Going to a bar/club/etc. alone in Japan?

[Chipi]

Does anyone have experiences in going to bars/clubs/etc. in the night time alone in Japan? And/or advices etc.?

Im just soooo booorrreed right now and Id desperately want something to do..!
Tomorrow Im absolutely going to go to a club, club metro, by myself (electronic music so its more like dancing, not drinking),but right now Im seriously thinking about leaving to some neighbourhood bar to have a glass of wine/beer/something.
I am in Kyoto, so if someone has some advices especially for this city, Id upreciate it. And Im staying near Saiin.
There are other people in this dormitory as well, but most of them are 18-20, and theyre just studying or playing computer games...

So far Japan feels to be the safest place Ive ever been to, so Im not really afraid that anything would happen - all though of course Im cautious for some possible dangers..but, I still want to ask some other experiences from some other females of having a night out in Japan alone.

[Eternal Wind]

Sounds interesting..but if its your first time,you should find someone to accompany you just incase... :)

[Spaceghost]

Bah, the evening is for partying, not studying! I'm sure there is someone that will go with you if you ask nicely :)

[mdchachi]

Definitely you should go. It's hit or miss with neighborhood places. They might serve you and that's all or you might have great conversation with the proprietor or other regulars. I recommend bringing a guidebook or something to read, just in case you don't end up talking to anybody. Let us know how it went.

[Buddha Smoker]

I've been many times by myself even when I first arrived in Japan. Sometimes you find people to talk to and you might even have fun. I say go but that's my opinion.

[Ewok85]

It would be best to find a friend to go with but Japan IS pretty safe.

Just dont do anything you wouldn't do back home ;)

[Buddha Smoker]

It would be best to find a friend to go with but Japan IS pretty safe.

Just dont do anything you wouldn't do back home ;)

Just keep an open mind and don't act stupid unless you catch on fire for some odd reason. I had that happen to a friend of mine....you wouldn't believe it but it happened. :D

[mdchachi]

Yes, I've heard about that.
http://www.crystalinks.com/shc.html

:flame:

[Ewok85]

And if anyone asks for the time say you dont have a watch/dont know and walk a little faster. :okashii:

[Buddha Smoker]

And if anyone asks for the time say you dont have a watch/dont know and walk a little faster. :okashii:

Why is that? You got my curiousity peeked. :?

[Ewok85]

Well my mate was driving home one evening (here in aus mind you, this is just a warmup one) and he decided he reaalllly had to go, so he pulls over and starts watering a bush. He's finishing up and these two guys come over and ask if he has the time. My dropkick braindead friend pulls out his shiny mobile phones presse a button and brightly checks the time. He then gets bashed over the head, phone taken, roughed up and bit, wallet emptied and left there. "No, i dont know the time, sorry" would have been better.

So then I'm out in Tokyo having a fun time out on the town with some friends, karaoke, sports bar to watch Australia win the rugby (yeah!! suck it up! ahem) so I live in faroff chiba, hey, I used to go through your town every day. I'm on my way through Tokyo station coming up to midnight and theres not alot of people around, and this guy comes up and asks for the time. Me, i've had a good night out, giving the time is free so I have a look at my watch and tell the bloke. Now he starts giving me a funny look (insert ayashii smilie) and I decide I dont want to be his friend for anylonger and leg it to my platform. Then theres the time when some guy just randomly punched me while I was waiting for a train, I have no idea what that was.

[RockLee]

We have such problems with immigrants ALL the time, and then ppl start wondering why there are political parties who want immigrants(turkish,marokkean ppl) out?? :? , it's not a rascist issue, but these ppl in our country are 90% the cause of problems at parties(I'm talking about the youth)and they call US rascists ???If they just come to f*ck up our country...well go away then :souka: ....they even want a political party and ARABIAN as 4th OFFICIAL language?????? WTF??I don't go to Turkye or Marocco and start asking Dutch to be an official language?? :okashii:

[Ewok85]

Alot of the gang related violence you seen on television here is normally some <insert country> gang attacking people from <different country>. Kinda sad if you ask me.

[Maciamo]

WTF??I don't go to Turkye or Marocco and start asking Dutch to be an official language?? :okashii:

But French IS an official language in Morroco along with Arabic, and this is partly why Morroccans emmigrate to Belgium or France rather than other countries (but then it doesn't make sense for them to stay in Flanders).

[Buddha Smoker]

Well my mate was driving home one evening (here in aus mind you, this is just a warmup one) and he decided he reaalllly had to go, so he pulls over and starts watering a bush. He's finishing up and these two guys come over and ask if he has the time. My dropkick braindead friend pulls out his shiny mobile phones presse a button and brightly checks the time. He then gets bashed over the head, phone taken, roughed up and bit, wallet emptied and left there. "No, i dont know the time, sorry" would have been better.

So then I'm out in Tokyo having a fun time out on the town with some friends, karaoke, sports bar to watch Australia win the rugby (yeah!! suck it up! ahem) so I live in faroff chiba, hey, I used to go through your town every day. I'm on my way through Tokyo station coming up to midnight and theres not alot of people around, and this guy comes up and asks for the time. Me, i've had a good night out, giving the time is free so I have a look at my watch and tell the bloke. Now he starts giving me a funny look (insert ayashii smilie) and I decide I dont want to be his friend for anylonger and leg it to my platform. Then theres the time when some guy just randomly punched me while I was waiting for a train, I have no idea what that was.

