How much Korean or Japanese do I need?

A greeting and one line to order. Everything after that grows out of talking with the next seat.

Will someone teach me?

It is not a lesson, but it does happen that the person beside you corrects a phrase on the spot. All of it is just part of a normal night at the bar.

Is there a language exchange schedule?

No. Every night of business is the practice session, so come on whichever evening suits you.

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Language Exchange Bar in Tokyo: How to Practice Here

2026.10.11

A bar counter can be a faster place to practice Korean or Japanese than a classroom. HEAVEN TOKYO is a Korean bar in Shinjuku where Japanese guests who like Korea and Korean guests who like Japan share one counter. There is no scheduled language exchange event; an ordinary night of business is the practice session. Below is a three-step way to use it, from your first order to the walk home. The first night is Friday, October 23.

A group gathered around a table (a sister bar of Korean Bar HEAVEN)

Step one: order and toast in the other language

Keep your first drink simple: order it in Korean or Japanese and nothing more. "Soju juseyo" or "uisuki kudasai" will do, and pointing works if it does not. When you clink glasses with the person beside you, say "geonbae" or "kanpai". When they pour for you, "gamsahamnida" or "arigatou gozaimasu". Those three phrases carry you through the first half hour. Use one word you know, and the other person will almost always give you something back. That is your way into step two.

Step two: switch back when you get lost

Once the conversation moves faster than you can follow, drop back into whatever language you are comfortable in. Guests here came because they like the other country, and most of them want practice too, so the moment you switch, it becomes their turn. That is why your Korean or Japanese does not have to be good. Nobody is reading from a textbook; you trade languages back and forth, and the phrases that stick are the ones no dictionary lists.

A bartender talking with guests across the counter (a sister bar of Korean Bar HEAVEN)

Step three: fix your pronunciation with karaoke lyrics

When you are talked out, put a Korean or Japanese song on the karaoke. Following the lyrics on the screen while you sing lets you check sounds one word at a time, something that slips past in conversation. If the person next to you knows the song, they become your pronunciation guide. Return the favor with a song in their language and listen to their pronunciation in turn. By the time you leave, you can say at least one thing you could not say when you arrived.

FAQ

How much Korean or Japanese do I need?: A greeting and one line to order. Everything after that grows out of talking with the next seat.
Will someone teach me?: It is not a lesson, but it does happen that the person beside you corrects a phrase on the spot. All of it is just part of a normal night at the bar.
Is there a language exchange schedule?: No. Every night of business is the practice session, so come on whichever evening suits you.

Bar information

Name: Korean Bar HEAVEN TOKYO
Address: GEST34 Bldg. 1F #103, 2-45-16 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo (3 min walk from Seibu-Shinjuku Station)
Opening: October 23, 2026
Hours: daily 21:00-05:00
Seats: 8 counter seats, karaoke available
All-you-can-drink: 2,500 yen per hour (about 80 cocktails)
Operated by Nagaza Inc., the owners of Korean bars HEAVEN, MOON and SARANG in Higashi-Shinsaibashi, Osaka

Google Maps · Our Osaka bars HEAVEN, MOON and SARANG (same owners)