If you'd like to stay away from tourists, youngsters or expats while checking out the posh Japanese nightlife, then you should come to Ginza, one of the priciest shopping areas of Japan and a popular place to stay. Nightlife in Ginza is not the crazy noisy scene like some of the areas below, it's more subtle. Of course, there are glitzy restaurants and popular hangout spots, including the upscale nightclub Genius, where you can see people partying in high fashion, but many locals prefer to go to member-only bars for the peaceful drinking atmosphere, enjoying exclusive premium drinks and deep conversations. If that sounds like you, you should come to Ginza. As some of the more intimate places require a membership or an introduction from a regular customer, you might need to go with someone that's been to that bar before.

Roppongi is well known for a heavy concentration of foreigners, so places there tend to cater to the Western lifestyle, especially those who believe in the adage: "work hard, play hard." There are quite a few pubs and bars open until morning, and it's a great place to rub elbows with the big wigs and network with the top dogs. Some of the more famous spots include the Roppongi Hills Club for an opulent dining experience or V2 to get down in one of the most stunning nightclubs in the city. Definitely worth a visit if you'd like to have a taste of the elite expat party style.

Not far away from Shinjuku, Shibuya is the hive for the avant-garde fashionistas and young trendsetters who dominate social media outlets. As it's the cultural center of the energetic youth of Tokyo, for sure there's always something going on 24/7. Shibuya has a lot of good live music houses and nightclubs to suit all tastes, far too many to name. Perhaps the most ubiquitous of Shibuya nightclubs is the famous Womb.

Tokyo's busiest nightlife neighborhood, you'll find shops open 24 hours every day, as well as bars, izakaya pubs, restaurants and almost anything you can think of. Shinjuku is, in fact, the most populous area of Tokyo at night, perhaps due to being home to the world's busiest train station. It's been Tokyo's premiere nightlife district since long before the country opened its doors to the West. The busiest parts at night are around the same area, which includes Kabukicho (Tokyo's so-called red-light district, pictured above), Shinjuku Sanchome (home of several pubs, bars and karaoke rooms) as well as Shinjuku Nichome (where you'll find the majority of Tokyo's gay bars). If you plan to party hard while in Tokyo, booking a hotel near Shinjuku is a good idea.