HOW TO GET A DATE IN TOKYO
Without resorting to Tinder, we mean. Kirsty Bouwers heads to six bars to try and meet people (and perhaps find a little romance) the old-fashioned way
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okyo – 13 million people yet loneliness still strikes. Plain human contact can be a challenge, with everyone racing from A to B, constantly on their phones or in their own little groups. I’ve been living here for a year, and although I must admit I’m a smartphone convert as well, I still prefer meeting (new) people in the flesh. So what’s a single girl to do to find a bit of entertainment, or possibly true love? Head to a bar, in the hope that some Dutch courage and music will fracture the tight-knit groups and loosen up the tongues a bit. And my oh my, the results were as varied as the bars...
Night 1: A971
Time till first flirt: 50 minutes Crowd watch: Expats, lost tourists and the occasional foreigner-hunting Japanese guy One Japanese blog billed A971 as the place to meet high-ranking expats. Perfect. Somewhat upscale pick-ups in Tokyo’s international central. As it’s the first venue on my list, I decide to call in a wingwoman. In hindsight, perhaps not a great idea. We now have a group, and are automatically redirected to a table: first in the quiet dining area and then outside on the terrace, far away from everyone else. A full 50 minutes pass before we get a wave and a smile-wink – from a guy walking past. Does that count? Considering the circumstances, yes. It’s about time I take some action, so I head inside. Bingo. While ordering, a tipsy Japanese guy starts chatting me up, but soon decides to become an impromptu wingman for the solo Korean-American standing behind us. After introductions, I find myself in the age-old conversation of whether I would ‘date an Asian’, whether I can tell the difference between Koreans and Japanese – and which I prefer. Across the bar, another guy has started literally picking up women and swinging them around. Just your average Thursday night. 9-7-2 Akasaka, Minato (Roppongi Station). 03 5413 3210. tinyurl. com/TOTA971
IMAGES: KISA TOYOSHIMA AND MANABU MOROOKA
Nightlife
Nightlife
