WOMB has enjoyed a long reputation as Japan’s most famous megaclub, the go-to spot for jet-setting DJs passing through Tokyo. But when the pandemic prevented the owners from booking international artists, they shifted their focus to local talent. It was a subtle, savvy pivot that put the club back on the cutting edge. Today, the calendar leans heavily on homegrown stars (DJ Nobu and Takkyu Ishino are residents) with occasional appearances from tastemakers like Peggy Gou and Craig Richards.

HARLEM is more of a straight-up nightclub than a performance space for underground MCs and DJs, but it does keep the focus squarely on hip-hop, dancehall, and R&B. It’s been on the same Shibuya block since 1997 and shares a building with the more EDM-oriented Club Atom. Hip-hop purists and old-school heads might be disappointed at the lack of deep cuts—the resident DJs tend to keep the tunes decidedly contemporary—but if you need a rap fix on your adventure around Tokyo, this is the spot.

This Shibuya party spot opened in 1996 and prides itself on hosting all types of music: live funk, underground hip-hop, commercial EDM, dancehall, and more. It’s popular among younger clubbers and has a certain playground exuberance; there are three bars and two dance floors that cater to different moods (chill out here, rave there). For a more sophisticated vibe, hit the boiler room-style DJ lounge downstairs.

When this sleek, tastemaking venue opened in 2013, Tokyo nightlife entered a new era—one less fixated on glitzy, packed megaclubs and more on clubbing as an intimate community experience. Located just a few minutes from busy Omotesando Crossing, VENT prides itself on its minimalist, art gallery-esque design, immaculate sound system (audiophiles argue it’s the city’s finest), and consistently excellent calendar of world-class underground DJs such as Young Marco, Scuba, and John Talabot.

Despite having policies against smoking indoors (with the exception of designated smoking areas), some of Japan’s clubs still get smoky. But this Shibuya spot—a sister to Osaka’s popular Club Circus—has drawn a line. It’s split into two levels: a bar upstairs with a separate space where smoking is allowed, and a club downstairs where it’s emphatically not. The crowd skews younger, but the bookings are sophisticated: Ash Lauryn, Jacques Greene, and Loraine James have recently played.

You might be thinking, “Why would I go to a chain nightclub in one of the most unique cities in the world?” To which we’d say, “Fair point, but travel can be overwhelming. Sometimes you need a sure thing.” This nightlife staple—which, ironically, stands for “one of a kind”—began in New York before expanding to LA and Mexico City. The Tokyo branch is particularly luxe, with a rooftop lounge overlooking Roppongi, and throws parties featuring Top 40 hitmakers like Lil Uzi Vert and Ty Dolla $ign.

This sleek, four-story megaclub—one of the biggest in Japan—is popular among mainstream clubbers and, yes, tourists (it’s a five-minute walk from the infamous Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku’s red-light district). The expansive main floor leans into commercial EDM (complete with Vegas-level LEDs, lasers, confetti cannons, and VIP tables) while the adjacent floors play more niche iterations of house, techno, and ambient music. There’s a bar on the second floor when you need to take five.

Part live house, part rip-roaring techno club, this expansive subterranean venue—spread across three floors in a nondescript building near Daikanyama Station—is one of Tokyo’s most respected destinations for cutting-edge electronic music. (DJ Nobu has long thrown parties here, as have the crews behind the tastemaking techno festivals Labyrinth and Rainbow Disco Club.) There are floors for everything: cocktails (B3), raving (B2), or chilling out at the café lounge (B1).

Zepp Shinjuku opened in the spring of 2023 across four basement floors of the Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, a glitzy new skyscraper in the heart of Shinjuku’s nightlife strip. It’s slightly more intimate than its sister venues, Zepp DiverCity and Zepp Haneda, but has state-of-the-art design elements (LED floors!) that make concerts feel electric. The venue hosts all flavors of music—from rock and pop heavyweights to idol and anime songs—and, at night, transforms into the megaclub ZEROTOKYO.

When this midsize venue opened in 1994, it was renowned for hosting wild club nights that featured a who’s who of house and techno. A decade later, it moved to Ebisu and broadened its offerings, expanding to a café and gallery and booking more live bands. Still, recordings from electronic music’s golden era keep the club’s heady reputation alive: In 1996, Detroit techno pioneer Jeff Mills released the LP Live at the Liquid Room, which many consider the best DJ mix ever put to tape.