Shinjuku Nightlife for Foreigners: Where to Sit
Our one piece of advice on Shinjuku nightlife, for foreigners and locals alike, is to decide on one place to sit before you start walking. We run a Korean bar in Osaka, and HEAVEN TOKYO, the Korean bar we are opening in Shinjuku, was built for the second half of the night, when your feet are done with the streets. Here is how we would choose that place, and what happens once you sit at our counter. Our Tokyo bar opens its doors on October 23.
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How we would choose where to sit after the walk
A Shinjuku night tends to go: dinner, a walk through the streets, and suddenly it is 11 p.m. Standing on a corner deciding where to go in wastes the good part of the night, so we narrow it to three conditions. Still open after midnight. Room for two or three people, or just one. No trouble with the language. Pick one place that meets all three before you set out, and when your legs give up you already know where you are going.
What happens when you sit at our counter
HEAVEN TOKYO has eight counter seats. Next to you will be a Japanese guest who likes Korea or a Korean guest who likes Japan. Toasts go up in both languages, "geonbae" and "kanpai", and even if you only know one of them, touching glasses does the job. Order by pointing at the menu if you need to; nobody minds, and the person beside you may teach you a word or two. When the conversation warms up, the karaoke comes out. The songbook has Korean and Japanese tracks, so once one person sings, the next seat starts looking for a song.
Our version of a Shinjuku night
Meet in the early evening for dinner, walk the streets afterwards, and sit down at the counter sometime after 9 p.m. From there, you can stop looking at the clock. First glass soju or a sour, one song when you feel like singing, a turn to the next seat when you feel like talking. Leave for the last train or stay for the first; decide by how the night feels. As long as you know where you are going to sit, a Shinjuku night can run as long as you like.
FAQ
- What time should I get to the bar on a Shinjuku night out?
- After dinner and a walk, any time from 9 p.m. The bar opens at 9 p.m., so arriving earlier means waiting outside.
- Can two or three friends sit together?
- Yes. With eight counter seats, two or three people can sit side by side. If you know your numbers, use the reservation button on this site to hold the seats.
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)