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Tokyo nightlife
Nightlife in Tokyo is as much dictated by ritual as it is by a desire to cut loose. Drinking is usually accompanied by some other activity, with the izakaya—the country's equivalent to a British pub, where small plates are served alongside frosty mugs of beer or large glasses of whiskey—being a prime example. If all that carousing with jolly, suited salarymen has you miss the last train (the metro does not run all night), seek out one of the city's glitzy clubs, which often feature internationally renowned DJs spinning dance tunes well into the early morning. The Japanese take their tipple seriously; in addition to sampling local brews (including Asahi and Sapporo), Tokyo is a prime spot for trying indigenous alcohols, such as sake (called nihon-shu in Japanese) and shochu (a vodkalike spirit made from sweet potato, rice, or even brown sugar). It is customary to wait until everyone has been served before diving into your drink—and, in keeping with tradition, to shout a hearty "Kampai!" before taking your first sip.
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