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Post-covid nightlife 2023/1/21 04:58
Hi! Excited to have my trip finally coming up in about two months (postponed since March 2020).

Travelling with a beer enthusiast and had originally planned to visit smaller craft breweries and bars. Seeing as bars in Japan can be quite on the smaller side, do they still operate as per usual? I'm thinking specifically of Golden Gai with their very small interiors. I'd love to pay a visit to the place I have been frequenting my last few trips (though they probably threw out my bottle by now), but I'm curious if there's any covid related things to think about before we go. Assuming they operate at full capacity I guess you pretty much stay masked for the full stay, except while actually physically drinking. (Whereas at places that aren't as packed, I'm guessing you can unmask while seated.)

Haven't really seen much info on this, and would just like to meet local standards as far as covid considerations go. Thanks!
by kurisu81  

Re: Post-covid nightlife 2023/1/21 13:19
Plenty of info out there.

Wear a mask. Take it off for eating and drinking. Act like it is 2019 outside.
by H (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: Post-covid nightlife 2023/1/21 13:30
This writer claims Tokyo is nothing of its former self:
https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Tokyo-will-not-get-back-to-normal-unti...
by Uji rate this post as useful

Re: Post-covid nightlife 2023/1/21 21:04
The last time I went to Golden Gai was May, 2022. And I've also been to other bars in Tokyo and Yokohama, usually about once a month or two, often to "live houses" where bands would play.

Among the big differences in the past years is that a lot of bars now keep their doors and/or windows open for air at all times, and this includes winter. Same thing for local trains and buses.

Also, restaurants tend to take orders only up to around 8:30pm. So, for example, if you go see one of those three-hour movies in Hibiya in the evening, there would hardly be any place to have beer before the movie, and when the movie is over the beer places would be closed. But you do have the option to enjoy non-alcohol drinks and meals earlier in the evening. Some bars would close a bit later, but no later than 10pm. By the way, movie theaters still do late shows.

When drinking and dining, people pretty much chat with their masks kept off. So, among the unwritten rules in tiny bars like those in Golden Gai is that you leave when it starts getting crowded, so that others could drink safely.

A lot of drinking/dining places have big plastic shields standing between customers. But if you're with close friends or family, you can ask to have them removed and they'd quickly take it away for you.

Whether or not people shout while drinking pretty much depends on the bar rather than the person or district. TV tells me that some bartenders are against masks, but I've never actually met one.

I don't do karaoke, but the last time I attended a party, it so happened that a karaoke place was the only place available for our after-after party without reservation.

But in my opinion, heading home by 10pm is healthy. You can still have a lot of fun at dusk.

Golden Gai has a Facebook account. Feel free to update yourself through their photos.
https://www.facebook.com/goldengai/
by Uco rate this post as useful

Re: Post-covid nightlife 2023/1/23 19:30
Thanks for the replies, it's very helpful in getting an idea of what to expect.
by kurisu81 rate this post as useful

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