Usagi

Name: Usagi
Type: Bar
Station: About a 10 minute walk from the massive JR Shinjuku and Seibu Shinjuku Stations. 1-2 minutes from Shinjuku San-Chome Station on the Marunouchi or Shinjuku Lines.

Location: If coming from either the main JR Shinjuku or Seibu Shinjuku stations your best bet is to get yourself onto the large Shinjuku Dori (road) and walk towards (and past) OIOI for a good 10 minutes (or less depending on how fast a walker you are and who you're with) until you get to a massive intersection called the "Shinjuku 2 Intersection". There should be a pharmacy across the road. Cross the road, then turn left and walk until you hit the first road. Walk down that road, past Dragon Men (one of most popular bars/clubs in the area) and walk through two intersections. Usagi should be on the 5th floor on your left.

Info: Door opens after 9pm. Usagi doesn't seem to have any website or advertised contact information though for an accurate map of the immediate Nichome area, check out this page.

I actually came across this smoke free bar in Nichome through a simple Google search but funnily enough when I mentioned it to several friends who I wanted to check it out with I was told that they had been regulars at the place for a while and that it has a pretty good reputation and not just for the fact that it's 100% no smoking!

The bar is fairly spacious, especially for a Tokyo bar and one of the cleanest I have seen in Japan, period. It also has a huge warmth due to it's lighting, interior design and the amount of effort that's obviously been put into making it as homey as possible.

The owner is very friendly (served us up some super 5 star meat / veggie dish for free to thank us for moving seats and letting a larger group sit at the long table!) and welcomes Japanese and non alike. Being located in Nichome, Usagi (Japanese for "Rabbit") does attract a predominantly gay crowd but being Nichome you'll also find a fair mix of your average straight men and women as well so if you're part of a circle of friends which includes several demographics this isn't really a place you would have to worry about anyone feeling left out in.

The Japanese and English menu offers a wide range of alcoholic and regular drinks though strange enough only lists one kind of beer. Most drinks will set you back between 700 to 900 yen.

If you need a break or a friend in your group needs to go out for a smoke, there's a nice balcony with a view of Nichome that people can step out on for a bit. Usagi is also a minutes walk from several popular clubs making it an ideal place to come back to if you need a rest from dancing or a meet up with friends before a big night out.

Very recommended.

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No Smoking Bar Musicman

Name: No Smoking Bar Musicman
Type: Jazz Bar
Station: Jiyugaoka

Location: Turn right after taking the main exit and cross the road. It's on the 2F of the old shopping centre. You should be able to see it listed on the ground floor listing. The building's across the road from the station.

Info: Web Site, Ph: 03-3725-0615.

You've got to give props to an establishment, especially in Japan, which advertises the fact that it's 100% smoke free to the point that it mentions it in it's own name.

No Smoking Bar Musicman is a tiny little jazz bar run by one of the friendliest bar owners I've met in Japan who despite not knowing much in the way of English was more than willing to help me an my friend navigate the drinks menu (which thankfully had some English in it) and help us feel at home.

Something that's great about this bar is that it's so close to the station (literally across the road) yet because it's off the street level, you're given a better chance of getting a seat at the bar.

This tiny gem offers a wide variety of beers and other alcohol as well as a great selection of music to listen to while you unwind (a listing of some of the owner's collection can be seen on the website, unfortunately only in Japanese).

You may not head out to Jiyugaoka that often, I only head out there for work, but the station's only a seven minute express train ride from Shibuya on the Toyoku Line and there is some great shopping to be had there making it well worth a trip at least once.

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Think Zone

Name: Think Zone
Type: Organic cafe/ bar combined with an event space and book store.

Info: www.zoneroppongi.com, Tel: 5770-8777, Fax: 5770-8779, e-mail info@zoneroppongi.com
Station: Roppongi
Location: Zone Roppongi Building 1F, 6-2-31 Roppongi, Minato-ku Tokyo.

Cafe Mongrove

Name: Cafe Mongrove
Type: Thai Food/Bar/Cafe
Contact: Tel: 03-5475-3239.
In Brief: MSG Free Chicken. Chinese tea and cocktails.
Station: Ebisu
Location: Across from the Ebisu Garden Palace. Near the Westin Hotel.