I think you proved your point.

[Chipi]

Ok ok so I went to the club then - and had SOOOOOO much fun!!
Japanese people can really party, for once there are so much other people as well who can dance and dance and not stop the game until its finished.
Of course at first it was a bit strange, I was feeling quite shy etc. and people were giving me the strange looks (propably wondering what I, a gaijin girl alone, was doing there), but it soon went away and I danced from 00:00 until 7am. The music was great and people happy.Just a_perfect night_ :)
Many of them smiled at me, sort of gave me thumbs up signs etc. but unfortunately no-one talked to me. So the night was great, but it was a little bit sad when the party ended, a boring trip back home alone.
Theyre having a party again tomorrow, and I was thinking of going, even though its monday and I have to work on tuesday..but, it doesnt matter in the end, I just have to drink lots of coffee in the morning ;) And maybe this time I should be the one to try to talk to someone.

P.S. Whats the usual age limit to clubs? And especially this Club Metro? I tried to find it, and I sent them an e-mail as well, but didnt get any info on it. Im just wondering because yesterday when I entered the club, at first they said "no enter" and then when they saw the surprised look on my face, they said "enter but no alcohol"..I still dont understand, I thought it was 20..?? (Im now 23)

[Ewok85]

Somewhere between 18-20 I think, if they hassel you show your id, if they keep hasseling ask for the manager, if they persist then go somewhere better!

Glad you had fun!

[Buddha Smoker]

Ok ok so I went to the club then - and had SOOOOOO much fun!!
Japanese people can really party, for once there are so much other people as well who can dance and dance and not stop the game until its finished.
Of course at first it was a bit strange, I was feeling quite shy etc. and people were giving me the strange looks (propably wondering what I, a gaijin girl alone, was doing there), but it soon went away and I danced from 00:00 until 7am. The music was great and people happy.Just a_perfect night_ :)
Many of them smiled at me, sort of gave me thumbs up signs etc. but unfortunately no-one talked to me. So the night was great, but it was a little bit sad when the party ended, a boring trip back home alone.
Theyre having a party again tomorrow, and I was thinking of going, even though its monday and I have to work on tuesday..but, it doesnt matter in the end, I just have to drink lots of coffee in the morning ;) And maybe this time I should be the one to try to talk to someone.

P.S. Whats the usual age limit to clubs? And especially this Club Metro? I tried to find it, and I sent them an e-mail as well, but didnt get any info on it. Im just wondering because yesterday when I entered the club, at first they said "no enter" and then when they saw the surprised look on my face, they said "enter but no alcohol"..I still dont understand, I thought it was 20..?? (Im now 23)

Sounds like you had a good time.

[kirei_na_me]

Yay Chipi! Glad you had a good time! :happy: Maybe next time you'll be able to talk to some people.

[m477]

Sounds like you had a good time. IME it seems like Japanese people won't initiate conversations, but once I do they usually seem receptive and friendly. If it's at a party or something like that and people start noticing you speak Japanese, then some people might start approaching you. Have fun!

[kirei_na_me]

That's what I was going to say. That maybe you should approach them? Japanese people, in general, are not very extroverted. Especially when it comes to gaijin. After you show a friendly interest, they will reciprocate.

[Chipi]

That's what I was going to say. That maybe you should approach them? Japanese people, in general, are not very extroverted. Especially when it comes to gaijin. After you show a friendly interest, they will reciprocate.

...yeap, so Ive heard..the only problem is that this quality is the same with Finnish people and Japanese people, both a little bit shy ..(and I am with new people, I dont want to "force" my company to anyone) :)
But, Ill try to encourage myself..
And thank you all for your good tips and nice messages! :haihai:

[budd]

traveling alone for a woman is quite different than traveling alone as a man
especially if the woman is kind of small, weak, or helpless -- i'm in a different city today myself, i can see it firsthand
http://www.thetravelingwoman.com/tips.htm
http://www.roadandtravel.com/safetyandsecurity/ts_travelabroad.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_8758_protect-yourself-woman.html
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/travel/tips-women-travel/tips-women-travel.htm
http://www.she-net.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=995&forum=2
interesting
http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/solowomantraveler/awomenstravelingadvantages.shtml
all from here
http://www.google.com/search?hl=ja&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=woman&as_q=traveling
then again these folks http://www.being-a-broad.com/ said pretty much what every one else has said here.
but

[Buddha Smoker]

Basically, in Japan there are not many worries though. :cool:

[Chipi]

Yeah maybe I should start writing a "clubbing diary" or something ^_^
I was in Osaka last night, in a drum&bass club, and again, it was perfect.
This time I made several new friends, and they all came to talk to me.. :happy: ..tonight Im going back there again.

And it is maybe always a little dangerous to be going out alone as a female -and yes, I am very small..-, but I have to say that it feels so much safer in Japan, even in Osaka, than for example in my parents town in Finland, which has only 50 000 people living in it. In Finland there are so many men totally drunk on weekends, and when they get drunk they are quite agressive. Japanese people instead seem to be just very happy when drunk ;)

[budd]

at least i have said it, and my conscience is clear
i am done with this topic