English audio walking guide · 8 tracks · route about 3 h 30 min with trains
Tokyo Vice: The Real Streets Behind the Series
Tokyo Vice follows an American journalist entering the complicated world of Japanese crime reporting in 1990s Tokyo. Instead of building an imaginary version of the city, the production filmed extensively in real Japanese locations. This route visits seven documented Tokyo filming areas. Some are precise named venues, while others are districts or streets where the exact camera position has not been publicly identified. All seven locations are confirmed filming locations, but individual scenes cannot always be matched to an exact doorway or street corner. The journey also reveals how Tokyo's neighborhoods have evolved beyond the fictional world shown on screen.
Audio guide (8 tracks)
Track 1 is free. Tracks 2–8 unlock with a $3, 7-day film location pass.
▶ 01 — Welcome to the Real Tokyo Vice — free
Welcome to Tokyo, and to the real streets behind Tokyo Vice. Our journey begins at Shibuya Station, continues through Roppongi and Akasaka, and finishes in the nightlife districts of Shinjuku. Along the way, we will visit seven places documented as filming locations for the television series. Tokyo Vice tells the story of an American journalist navigating crime reporting, police investigations, and the complexities of Tokyo's underworld in the 1990s. But our tour is about more than the television drama. We will discover how these neighborhoods developed, why they became important entertainment centers, and how the city continues to change. One important distinction: official documents confirm filming at these locations, but they do not always identify the exact camera position or episode. We will not pretend that every doorway is a particular scene. Instead, enjoy the real atmosphere of the neighborhoods that helped create the series. Please be considerate of local residents and businesses, especially in nightlife areas. Never follow unsolicited street touts, and always ask permission before photographing people. Our first destination is one of Tokyo's most recognizable intersections: Shibuya Scramble Crossing.
🎧 02 — Shibuya Scramble Crossing
Stand on the sidewalk near Shibuya Station, facing the famous Scramble Crossing. Before crossing, take a moment to watch the traffic signals and the movement of people. Cars pass through the intersection, then stop as pedestrians move across from several directions. This carefully organized rhythm is one of the distinctive sights of modern Tokyo. Shibuya grew around a major railway hub, eventually becoming an important center for fashion, music, entertainment, and youth culture. Today, its illuminated advertisements and commercial towers create one of the city's most recognizable urban landscapes. This crossing is also a documented filming location for Tokyo Vice. A Japanese government production report specifically names the crossing and nearby bus-stop area among the places used during filming. The report does not identify an exact scene, so we should appreciate the real environment rather than invent a particular moment from the drama. The series uses Tokyo itself to establish a sense of movement, pressure, and scale. Here, those qualities are easy to understand. Watch how quickly the crowd changes, even though the intersection remains the same. When you cross, keep moving with the signal. Never stop in the roadway for photographs. Our next destination is a smaller and older entertainment district hidden beyond the modern shopping streets.
🎧 03 — Shibuya Hyakkendana
Stand at the entrance to Shibuya Hyakkendana, near Dogenzaka, and look into the smaller streets ahead. Notice how different this neighborhood feels from the broad, brightly illuminated streets surrounding Shibuya Station. Hyakkendana has a history stretching back to 1924, when the district was developed as a commercial area and attracted businesses displaced by the Great Kanto Earthquake. Its name evokes a neighborhood filled with shops. Over the decades, the streets became associated with cinemas, cafés, restaurants, music, and nightlife.Hyakkendana is also officially documented as a filming location for Tokyo Vice. The Japanese government's production report names the district, although it does not specify an individual bar, entrance, or scene. This makes the neighborhood particularly interesting as a place to explore the atmosphere of the series without confusing fiction with historical fact. Imagine the work required to make a modern commercial street appear convincing as 1990s Tokyo. Even small signs, vehicles, and storefront details can reveal a different decade. As you explore, remember that these are working streets. Respect residents and businesses, and avoid photographing people or entering private stairways without permission.
