DATE NIGHT IN AKASAKA

If you start the night early enough, you can check out Hie Shrine first.

Hie Shrine is in Akasaka and although it is small – it’s a great little stop-off if you’re in the area.
The Torii gates make for great photos too.
It’s 6 minutes in a cab from Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi ( or 20 minutes walk on foot – which is what we did. )

This is also the area of the Harry Potter Cafe & Shop

There are a lot of steep stairs ( although its not a hike or anything – still an inner city shrine) so, if you’re travelling with kids and a stroller , it could be a bit tricky.
There are restrooms in the main building.
If you wanted to be up to date on the shrine etiquette, their English page on the shrine website is pretty good.

HIE SHRINE
千代田区永田町2-10-5
2-10-5 NAGATACHO, CHIYODA-KU
WEBSITE ( THEIR ENGLISH PAGE OF THE WEBSITE IS PRETTY GOOD)
OPEN 5AM-6PM (APRIL – SEPTEMBER)
OPEN 6AM-5PM (OCTOBER-MARCH)

This area of Akasaka is lovely area for lunch but, at night, it is a fabulous, vibey place to spend time in a Japanese style pub called an Izakaya.
It’s a very casual and noisy spot (in all the right ways) but a fantastic place to grab a bite if you love sashimi (or any kind of seafood, actually.)

Warning, smoking is allowed in the restaurant (although I didn’t come across any smokers at lunchtime. )
This restaurant is actually part of a chain, so if you like it here, keep an eye out for other branches.

MARUTOMI SUISAN AKASAKA
港区赤阪3-12-10
3-12-10 AKASAKA, MINATO-KU
OPEN FOR LUNCH 11AM -2PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 4PM-11PM

Or maybe you’d prefer to try the Champagne & Gyoza bar in Akasaka? This place is lovely and casual. Who would have thought that bubbles and dumplings could be such a yummy match? There is just one guy behind the counter with a gigantic bucket of different champagne bottles and he cooks gyoza on the spot. I don’t know how he keeps up!
There are vegetarian gyoza options (but I don’t recommend if you’re a strict vegie as they are all cooked on the same hot plates.)

STANDO SHAN CHAMPAGNE & GYOZA BAR, AKASAKA
港区赤坂3-15-4
3-15-4 AKASAKA, MINATO
OPEN 5PM-1:30AM (3PM-11PM ON SATURDAYS)

And straight after the champagne & gyoza bar? On a beautiful friend’s recommendation, I also head straight for Code Name Mixology Akasaka cocktail bar. It is about 3 doors down. Well …down and up to be exact because it is on the second floor. I also just turn up without a booking but for a group larger than 2 people? You may not want to risk it….and make an appointment. (If you call in English – they will freak out until they hand you to an English speaking staff member but don’t hang up , okay?)
This place is all kinds of old school and I love it! Cocktails have a real theatre to them and the place is styled like Gaston’s pub in Beauty & the Beast! Fake rustic chic. (I’m talking fake deer head, the lot)

A little appetizer comes out ( in exchange for charging a small table fee) and last time I visited ? It was a potato salad on breads – a carb-lovers dream! It was soooo good.
I would actually give it a miss if you can’t get a seat at the bar. It’s just not as much fun if you can’t see the cocktails being made.

CODE NAME MIXOLOGY
港区赤坂3-14-3 渡林赤坂ビル2F
AKASAKA BUILDING 2F, 3-14-3 AKASAKA, MINATO
OPEN FROM 6PM

Warayakiya is one of my favourite place to take guests. Its always buzzing and the interior is cool. If possible? Ask to be seated at the counter as the fish is cooked using this special technique – straw-burning flame grill. The flames are huge and very impressive. Their specialty is the seared bonito.
I don’t really recommend this place if you don’t like seafood as the menu is limited because they niche-down hard on their famous dishes.
Kids are welcome but, warning, this is not a non-smoking venue.
The photo below is of the Warayakiya in Roppongi.

WARAYAKIYA AKASAKA
港区赤阪3-12-3 コンチネンタル赤阪V1F
V1F CONTINENTAL AKASAKA BUILDING, 3-12-3 AKASAKA, MINATO
GROUND FLOOR, ROPPONGI GOODI BUILDING, 6-8-8 ROPPONGI, MINATO-KU
OPEN 5PM-5AM (CLOSES AT 11PM ON SUNDAYS)
WEBSITE

For something a bit more casual, Kushikatsu Arata is a fantastic option. This is a chain of Japanese style lightly battered, fried and skewered meat and vegetables. There are also lots of seafood options. Incase you can’t find it right away, it is across the road from the Hotel Felice.
I love the vibe in here. The decor is fun and retro with Japanese decor and posters.
I find this kind of way to eat to be easy when you have vegetarian diners with you as all ingredients can be ordered, on skewers, on their own.
It is possible to reserve a table here but, personally, if its just seats for two? I’d just try my luck. Unfortunately, it is not a non-smoking restaurant – I’ve never found it to be too bad but I also want to let you know, incase this is a deal breaker for you.)
They do accept most major credit cards.

