The Best Places to Listen to Hip-Hop in Tokyo
![Tokyo’s club scene champions local and international hip-hop talent](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/20x11/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/rx66hb.webp)
With more music venues than you can count, Tokyo has a vibrant hip-hop scene. Check out your favourite artists and discover the coolest up-and-coming talent with Culture Trip’s edit of the best venues for hip-hop in the capital.
1. HARLEM, Shibuya-ku
Nightclub, Pub Grub
2. Sound Museum Vision, Shibuya-ku
Music Venue
3. Yoyogi park, Harajuku
Park, Shrine
![Yoyogi park in Tokyo](https://cdn-v2.theculturetrip.com/10x/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/pntm1x.webp)
4. ageHa, Shin Kiba
Music Venue
The biggest club in Tokyo, ageHa, opened in 2002, is becoming the super-club party destination for anyone rolling through the city. It’s a half-hour bus journey from Shibuya to its Shin Kiba location, but well worth the trip for the three separate stages, outdoor area, and pool (although you’re not actually allowed to swim). If big-name international DJs aren’t your vibe, the semi-regular MC battle events are a highlight for the sheer energy of a live freestyle battle between Japan’s lyrical masters. Bear in mind the MCs be rapping in their native language, but the atmosphere is electric even if you can’t understand what they’re saying.
5. Liquid Room, Shibuya-ku
Music Venue
Bae Tokyo
Though this is technically a party rather than a club, Bae Tokyo is a name to know. The team not only brings international hip-hop stars to town, but also provides a moment in the spotlight for some of the most exciting new names on the scene thanks to its carefully curated line-ups. Events take place roughly once a month, and since the business was founded as a platform to boost the exposure of female acts among the Tokyo hip-hop scene – and foster an inclusive community of creatives – you can expect a party packed with under-the-radar local talent.