Roppongi (六本木) is Tokyo’s (東京) most dynamic and wild nightlife district. It is very well-known to foreigners as there are many foreign friendly bars and night clubs around.
Many foreign expats as well as embassies are located in Roppongi.
With the recent rise in activity, there have been a few redevelopments to make the area even more attractive. Lots of upmarket stores and luxury hotels were added.
Roppongi has one of the highest concentration of high-earning upper class folk, which is clearly seen with the amount of luxury and sports cars driving around the area (seriously, this place is very fun for any car enthusiast).
It’s not all nightlife though, Roppongi houses 3 highly appreciated museums, one of which I will briefly talk about down below.
Let’s get to the list: 5 things to do in Roppongi:
1.Tokyo Midtown
A city within a city, similar to Ikebukuro’s (池袋) Sunshine City, Tokyo Midtown is a dynamic entertainment, shopping and commercial area.
It was constructed in 2007 and is home to Tokyo’s tallest building (not counting Tokyo Skytree) Midtown Tower, at 248 meters.
One of the aforementioned museum, the Suntory Museum of art, is also located here.
Access
Tokyo Midtown is only a 5-minutes’ walk away from Roppongi Station.
2. Roppongi Hills
Similar to Tokyo Midtown, but opened in 2003. It houses offices, residential space and entertainment.
Another museum, the Mori Art Museum, can be found here.
With only 10 meters less than the Midtown Tower, the Mori Tower has an observation deck from which you can get a great view of the surrounding city.
Access
You can reach Roppongi Hills after about 7 minutes of walking starting from Roppongi Station.
3. Nightlife
Unlike Shinjuku (新宿) or Shibuya (渋谷), where the main target group are Japanese customers and where it can sometimes be hard to get a feel for it, Roppongi has been a popular nightlife destination for foreigners for a very long time.
Many Bars, restaurants and other establishments are specially catered towards foreign tourists and expats, which can make the experience more enjoyable.
4. National Art Center
The National Art Center is Japan’s (日本) largest art museum. It was opened in 2007 and unlike other museums, it does not have a permanent collection displayed.
The artworks displayed change frequently as an ongoing venue of exhibitions.
Hours: 10:00 – 18:00 (sometimes 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays depending on the exhibition); closed on every Tuesday (Wednesday if Tuesday is a National Holiday)
Admission: Varies with every exhibition, usually between 1,000 and 2,000 Yen (7,70€/$9.09 – 15,40€/$18.18; exchange rate as of September 2018)
Access
The National Art Center is a 10-minutes’ walk from Roppongi Station.
5. Tokyo Tower
Although not quite in Roppongi, but very near, lies Tokyo Tower.
This 333 meters tall Eiffel Tower resembling structure is a very popular destination and the world’s highest self-supported steel tower, 9 meters higher than the famous tower in Paris.
Its main observation deck lies “only” at moderate 150 meters, which is a bit lower than most. Still, the central position allows for a great view.
It does have a second deck at 250 meters, which is quite a bit more expensive than the first one.
Admission Fee for the deck at 150 meters is about 1,000 Yen (7,70€/$9.09), significantly cheaper than Tokyo Skytree. That, and the waiting times are shorter in my experience. Additionally, coming here in the early evening can make for quite the romantic scenery. 🙂
Access
Take the Oedo Line from Roppongi Station heading towards Akabanebashi Station. After that, it’s about 10 minutes of walking.
The ride costs 180 Yen (1,38€/$1.64).
How to get to Roppongi
Roppongi is located in central Tokyo, not far from Shibuya. It is however not served by JR Yamanote Line, as it does not lie on the circular lineup of the railway.
From Shibuya Station (渋谷駅):
Take the Hanzomon Line to Aoyama-Itchome Station and transfer to the Oedo Line heading for Roppongi. The ride takes about 14 minutes and costs 280 Yen.
From Tokyo Station (東京駅):
Take the Marunouchi Line towards Kasumigaseki Station and change to the Hibiya line in direction of Roppongi. This ride takes about 16 minutes and costs 170 Yen (1,31€/$1.55).
Takeaway
Roppongi is a must-visit for every fan of party and clubbing. If you’re looking to check out Tokyo’s nightlife, this is the best place to be.
But it’s not only a place for that. Fans of art and history can also enjoy the 3 museums located in the area.
And lastly, it’s the perfect place for people looking to do some high-end shopping and stay at luxury hotels accordingly. In that regard, Roppongi is similar to Ginza (銀座) (also not that far away from it geographically).
Roppongi lies in central Tokyo, making it an easy combination opportunity with places like Shibuya, Ginza or Tokyo Tower.
I hope you found my list useful, thank you very much for reading!
Stay tuned for my next post which will take us back to Kyoto’s (京都) Maruyama Park (円山公園) in the Higashiyama (東山) area!
See you there!
Well, I dont have any plans to visit Japan yet. But this post has made one thing clear that Japan loves to their nightlife. Ill keep this place whenever I plan 🙂
Thank you very much for your comment, the very first one on my entire blog. 😀
Yes that’s true, they go crazy for nightlife especially in Tokyo.
Definitely give Japan a visit in the future, you won’t regret it!
Oh yes! finally some nightlife 🙂 I have come through thousands of blogs and seen castles and landscapes. But I would be more happy to go to a nightclub
Right? The topic is quite scarce. 😀 Tokyo, especially Roppongi is great for nightlife, I recommend it!
The mori Tower looks interesting. When I was there i didn’t know it was there already.
It’s one of the best looking buildings in Tokyo for sure. Glad you liked it! 🙂
Love your insight to Tokyo. I am looking to visit next year and I will keep this page handy!
Thank you for the lovely feedback! I’m glad I could provide some useful information. 🙂
I haven’t visited Japan yet but would love to visit someday. I’ll keep these suggestions bookmarked until then. I didn’t know they had a copy of the Eiffel Tower in Tokyo, I even learned something new. Thank you for sharing!
Hello fellow Daniel! 😀 You’re welcome!
Definitely come visit once you get the chance, there’s so many awesome things to see.
Great list! I have not visited Japan but if I do I would do everything on this list. I’m not a big nightlife person, but since it’s so big in Japan I may just have to check it out. 🙂
Oh that’s no problem at all! It’s also not number one on my list. There’s soooo much more to do in Roppongi/Tokyo so don’t worry about skipping stuff. 🙂
You’re sure to have a blast if you do check it out though! 😀
Next year I am targeting to visit Japan, and definitely I will add your recommendation. I can’t wait to experience the Roppongi lifestyle.