At long last, it has arrived… my guide to Tokyo’s Goth Cyber & Lolita Club Nights! Here’s the low-down on the music, scene, map, photos, you name it.

I plotted the main Gothic club venues on a Google Map below and here:

View Tokyo Gothic Lolita Cyber Nightclubs in a larger map

Most of the club nights begin around 11pm and run all night (the trains stop running between 1:30-5am approximately). Admission prices vary, but are generally $20-30 US including one drink (and you may receive a discount if you abide by the dress code). The DJs and guests are extremely friendly and open; the only exceptions are the obnoxious gaijin who are only looking for girls and make no effort to dress up… go home, losers!

I highly recommend the following club events; if you’re in Tokyo, make an effort to explore Gothic Wonderland! Visit the club websites for upcoming events and info, and leave me a comment if you have any questions.

CLUB MARZ
Address: B1F Dai-ichi Tokiwa Bldg., Kabukicho 2-45-1, Shinjuku
Tel: 03-3202-8248
URL: http://www.marz.jp/

The most popular Goth/Cyber event venue. Midnight Mess, Tokyo Dark Castle and (Osaka-based) Midnight Necropolis take place here; DJ Chihiro and Sisen often play. Two floors, two bars, and a large performance area. (For full details on Midnight Mess in video format, read this post.)

January 2010: Midnight Mess and Tokyo Dark Castle
April 2009: Midnight Mess fetish show
April 2009: Midnight Mess how-to info
November 2008: Midnight Necropolis
November 2008: Tokyo Dark Castle Halloween special
October 2008: Tokyo Dark Castle
September 2008: Midnight Mess

SHINJUKU MOTION is to the immediate left of Club Marz. Take the elevator up to see Goth/industrial/experimental bands, such as the Demonoid 13 party (click for review and video). You can see Goth nightlife fashion here.

August 2009: Baal, 13th Moon, Demonoid 13 Goth band night

Midnight Mess is the longest-running Goth/Industrial party in Tokyo. There is always a fantastic turn-out of young Goths and Lolitas in amazing outfits. The performers include opera singers, dancers, S&M
shows… above and here is a video with everything you know to have a spooky time!

WHAT: MIDNIGHT MESS, Tokyo’s best Gothic-cyber-Lolita club party. With DJS (Maya, Sisen, Chihiro), performances (Seileen, Skinny Puppy), fetish performances / bondage / rope suspension, EBM industrial darkwave music, and the wildest Harajuku club fashion!

WHEN: Once a month; starts at midnight and runs all night. Check out the Midnight Mess website for the next event.
WHERE: Club Marz in Shinjuku. Take the East Exit from Shinjuku Station, go straight-forward til you reach the Seibu-Shinjuku line, turn right at the Family Mart… (see map above)
PRICE: 2500 yen (Gothic dress code); 3000 yen (RSVP: maya@midnightmess.com); 3500 yen (door). Drink ticket included.
AGE: 18 to enter, 20 to booze.

STUDIO CUBE 326
Address: 3-2-6, Tamachi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-0002　
Tel: 03-5439-9199
URL: http://www.studiocube326.com/

A nice venue on an upper floor of a modern building. Follow the map carefully, as it can be difficult to find – you need to walk about 12 minutes to get there. Studio Cube hosts Alamode Night and Club Theatric from D’s Valentine’s Artism. Frequent performances by DJ Chihiro and Sisen, the Dark Marchen, Akira Death. You’ll see lots of cosplay, cyber and Lolita outfits.

November 2008: Alamode Night and Fashion Show
November 2008: Dark Marchen at Alamode Night
Overview of Alamode Night

CHRISTON CAFE
Shibuya: New Mainstay Bldg. B1, Dogenzaka 2-10-7, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Tel: 03-5728-2225
Shinjuku: Oriental Wave Bldg. 8F, 5-17-13 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Tel: 03-5287-2426

I photographed both venues for my theme restaurants book! Tokyo Decadance (DJ Sisen, Chihiro) and the annual Fetish Ball take place at the Shibuya location, which is smaller, darker and more cavernous. The huge Shinjuku venue that looks like a flamboyant Catholic church. Tokyo Decadance’s largest events (Halloween, Xmas) take place here. There are photo booths, fortune telling, and craft stands selling Goth and Lolita goods.

March 2010: Tokyo Decadance White Day party with SiSEN, Selia, Kaya
June 2009: Christon Cafe Shinjuku renewal party
October 2008: Tokyo Decadance Halloween
Overview of Tokyo Decadance
Overview of Christon Cafe

DEPARTMENT H is wildest fetish party in Tokyo, filled with crazy furry costumes, anime-head masks, drag queens, extreme piercings, you name it. We filmed footage at the event for Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World TV show.

Kinema Klub
6F 1-1-14 Negishi, Taito-ku, Uguisudani
Phone: 03-3874-7988
Begins at midnight and goes all night

January 2010: Classic movie monsters attack Department H
October 2009: Japanese drag queens at Dept H
October 2009: Animegao dollars at Dept H

CLUB HOOP
Address: B1, 1-34-13 Shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-5369-4818
URL: http://www.artism.jp/clubhoop/hoop.html

It’s a little hard to find this venue because it’s hidden in the recess of a wall. If you’re walking from Shinjuku Station, it will be on the right side of the street; look out for the AM/PM! Here’s a video I shot outside Club Hoop that will help guide you.

Club Hoop is possibly my favorite venue because it’s small and intimate, and attracts a more hard-core dress-up crowd. Club Cemetery (all-Goth, amazing music), Gothic Bar Heaven and other D’s Valentine nights take place here. The back room is filled with stands where you can buy Gothic & Lolita accessories, fake nails, etc.

September 2008: Gothic Bar Heaven
October 2008: Gothic Bar Heaven at Club Hoop with DJ Sisen and Chihiro
November 2008: Club Cemetery at Club Hoop Shinjuku

CLUB CRAWL
Address: Maruhashi Bldg B1F, 1-25-2 Shibuya-ku Higashi
URL: http://www.bighitcompany.com/crawl

Another venue for DJ Sisen and Chihiro’s Gothic Bar Heaven, Club Theatric and Alamode Night. Take the East exit of JR Shibuya station and turn right on Meiji Dori. Keep walking along Meiji Dori (towards Ebisu) for a few minutes and pass the Life Supermarket. Then take the next left and Club Crawl is on the left in the basement of Maruhashi Building, opposite an AM/PM convenience store.

July 2009: video of gabber/industrial DJs from Alamode Night
July 2009: photos of the fashion inside Alamode Night

HARAJUKU ELEPHANT CAFE
Address: Jingumae 4-30-4, Harajuku 3F
Tel: 3478-2233

Tokyo Decadance sometimes takes place in this cramped Harajuku venue. I prefer the more spacious Christon Cafe (see listing above).
April 2009: Tokyo Decadance Cyber Goth all-night club party

CLUB WALPURGIS
Address: B1F, Yachiyo Bldg., 2-12-13 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3407-3564
URL: http://www.clubwalpurgis.com/

Goth, industrial, 80s and glam at this seminal 80s Goth-punk venue.

CLUB WIRE
Hanazono Building, B1F, 5-17-6 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
URL: http://wire.meeeplus.net
Performance venue. Hard rock, Goth, industrial, electro.

Again, leave any questions or feedback in the comments! You can view more videos of these Tokyo Goth parties on my YouTube (please subscribe).