at temples and shrines. Don't get me wrong, I am going to do that as well but I'm also going to have fun.

Do you recommend any fun clubs, bars/pubs, or non-tourist places that I should look into when I visit? I don't mind meeting some new people and having some awesome fun with strangers. I'm interested in doing new things so feel free to recommend anything you find awesome!

A bit about myself, Im a 25 Hispanic guy from NY who loves drinking, electronic music, and am not afraid of talking to new people. I will be visiting Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Tokyo, Nikko, and possibly Yokohama.

Let me know what cool places you recommend!!!!

Do you speak fluent Japanese? Even young educated Japanese aren't necessarily good at speaking fluent English. Be prepared to long silences between words while they frantically search for the next word..

You may want to make friends in Roppongi and ask them.

I have to follow the twitter of TIMEOUTTOKYO. Event of interest is placed a lot of the HP here.
http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo
http://www.timeout.jp/en/kyoto

Google is your friend. Drinking and electronica should be easy to find in the bigger cities. Do you have any daytime interests? The big thing I can think of in Tokyo would be art, but you should be able to partake in many of your hobbies.

Btw, most tourists in Tokyo and Osaka are not visiting temples and shrines.

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I know as I visit there will be a language barrier and I'm doing my best to learn as much Japanese as I could before I go.

I heard Roppongi has a lively night life but I also heard that it is quite dangerous to venture alone. Would someone be able to explain why?

I do use Google quite often but I was looking to see if anyone who has lived or visited Japan had any recommendations on what i should do/or visit? (Away from the Temples & Shrines)

What do most tourist do in Osaka & Tokyo if not visiting Shrines & Temples?

I'm open to many things. I don't really know what to do during the day in Japan. I like my Manga & Anime, visiting weird Museums, seeing live shows, going paint-balling/go-karting, painting/writing, etc... I'm up for anything that turns into an adventure.

Many tourists will stroll through different neighborhoods. The observatories like Tokyo SkyTree are always popular. People go for the food, and even to look at food in the department store basements. There are several interesting gardens and parks in Tokyo, even if they might be a level below famous ones in Kyoto and elsewhere. Of course there is shopping and museums.

Sounds like you art. Check out sites like http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/index.en a few weeks before you go. You might check out game centers (video arcades) in Shinjuku, Shibuya or Odaiba.

As for Roppongi, I believe it's mostly safe, at least from an American perspective. But you should read the advisories before you go.

2 other options for meeting people - stay at a hostel frequented by foreign tourists, or look up clubs involving your hobbies and try to find events.

Thanks, ChicagoMike!

I will look into this! I will be definitely be exploring the neighborhood and looking into the museum you provided.

Yea, I'm definitely trying to do is stay at a guesthouse or hostel so I can meet fellow travelers and speak to some Japanese locals.

Do you have some other advise to offer a first-time solo traveler?

The Embassy of the United States in Tokyo Japan is located in Akasaka, near Roppongi. Therefore there are many foreigners in Roppongi.
There are lots of restaurants/bars in Roppongi. You will probably see some fighting especially at nights around this area. Policemen, police cars coming and going all the time in Roppingi. And also there are drug dealers and buyers hanging around this area. Roppongi is one of the most dangerous and criminal area in Tokyo.

My suggestions are:

Anime&Manga&Games: Nakano Broadway, Akihabara
Music records & CDs(Used): Disc Unions at Shinjuku
Korean town(Little seoul):Shin-Okubo in Shinjuku
China town:Ikebukuro-North exit
Historic Neighbourhood:Yanaka,Nezu,Sendagi near University of Tokyo
Musical Instruments Stores:Ochanomizu
Book town(the largest book town in the world):Jinbocho

tokyo friend 48,

Awesome suggestions! I will work these locations into the mix when I go visit. Perhaps, i will find some unique things that my friends would like back home (Especially in Shinjuku & Akihabara).

Thanks a lot for taking the time to reply!

Unless you are looking to hookup, I don't see any reason to go to Roppongi. When I was living in Tokyo 20 years ago it was one of the few dance club areas in town - it's no longer the leader there either.

Advice:

- Look for festivals. Even neighborhood festivals can be a lot of fun
- For drinking try Golden Gai in Shinjuku, or yakitori places such as Yurakucho - http://www.mrfoodie.co.uk/120/travel/japan/yurakucho-yakitori-alley-to... . Or more generally, izakaya. Most of these involve eating as well.
- pick up some t-shirts at Uniqlo. I don't think they carry funky Japanese ones in New York

@ChicagoMike,

Yea, I'm not really looking to hook up and having someone cling to me all the time there. I'm just looking for some fun things to do so I'll look into Roppongi and see if something catches my attention. If not, I'll skip it.

