Heartland is a standing bar on the first floor of Roppongi Hills. This artistic space welcomes people working in the same building, foreign company employees and IT technicians to enjoy all sorts of discussion.

For people over 30 and looking for a drink after work, this spot is really popular. Because of its international atmosphere, the customers here are mostly foreign guys and Japanese girls looking to meet foreigners. There are also some students who come here for a quick drink after parties. Heartland being the most famous standing bar in Roppongi is a great place to hang out for the weekdays as well as weekends.  

The stylish green lighting is the symbol for this place. The entrance is straight into the open air, looking very welcoming. You can seat down briefly for your beer, there is no dress code for that., easy come, easy go. Most people stand inside with their drink in hands, engaged in some casual conversation. It serves as a third place between work and home, makes you want to stop by every day.

At Heartland, you can start by order one beer only, and the beer will be 100% wheat, 100% aromatic, not so bitter but real refreshing. It only cost one 500 Yen coin for a Heartland beer, no service charge needed.

Besides the reasonably priced Heartland beer, they also have seasonal cocktail, champagne and wine. Tell them your favorite fruit and color then they will provide you with your own original cocktail. Food here are mostly those you can eat with one hand.  From light snack to proper cuisine, there are many choices waiting for you.

To order here you will have to get used to the ‘cash on delivery’ style; to pay at the counter. After that, standing for a brief drink or sitting down at the table for a long chat is entirely up to you.  

It is not a club for dancing, nor is it a disco style bar. During the weekdays, it gets really busy till late,and on the weekends you can hardly find a place.There are famous DJs invited to support various events on every Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. They play all sorts of music to bring up the atmosphere and to match with the environment in Heartland.There are also gallery on the wall for you to appreciate with your drink. The pictures inside are changed every 2 weeks or 1 month, to introduce as many as possible talented artists. It is a bar with the perfect mix of art and music.

Heartland

Address
6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
03-5772-7600      
http://www.kirin.co.jp (Available in English)
17:00pm-4:00am
 

Tsuru Tontan provides huge noodles that are good in a classy setting but that the service is poor and the price is quite high. The noodles are typically too soft but the chewiness which the noodles lack is somehow recovered by the slippery texture and beautiful presentation of the superior broth. Another comment is that the though the sloppy service is often covered up by the relaxed atmosphere as you will not feel rushed, that is the special feature that keeps the restaurant packed with customers. It is usually a great place to relax at night or to wait for a train at the wee hours. The partitions between tables at the Tsuru Tontan give an atmosphere of quietness and privacy; even when the place is pack full with people.

The bowls are quite gigantic; large enough to probably fit in one’s face in, the wooden huge spoons also match the bowls perfectly. However there is no much difference between the Udon and any other kind of noodles. Some point out that the sketchy service that is received is probably due to the busy staff however it is not a good reputation for any business. You may often find a few English menus. There are usually seats available so that a waiting queue will not get uncomfortable. The meal is often being made right in front of you as you could often notice over the counter as the meal is being prepared. There is ground spaces sunk for your legs and there are shoe lockers as well. It is just an atmosphere that is comfortable and warm.

Tsuru Tontan
3-14-12 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
03-5786-2626
Lunch: 1,000-1,999yen
Dinner: 1,000-1,999yen

Address
Feria Bldg. 7-13-7 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
■Nogizaka Sta.
5 minutes walk from Exit 3,
Chiyoda-line Subway
■Roppongi Sta.
5 minutes walk from Exit 7, Exit 4A, Exit 4B,
Oedo-line, Hibiya-line Subway
03-5775-2949
http://lounge-feria.jp (Available in English)
7:00pm-5:00am; closed Sun

Alife
Alife, located in Roppongi-Nishi Azabu area, has more than 3000 visitors every week. Having been here for more than 9 years, Alife holds many interesting parties; the 3 floors’ big space is its selling point. Here you can always find the music style you like, as well a nice drink or even a quick meal to go with it; the menu is filled up with wine from all over the world, even cigars from Cigar is at service.
From Basement to the second floor, you can enjoy this place as you wish. Basement is the main stage for the various events during weekends. Then the first floor is the homey Alife Café, there is a relaxing bar and darts area. Imagine you can always enjoy a drink on your own here while waiting for your partner. The second floor is the lounge space, with boxes for party with not so many people.
Every weekends (Friday and Saturday nights) and public holidays, there holds Discotheque Party Alife Tokyo, which takes up the entire club. During the party you will hear the latest hits, the all-time favorite, Hip-hop and R&B. Surely you can have a real pleasant party!
Let’s go and check it out!

