Tokyo Clubbing - ID checks

I'm heading to Tokyo in about a week and I wanted to go clubbing there. I know the legal age to club is 20 but would there be some clubs that were more flexible on the limit ?

My friend and I are 18 year old asian girls from north america. We were thinking of clubs in Shinjuku/Shibuya like club atom, club camelot, womb etc.

From my experience at some of the popular ones in Shibuya, they check for IDs. I went in a group of people, mix Japanese, Korean, Asian-Americans etc, everyone's ID was checked, my Korean friend had forgotten his ARC so they didn't allow him in until he got in a taxi back to his apartment then back to the club.

Yeah I guess they are tightening up on the ID checks then eh.

I have a friend here who will lend me her ARC, and the friend coming with me will be borrowing someone else's north american driver's license - will it be legit enough ? I had an australian friend tell me that his driver's license wasn't accepted and that he had to present his passport :S

I don't know about tightening up. They've always been strict on IDs as long as I've been in Japan. Yes they do card, and no they don't bend the rules. They typically only accept an ARC or a passport. Other than that non-Japanese IDs are not accepted.

That won't work, you either got to show a passport or alien registration card.

Btw, your friend loaning her card to you (for any use) is illegal.

Yeah, I don't want to get in any trouble so I think I'll just pass on clubbing.

I'm sure I'll be able to return to Japan again when I'm of legal age, so I'll just wait until then.

Thanks to both of you for your information!