KUSHIKATSU AKASAKA
港区赤坂3-6-14 楓庵ビル 1F
GROUND FLOOR, 3-6-14 AKASAKA, MINATO-KU
OPEN: 5PM – 3AM
CLOSED: EVERY SUNDAY
WEBSITE ( JAPANESE ONLY)

Another izakaya pub that is VERY casual and reasonably priced is Uoshin – which is located close to Tokyo Midtown Department Store.
You will knock elbows with the locals and can also try lots of different types of food.
Ask about their nomihodai (all you can drink) and food course which costs 5000 yen per person for a few hours. The course is pre-determined by the chef so if you’d rather have a say – maybe go for just normal a la carte instead.
I recommend ordering the assorted tempura, a sashimi platter, a lemon sour ( sake mixed with lemon soft drink) and crab croquettes. Soooo yummy.

The place gets REALLY hot so have a thin layer on underneath. Also wear easy on and off shoes incase your seats are on the tatami (although you can specify when you book.)

The restaurant is surrounded by red, blue and white lanterns. You can’t miss it.
Warning: the restaurant is not smoke free. There is a smoking and non-smoking section but…. smoke doesn’t exactly stay where it is told to, right?

UOSHIN NOGIZAKA
港区赤坂9-6-32
9 -6-32 AKASAKA, MINATO-KU
WEEKDAY LUNCH 11:30AM – 2PM
WEEKDAY DINNER 5PM – MIDNIGHT
WEEKENDS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 4PM – 11PM

Public 6 is another bar in this area that is pretty fun and is also a good place to chat to other customers ( some places in Tokyo feel a bit more like they aren’t made for mingling.). There is also another Public 6 in Roppongi (Roppongi date night suggestions are here. Roppongi is actually very close to Akasaka so it is possible to switch between areas in the same night.)

PUBLIC 6 ROPPONGI
港区赤阪3-11-8 ザ・センチュリオンホテルクラシック赤坂1F
GROUND FLOOR, THE CENTURION HOTEL CLASSIC AKASAKA, AKASAKA, MINATO
WEBSITE

Botejyu is an okonomiyaki restaurant chain in Japan that has been around since 1946. The Akasaka store is 1 minute away from Akasaka Mitsuke Station.

In Japan, okonomiyaki is seen as a comfort food. It is often referred to as a thick Japanese omelette made with cabbage and then diners choose their own fillings such as additional vegetables, meats or seafood. It is then decorated with sauces, mayonnaise and/or seaweed flakes. It is cooked on a hot plate in front of you so it is really good if you are fussy or just really need to be able to veto ingredients as they are added.

Another option for food in Okonomiyaki restaurants is yakisoba – noodles cooked on the hot grill. It’s really popular and is often considered to be one of Japan’s most popular street food options.

Okonomiyaki restaurants are pretty much always really casual and a great way to share a cheap meal with friends or colleagues.

This restaurant accepts credit cards.
Please note that this is not a non-smoking restaurant so you may need to venture in in between normal mealtimes or suss it out first.

I would budget around 1000 yen for an adult meal for lunch and 2000 yen for dinner.

BOTEJYU AKASAKA
赤坂3-10-1 2F
2F, 3-10-1 AKASAKA
OPEN EVERYDAY FOR LUNCH: 11:30AM～3PM
OPEN EVERYDAY FOR DINNER: 5PM – 11PM
BOTEJYU AKASAKA

I’m obsessed with We are the Farm in Akasaka.
Lunch is especially good value but the dinner is also amazing.
The lunch course at this Farm-to-Table restaurant includes soup & a kale side salad and you can choose your own main : a vegetable gratin, a “choose your own ingredients salad” or a grilled vegetable platter (see pictures below) for 1500 yen.

This place is popular so you’ll need to make a reservation (or just call to make sure that they have seats available.)
The entire restaurant is non-smoking.

I also love the We are the Farm’s lunch salad buffet (although they might not like me visiting as I just keep eating and eating.)
If you get the chance, they sell the amazing cheese and tomato dish at all times of the day.

My husband and I go here for date nights often and, I know it sounds weird to say but, this simple marinated onion served with rock salt was to die for!

We both love their ‘Chunky Veg’ gratin and the plate of all the amazing Japanese varieties of mushrooms was one of my favourites.

WE ARE THE FARM AZABU, AKASAKA
港区赤坂2-17-69
2-17-69 AKASAKA, MINATO
OPEN FOR LUNCH: 11:30AM-3PM
WEEKDAY DINNERS: 6PM-11:30PM
WEEKEND DINNERS: 5PM-11:30PM
WE ARE THE FARM AKASAKA