Address
1-7-2 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo
03-5785-2531      
http://www.e-alife.net (In Japanese)
Fri・Sat　9:00pm　-Late; closed Sun-Thu

Maneki neko: this is one of the most popular item in most major places in Japan; restaurants, shops, offices and banks. It is a statue that represents a beckoning cat. It is one of the popular Japanese lucky charms and it is believed to attract good luck and prosperity in business

Tenugui: this is another popular item that is a good souvenir to buy in Japan. It is an object that has several uses. It is a rectangular cotton towel that is quite thin; about 90cm long and comes with various printed models- floral, ukiyo-e or geometrical. It can typically serve well as a towel, used to wrap gifts items, worn as headband, used for room decoration, used as tapestry and other uses.

Yukuta: this is summer kimono that is made of cotton and it is light and casual. It is worn mostly at festivals. You will find this material at all tourist area in Japan; however to get good quality one, you will have to get it from a regular store for clothes. You will find various models that are larger and of higher quality.

Geta: this is an accompaniment to the Yukata. It is a traditional foot wear that looks like the clogs and the flip-fobs. They are usually wooden and if they are too small for your feet, there are the larger zori sandals which are also more comfortable and formal footwear.

Japanese hand fans: there are lots of different hand fans that people carry about during summer. You can find hand fans as folding ogi or uchiwa non-bending hand fan. At festivals you may be given some unique hand fans for the occasion; some are often plastic fans and widely distributed as marketing material on the street.

If you want to buy Japanese souvenirs in Roppongi,We recommend “SOUVENIR FROM TOKYO”.

SOUVENIR FROM TOKYO

Address
7-22-2-B1, Roppongi, Minato-ku Tokyo
TEL: 03-6812-9933 FAX: 03-5775-4670
10:00-18:00(Fridays-20:00)
Closed on Tuesdays, the year-end through the New Year’s holidays
(Dec.22.2009-Jan.5.2010)
Tuesdays that fall on holidays will be open; the Center closes the next
day.

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Following the earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, the government has officially lifted all tsunami warnings across the country. We have checked our apartments in Tokyo including populated area Roppongi and they remain safe for living. Should you have any concerns, please contact our office for assistance.

…certainly in the realms of travel within Japan. They are entirely focused on providing tours for gay and lesbian travelers. Which means of course that they are aiming at a niche market, doubly so as the tours on offer are only for Japan. About 15 years ago this would have been almost certainly a doomed venture, but in the age of the interweb niche business are given the chance to really blossom. So instance someone who makes homemade pottery can now potentially reach a market of ten of thousands rather than just a few hundred. So this kind of Travel Company is a great idea and what’s more, from looking at their website they really seem to know what their clientele are looking for.

They offer tours of three of Japan’s major tourist spots, Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. The tours range from 3 nights 4 days (Tokyo and Osaka) to 5 nights 6 days (Kotyo)

The daily schedule seems packed with interesting stuff to do, though if its not enough, there are options to add-on more sighting seeing tours and customize your Japanese travel experience further.

So if this of interest to you, then please check out Magnet Tours

I heard about a company called Goodies that makes traditional Japanese products. I thought it would be perfect! This company uses Japanese crafts to create beautiful gifts. They make pottery, ornaments, tiles, traditional tea sets, and more, but I was worried that those kinds of gifts might get damaged during his travel back to America.

On their website, Goodies has many pictures of the beautiful, intricate, traditional sensu fans they hand make! There are so many, Goodies might even be considered a sensu shop! There are many patterns that all have special meanings in Japanese culture.

I told the businessman about the website, and he purchased several things before heading home to America. He thought the variety of gifts was just right for many people he knew. He also mentioned the gifts were small enough to fit into his luggage without taking up much space. He too was impressed by the beauty of the Japanese sensu fans, and bought one for his mother, his wife, and even his daughter!

If you are like the businessman and searching for a great place to find beautiful Japanese crafts and souvenirs, check out Goodies and their supply of amazing products!

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