Tokyo Nightlife Not Fully Recovered

Above, the Wako Department Store in Ginza in December 2010. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan fully reopened to foreign visitors last October. COVID has also been downgraded. Businesses in Tokyo have also reopened.

However, satellite images of Tokyo has shown that nightlife in Japan's capital city has not fully recovered from the pandemic.

According to Nikkei Asia:

TOKYO -- Tokyo is darker at night now than in 2019 before COVID-19 ravaged the city's entertainment districts. Nighttime satellite images show the city last year had luminosity only 90% that of 2019, while Paris and London had fully regained their glow.

Based on NASA satellite image data processed by Colorado School of Mines, a research university in the U.S., Nikkei has calculated nighttime brightness in various cities during the April-October period of 2022. Data showed that illumination levels increased 3.2% in Paris and 1.4% in London from 2019 averages, but fell 3.2% in New York and 11.6% in Tokyo.

The sharp drop in Tokyo is mostly attributed to a slow recovery in city centers frequented by business people for after-work socializing.

Nighttime luminosity fell much more in entertainment quarters than in residential areas, with light levels falling more than 15% in popular nightspots like Roppongi, Shinjuku and Ginza. People traffic downtown was about 20% less in February than three years earlier, according to mobile location data provided by Docomo InsightMarketing. 

To read more, go here. 

Japan Cheapo's Osaka Accommodation Guide

Above, Osaka's Dotonbori restaurants have interesting signage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For kaiju fans and non-kaiju fans alike, Osaka is a great place to visit. Godzilla paid the city "visits" in 1955 (Godzilla Raid Again, a.k.a. Godzilla's Counterattack) and in 1989 (Godzilla vs. Biollante). It is also known as Japan't food capital.

If one is planning a visit to Osaka, where should they stay?

Fortunately, Japan Cheapo has a guide with advice on places to bunk in for the night (or two).

They start with:

Osaka needs more than a day trip to make the most of its neon charm, so if you’re keen to sample the nightlife and spend the night, where do you stay? 

Days exploring castles and temples, evenings spent eating everything from oonomiyaki to kushikatsu before trying out the bars and izakayas at night—you’re going to need at least one night’s sleep in the wonderful city of Osaka. The city is actually the birthplace of the capsule hotel, so it’s the perfect place to give it a try, but there are plenty of more traditional options too! Best seen at night, the glowing Dotonbori is a sight to behold, and there are simple too many restaurants to choose from, so finding somewhere to stay might be the last thing on your mind for the city. Whether you want convenience for late-night stumblings or early morning departures, take a look at our accommodation guide to see which areas and which places suit you!

To read more, go here.

Top Ten FUN Things To Do In Japan

Above, a dinner party of food and drinks among friends qualifies as number ten on the list.

If you are planning a trip to Japan and wonder what fun things are there to do, LearnJapanese123 has ten suggestions.

They have posted an article on the top 10 fun things to do in Japan.

They begin with:

Want to visit Japan, but not sure what to do or where to start? Here’s our list of the top 10 fun things to do in Japan that, when combined, will create the ultimate Japan experience!

To see what they are, go here. 

What To Do In Tokyo At Night

Above, a view of the Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Beer Hall across
the Sumida River from Asakusa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Experiencing Tokyo is a event in of itself, but experiencing the city at night is something else.

Tokyo Cheapo has an article on things to do in Tokyo at night.

They begin with:

During the day Tokyo is awash with tourists milling about the streets with a seemingly infinite amount of time to spend. But under the cloak of darkness which offers a little respite from the responsibility that day brings, is when Tokyo is at its prime. With the working day all but a distant memory, it’s when the locals actually get to come out and play. 

If you’re looking to discover a different Tokyo, get out of the izakaya and get exploring. From weird touring, late-night book browsing and letting off a little steam at the batting centers, here are some places to start.

To read more, go here. 

Gaijinpot: Five Best Night Views of Tokyo

Above, the Kaminarimon (雷門 "Thunder Gate") of Senso-ji in Asakusa. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The nighttime lighted advertising signage in Tokyo are sights to behold. They must really consume a lot of electricity and run up huge bills.

But, we as visitors, can just kick back and enjoy the views.

Speaking of views, Gaijinpot has an article on five of the best night views in Tokyo.

They begin with:

It’s hard to describe the landscape of Tokyo without falling into the trap of cliches about how the city’s futuristic architecture juxtaposes its historical landmarks, or the excitement of uncovering the hole-in-the-wall ramen joints tucked down laneways. 

Still, when you boil it down, these elements are exactly what makes the city so beautiful to look at. 

But for a fresh perspective on the capital, exploring the city at night is an expansive way to look beyond the obvious. In the neon-lit shadows, bustling tourist attractions become eerie echo chambers, the glittering skyscrapers look like ripples on moonlit water, and locals share midnight secrets. 

So, whether you’re wanting to snap gleaming streetscapes from above or get down and dirty with basement bar owners, here’s our pick of where and how to experience some of the best night views in Tokyo.

To read more, go here.

Tokyo At Night, Quirky Things To Do

Above, the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Visitors in Tokyo sometimes are at a loss on what to do in the city at night, especially if it happens to be their first visit. But Gaijinpot has four "quirky" things people can do in Tokyo at night.

They begin with:

Tokyo is not exactly short on quirky late-night haunts, but sometimes the options can be a little overwhelming. With the last train always in the back of your mind, time is of the essence when it comes to enjoying the city after dark, so you’ve got to be organized. 

Eager to go drinking with the locals after work? Or hungry for something more international? How about seeing the city from a brand new perspective? With the following unique activities, it’s possible to do all of this and more in one-jam packed night.

To see what they are, go here.

Execs Ponder Ways To Make Kyoto Nightlife Tourist-Friendly

Above, the shopping area below Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The city of Kyoto is looking at different ways to keep foreign visitors entertained at night.

It seems that Kyoto rolls up the sidewalks in the evening, prompting foreign visitors to go to neighboring Osaka for the nightlife there.

The Japan Times reported:

KYOTO – As residents and tourists in Kyoto complain more about higher prices, hotel shortages and crowds at train stations, shrines and temples, Kansai’s corporate leaders are searching for ways to keep visitors coming. 

One way, they suggested recently, is to ensure people can experience what they call “Kyoto culture at night.” The G-rated, family-friendly version, that is. 

Earlier this month, a panel of executives at a Kansai economic meeting in Kyoto discussed the need for more things to keep tourists entertained at night. 

A 2016 municipal survey of Japanese and foreign tourists showed that complaints about tourists spots closing too early was one thing many disliked, though it was far down the list compared to massive crowds, rude bus drivers and other ill-mannered tourists. 

Though the discussion by the business leaders produced no specific plan of action, the ideas floated ranged from increasing the number of traditional arts performances to designing new forms of evening spectacles designed to ensure that more of Kyoto’s tourists have someplace to see and spend their money at other than bars, nightclubs, pubs and the neon-lit entertainment establishments that line both sides of the Kamo River.

To read more, go here.