How would I look up information on Festivals? I know how to look up what festival is when, but where would I find info on where they are located. For example, if they are held at certain park or section of the city.

Golden Gai and getting yakitori in Yurakucho sounds awesome as well. I will put these on my list too. I don't mind eating at all! Haha

We have a Uniqlo here in NYC but yea, I doubt they will have anything funky like they do in Japan. I will look into this as well.

Thank you again!

You can find the big ones here: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/festivals/ . Those can be worth planning a trip around.

Small ones are a bit harder to find. Local tourist offices should have that info. For tokyo, try http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/search?type=event&order=bymostviewed . And I see for the first time there is a related site for Kyoto - http://www.timeout.jp/en/kyoto .

Great! I'm planning to go in May so I'll see if I can schedule my days around some festivals.

These links are definitely helpful! Thanks again, ChicagoMike.

There are some amusement parks in Tokyo.
Tokyo Dome City Attractions and Toshimaen have easy access.
Yomiuriland(45-70min) and Fiji Q highland(120min) take a bit longer distance, as well as Tokyo disney resort.

There are many art galleries and science/technology museum if you are interested include Ghibli museum(booking essential).

Tokyo is a good place to study modern art and architecture. There are many famous modern buildings in Tokyo both Japanese and foreign architects design.

Tsukiji fish market is the largest fish market in the world, open and close very early(about 3 a.m. until lunch time).

There are some members only bars/restaurants in Roppongi, shinjuku, shibuya area. So make sure you need to ask at the food place that you are allowed to go or not.

Over the years in the mid 90s then the turn of the century (it sounds oddd saying that and not referring to a time a hundred years ago) and then again in the late naughties i used to spend quite a bit of time in Roppongi (every week almost in the beginning...yes, spent way too much time there) and i could count how many fights i saw on one hand that had some fingers chopped off. Not once was i ever in a fight or even an argument and not once did i ever feel unsafe. Maybe if you were comparing Roppongi to other suburbs of Tokyo then you could say it was more dangerous but realistically, i found that it was incredibly safe.
As for festivals, they are a great idea. Have a look at this thread and you might find one that will match up with your itinerary http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+99544

@tokyo_friend_48,

Since this will be my first time going, I don't think I would be visiting the amusement parks. I will keep them in mind though as you never know what you will be doing when you arrive there. As for the art galleries and science/technology museums, I am very interested in these. I saw some information on this from the link ChicagoMike provided above.I am a big fan of Ghibli so the Ghibli museum is definitely on my list. Thank you for the information.

@halfnhalf,

I looked into whats going on Roppongi on-line. I saw stories about how people (especially foreigners) are tricked by touts and pretty girls. They are lured into bars from clubs and then given a large bill for ordering a simple drink or even drugged & robbed. I would like to avoid any negative confrontation when I arrive there so I will think it through thoroughly before I visit Roppongi or any shady area matter of fact. I don't mind the fighting as in NYC you see this from time to time, but I don't want to be hustled. The articles I read could of been dated though so does this still happen? Just wondering...

In addition, do you guys know of any reliable links for looking up guest houses? I looked some up on Google but I wondered of you guys have any recommendations.

Thank you again!

Odaiba Island in Tokyo Bay is an interesting place, especially Toyota show room where you can see cars you will not see outside Japan, and, if you have a driver license, use small automated cars.

http://www.megaweb.gr.jp/About/en.html

To make the visit more interesting take a very fancy water bus at Asakusa:
http://www.suijobus.co.jp/cruise/line/as_od_line.html

http://www.suijobus.co.jp/ship/index.html

Some very good suggestions here! Just a few more: Cupnoodles Museum and Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum (in different parts of Yokohama): http://www.whereintokyo.com/dbinx/popcult.html

There's also a Cupnoodles Museum near Osaka if that's more convenient; they're very similar.

An architecture and design-oriented tour of Tokyo: http://www.whereintokyo.com/dbinx/arch.html

And finally, owl cafes, rabbit cafes, and of course cat cafes: http://www.whereintokyo.com/dbinx/animals.html

@Monkey See, is the Gundamn still on Odaiba island? Odaiba Island looks like a interesting place indeed. The Toyota Showroom looks cool too. Are you saying that if I have a license I get to drive their cars around? Awesome!!!!

Thanks for your input!!!

@Umami Dearest, I was always interested in the Ramen Museum. I heard that if you go on their tour that you would be able to make your own Ramen, which is an idea that I really like! Yes, I am into architecture and the link you provided is awesome! Thank you!

How popular are animal cafes in Japan? Would it be weird if a grown guy were to stop by on of these? What do you guys think about Maid Cafes? Any good ones that are worth a trip? Either in Osaka or Tokyo. I heard @home is pretty good but super expensive.