I have noticed quite a number of threads discussing Japan as of recent, so I figured I’d start a thread where people could ask questions about DJing - or just life in general - in Japan. I recall someone else posting a similar topic, but the information revolved mostly around Tokyo night life (with the majority of that information centered upon how to score with Japanese girls, which, in my opinion, is a topic that should be explored with great care given the rape culture that many foreign males here perpetuate). I really love Japan so I wanted to go beyond just what kind of parties and love hotels are worth checking out.
A bit of background: I live in Tokyo where I work full-time as a lawyer at an international firm. I try to DJ on the side when time permits, and have recently started organizing my own events. I’ve lived in Japan on and off for around 7 years and I speak the language fluently.
Cookie-cutter EDM is what really resonates with the younger generation. Any big name will do (Zedd, Martin Garrix, David Guetta), especially if they have performed at festivals in Tokyo like Ultra. There also seems to be a lot of love for bounce.
For some reason the 70/140ish bpm genres like trap and dubstep aren’t very popular; but there seems to be a bit more momentum these days.
Absolutely not. I’m originally from Toronto, and I can say with quite a bit of confidence that Tokyo is actually less expensive. Not having to pay tips is a huge reason for this.
One way to really get the most bang-for-your-Yen in Japan is making use of all-you-can drink plans at restaurants (typically around $15 for 1.5-2.5 hours).
On the other hand, it’s very easy to waste money here, so you have to be very careful. One quick example: I went to have a drink at an acquaintance’s bar, and it ended up being a “girls bar” (a bar where you’re essentially charged extra to chat with the girls behind the bar counter). I only figured it out when I saw my bill for a single drink: $45. Things can get really out of hand if you end up at a hostess club (where you pay extra to have girls sit and drink with you). I never go on my own accord, but I am occasionally invited by people who end up dropping $4-5k over the course of a few hours…
Takeaway: do your research; and don’t go into random bars.
Nope. The modern Japanese music scene is dominated by endless, horrible idol groups. The only reason albums sell is because they often include tickets which allow you to shake the hand of your favorite idol, and creepy old men buy multiple copies for that reason alone.
I still come across quite a few trance events; but it’s certainly not anywhere close to as popular as mainstream EDM, or even genres like trap. The trance fans I have come across, however, are pretty hardcore.