Tokyo’s Shibuya district looks to attract more foreign visitors with new English language nightlife guides
Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward is making it easier for tourists to find nightlife venues as part of an ongoing strategy to manage public conduct and refine the neighborhood’s international reputation, particularly around high-traffic periods like Halloween.
The ward traditionally issues warnings against large-scale, rowdy street parties during late October, a measure intended to curb the “bedlam” and public intoxication that previously saddled Shibuya with an undesirable, lawless reputation.
This past period of public disturbances had become an embarrassment, directly clashing with the ward’s simultaneous efforts to establish itself as a premier destination for international tourists in Tokyo.
The Shibuya Nightlife Guide project is part of the ward’s stance that a desire to curb drunken, unruly street behavior does not equate to wanting a muted nightlife
Instead, the initiative actively encourages tourists and residents alike to enjoy the area’s indoor entertainment options after dark, shifting the focus away from public spaces.
Central to this effort is an English-language information desk, the Shibuya Nightlife Guide, operated by the Shibuya Tourism Association.
This temporary facility aims to provide a useful resource for foreign travellers as it will be staffed with bilingual advisors fluent in both Japanese and English.
These advisors provide personalized recommendations and information about the various after-dark options, including clubs, bars, and other entertainment options such as karaoke, as well as details on that night’s specific events and programs.
The information desk will also distribute the new Shibuya Night Map, a bilingual resource which lists entertainment venues organized by category, catering to various tastes.
While public drinking remains prohibited in the ward, one section highlights bars and restaurants known for their unique signature cocktails.
Recognizing a broader spectrum of patrons, the guide also offers alcohol-free recommendations and food-focused venues, featuring a list of restaurants that have received the Shibuya Dish Award for outstanding dinner food.
The Shibuya Nightlife Guide information desk is currently a temporary initiative and only operates during short periods throughout the year.
The current Shibuya Nightlife Guide information desk is operational to coincide with the Shibuya Nightlife Festival and will be available until the 13th of October 2025.
Its main location is strategically situated right outside the Shibuya Prime Building, easily accessible from the ground floor and connected to the A0 exit of Shibuya Station.
The desk operates daily from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
For added convenience and outreach, two satellite Shibuya Nightlife Guide information desks are also in operation at the reception areas of two local hotels, All Day Place Shibuya and LYF Shibuya Tokyo.
After its current run, it’s expected that the information desk will return during other busy holiday periods, though it may become a more permanent fixture in the near future if demand increases.
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