All About Japan

Tokyo Halloween Clubbing 101

Nightlife Clubbing Tokyo Shibuya Kanto

During the last week of October, it seems there’s a party every night in Tokyo, with no shortage of nurses, maids, cosplayers and even Mario Brothers with spring shoes bouncing up and down the streets. Get ready to hit the clubs for the night: the following is a quick guide to some of the area’s best clubs and their annual Halloween festivities!

Womb (Shibuya)

Womb (Shibuya)

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Considered the premier club for the underground crowd, Womb has been consistently ranked one of the top clubs to visit in the world. You'll seldom find any mainstream music here, and party-goers are generally in their late 20s and 30s.

Located in Shibuya, Womb provides a top-notch sound system with crisp highs and heart throbbing basslines—a must for any techno fan—and the lighting effects are some of the best you'll ever see. Womb can hold up to 1,000 people in the main room, and there are several lounges that also have their own music.

For Halloween 2015, German DJ DeWalta will be the main act of the night with support from locals Satoshi Otsuki and DJ Pi-ge. Musically speaking, expect the main room to be providing a unique blend of minimalistic house and a dash of dub techno. Tickets are ¥3,500 at the door and ¥3,000 for members.

Sound Museum Vision (Shibuya)

Sound Museum Vision (Shibuya)

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Shibuya's Sound Museum Vision (SMV) is exactly what the name states. Boasting an immense sound system that rivals Womb, this club has a wide variety of themes and music each and every weekend. The main room holds approximately 1,500, and there are several other small lounges that exist next to the washrooms of the main room and on the opposite side, too. These other room also provide their own assortment of DJs, and are good areas to escape the mayhem of the main floor for a quick break.

For Halloween 2015, expect a unique blend of urban and futuristic RnB blasting through SMV's sound system. The venue has a great line-up of live acts, including Kilo Kish, A$AP Twelvy, A$AP J. Scott and a host of local Japanese hip-hop artists. Earlybird tickets have sold out, and regular tickets are ¥3,000. Get them before they're gone!

Trump Room (Shibuya)

Trump Room (Shibuya)

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Are you ready for a wild night of some of Tokyo's most fashionable clubgoers dressed in an assortment of unique and provocative costumes? At Trump Room's annual Grindhouse Halloween party, you'll find a crowd of both locals and foreigners indulging in large quantities of champagne.

Located in Shibuya, this club wouldn't feel out of place attached to a high-end Paris venue at the end of the Renaissance. Chandeliers fill the ceiling, and the decor is slanted toward a 17th-century look. This Halloween, an assortment of local DJs will be playing anything from club-bangers to bass-heavy techno. There are three rooms with a total of 24 DJs, including special guests and free shots throughout the night! Expect things to get messy in a high-class sort of way. Earlybird tickets are already sold out, and door prices will be ¥3,000 (¥2,500 if you have an iFlyer). Oh, and no costume means no entry at this place!

Harlem (Shibuya)

Harlem (Shibuya)

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Hip-hop fans flock to Harlem, one of Tokyo's premier urban-inspired venues. It may not be as stylish as other venues on this list, but the club has garnered a positive reputation among locals and foreigners alike.

Harlem has hosted an assortment of both local and international artists of both the new and old-school for nearly two decades. Expect to see b-boys, artists, twerkers and more. With a capacity of 1,200, it can be a hectic environment, especially at Halloween.

Hosted by Monster, Halloween 2015 will showcase local DJs and rappers including Hazime, Watarai, Koya, Kango and many more. Door cover is ¥3,000. Be aware that foreign males are expected to be accompanied by either locals or a female—there have been issues with drunken expats getting into trouble over claims on the ladies. Yikes.

Ageha (Shin-Kiba)

Ageha (Shin-Kiba)

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Boasting a main room with a capacity of nearly 2,400 people, Ageha is Tokyo's biggest club, located in the bay area near Shin-Kiba Station. Its secondary rooms even include an outdoor area with a pool—though the water's for display, not for swimming). The atmosphere on a busy night can be amazing, but due to its sheer size, this spot can feel a bit empty even if there are a few hundred people in attendance.

That shouldn't be a problem on Halloween. On two nights from October 30 to 31st, 2015, Ageha is holding its annual Halloween Midnight Circus event, which boasts an assortment of Tokyo's most popular EDM DJs, including DJ Kaori, Daishi Dance, Shintaro and more. Earlybird tickets are ¥3,000, with door price a steep ¥5,000. If you're into the big-room, EDM atmosphere full of 20-somethings, Ageha might be the place for you.

To get to Ageha via public transportation, you can take the free shuttle buses running from Shibuya and Roppongi all night. Get off at the last stop and you'll be a few minutes' walk from the venue.