Travel in Reality: The best Tokyo pick up spots Where to get your nampa on in Japan’s capital

Tuesday 13 October 2015

The best Tokyo pick up spots Where to get your nampa on in Japan’s capital

Photo by Alexander Hafemann
Try your luck? These are the top Tokyo pick up spots

There are two sides to nampa, the Japanese term for picking someone up. There's the hardcore nampa scene, where devotees (generally overdressed young guys with bad hair) stake out street corners in search of fresh bait, then retreat to online forums to discuss conquests and techniques in detail – often with videos. Then there's the more humdrum action that goes on in bars and clubs throughout Tokyo most nights of the week, as men and women fumble awkwardly towards a mutually – and, perchance, sexually – satisfying conclusion.

We turned to our readers to find out where they go to get busy, and the results are in. Charted below are the ten most popular Tokyo pick up spots – establishments that, according to people who live and work here, get the capital good and lucky. As with any good chart, number one got the most votes. Have a happy (and safe) hook up, ladies and gents!

The top 10

Heartland – CLOSED

A few years ago, Heartland might have snagged the top spot in a survey like this, but the past few years haven't been kind to this once-notorious meat market for upmarket meat. The beer's still good, though.

Feria

It's one of Roppongi's premier party spots, with everything good and bad that this entails. The crowd is consistently international, and a cut above some of the other joints you'll find in the neighborhood (see below).

Roppongi

Arty Farty

As it nears its 20th birthday, Arty Farty doesn't seem at much risk of losing its reputation as one of Ni-chome's prime nightlife spots – and, yes, one of the best places to go if you're looking for a new beau.

Shinjuku-Nichome

Alife – CLOSED

With a spacious party lounge on the second floor, a cafe on the ground floor and a large dance area down in the basement, Alife has a hedonistic atmosphere and is a haven for hardcore clubbers.

Gas Panic

Gas Panic is a Roppongi institution, where young people go to grope other young people. The chart classics and Eurobeat play at such high volume that your mating ritual needs to be physical rather than verbal.

Roppongi

AgeHa

Critics' choice

It's vast, the sound system is the best in town, and when the bikini girls start performing at the poolside area, it feels like the filthiest club around. Maybe that's why people love getting it on at AgeHa.

Shin-Kiba