I will be staying at a small business hotel fpr one in Kabukicho, Shinjuku and unfortunately this is my only option for now. Will I be in for a bad couple of nights? 4 nights to be exact. Will the drunk people be that much of a nuisaance? How about the cleanliness? Has anyone spent a couple of nights in that area?
Would appreciate any heads up or advice, or even stories of tbeir experiences. My trip will be around mid-June.
by dropkicksoul
7 comments
Kabukicho is just a tiny silver of Tokyo; There are other places on the JR line to go visit on the Yamanote Line.
No – No – Cleaner than most cities – No
Just avoid touts and anyone that tries to lure you into their bar
The touts don’t even stand in front of their own establishment; they are pulling you to a different bar away from where they are standing. Just don’t mind them
Also avoid the street walkers / prostitutes
Not sure what you’re used to, but I think you will be fine. It is definitely a lively and crowded area, but keep in mind that Japan’s experience is very tame compared to other places. I would compare it to a trendy nightlife area of somewhere like LA or NY where there are good bars / restaurants to go to. Lots of tourists and younger people walking the streets, looking to go out drinking and have a good time. I never saw anyone get out of control or was like stupid drunk, but I’m sure that happens occaisionally. There is the “red light” area that I haven’t witnessed myself, but from what I’ve seen online it looks like most people ignore the girls standing out there and go about their business. Just ignore / politely decline the dudes trying to lure you into bars / clubs and you’ll be fine, they supposedly are trying to scam people by upcharging their drinks.
Also check out the Golden Gai area, it was one of the highlights of my trips.
Vegas is a million times worse than Kabukicho. You’ll laugh at how tame it actually is.
Absolutely completely fine. We stayed at Hotel Groove our first four nights back in April and had a wonderful time.
I had an awesome time staying there. It’ll be great.
We are staying in Kabukicho right now. It’s fine. The reports of craziness are overblown.
Yes there are partyers and young people and drunk people. There’s also tons of tourists and non-drunks and people with children (someone was pushing a baby stroller through Omoide last night during the dinner rush … not the best idea given the crowds). No one is falling on you or attacking you randomly. If you see a drunk, then just ignore them or walk around them – not a big deal.
Are there people who try to lure you to bars? Yes there are tons of dressed up girls and guys on the streets holding flyers and signs. Not a single one has approached us – likely because we are obviously foreigners and they just can’t be bothered to have to deal with us in English.
Is it clean? It’s about the same as any major city in the world. Some parts are clean and some have garbage.
That being said, your opinion may differ based on your experiences. We live in a major city and have stayed in New York, San Francisco, Vegas, LA, HK etc. Much worse than Kabukicho so we aren’t even the slightest bit phased
Just avoid the sleazy touts. Don’t go to bars they recommend.