🎧 04 — Roppongi Seryna Street
Stand on the public sidewalk outside the Seryna restaurant in Roppongi, keeping its entrance clear. Look at the surrounding commercial buildings, restaurant signs, and the relatively compact streets of this entertainment district. Roppongi has developed a strong international reputation through its restaurants, bars, nightlife, and cultural attractions. It is a neighborhood where different worlds meet: international visitors, local businesses, office workers, and residents all share the same urban space. Seryna itself is an established Japanese restaurant associated with premium dining, including shabu-shabu. But the significance of this stop for Tokyo Vice is more specific than the restaurant's reputation. The Japanese government's official filming report identifies the area in front of Seryna as one of the locations used for the series. That does not mean the restaurant interior was necessarily filmed, and we should not describe an unverified scene inside it. Instead, consider how the public street could provide a convincing setting for a story about Tokyo's nightlife and complex social relationships. The buildings and businesses around us are part of a real, evolving city, not preserved film scenery. Please remain on public pedestrian space, respect restaurant customers, and avoid photographing staff or visitors without their consent.
🎧 05 — Esplanade Akasaka
Stand safely along Esplanade Akasaka and look down the street toward its closely spaced restaurants, bars, and decorative streetlights. Compared with Shibuya's enormous crossing, this is a more intimate environment. Akasaka has long been connected with dining, entertainment, and Tokyo's political and business communities. Its nightlife streets are woven into a neighborhood of offices, restaurants, and everyday local activity. Esplanade Akasaka has a particularly remarkable connection with Tokyo Vice. During production of the second season, the crew arranged an ambitious nighttime filming sequence here. Industry reporting describes months of negotiations involving police, property owners, and hundreds of nearby businesses. The production wanted to use a real Tokyo nightlife street rather than simply recreate one somewhere else. The effort reveals something important about filming in this city. A location is not an empty backdrop. Every street contains businesses, neighbors, deliveries, and people whose daily lives continue around the production. The resulting scene involved dramatic criminal violence, but the street you are standing on is an ordinary commercial area, not a place to treat as dangerous because of fiction. Enjoy its architecture and atmosphere respectfully. Keep entrances clear, decline unsolicited nightlife invitations, and always confirm prices before entering a bar.
🎧 06 — Kabukicho: Tokyo's Entertainment District
Stand near the Kabukicho Ichibangai entrance, on the pedestrian side of the street, and look toward the illuminated entertainment district beyond. Before walking further, notice the density of signs, restaurants, cinemas, and nightlife businesses. Kabukicho is one of Japan's most famous entertainment neighborhoods, but its name has an unexpected history. In 1948, postwar redevelopment plans gave the area the name Kabukicho because a kabuki theater was intended to become part of the new entertainment district. That theater project was never completed. Instead, the neighborhood evolved around cinemas, performance venues, restaurants, and nightclubs. Tokyo Vice draws heavily on the visual identity of districts like this one. Kabukicho itself is confirmed as a filming location in the Japanese government's production report. However, the document does not identify every exact street or doorway shown on screen. The television series presents a fictional crime narrative, and that should not define how we see the people working here today. Most businesses are simply part of Tokyo's busy entertainment economy. Stay on ordinary public streets, avoid blocking entrances, and never follow persistent street touts offering drinks, clubs, or special deals. Choose businesses independently, and treat workers and other visitors with respect.
🎧 07 — Shinjuku Batting Center
Stand outside Shinjuku Batting Center, away from the entrance, and look at the building and the surrounding streets. The first thing to notice is the contrast. Just beyond this ordinary recreational facility lies one of Tokyo's busiest nightlife districts. Inside batting centers, visitors can practice hitting baseballs launched by pitching machines. The activity is straightforward, energetic, and deeply connected to Japan's enthusiasm for baseball. In a densely populated city, enclosed batting facilities make it possible to enjoy a version of the sport without needing a large outdoor field. Shinjuku Batting Center is a documented filming location for Tokyo Vice. It appears by name in the Japanese government's production report, and producer Alex Boden has also discussed the use of this location. The available sources do not establish a particular batting lane for our tour, so there is no reason to search for a supposedly exact position. Instead, appreciate the contrast between recreational life and the dramatic nightlife environment surrounding it. This kind of everyday location helps make a fictional story feel connected to a real city. If you decide to try batting, follow the facility's posted safety rules and staff instructions. Never enter an active lane without authorization. Be considerate of customers, especially when taking photographs or recording video.
🎧 08 — Golden Gai: The Final Stop
Stand at a public entrance to Shinjuku Golden Gai and look along the narrow lanes without blocking anyone's path. Here, the enormous scale of modern Tokyo suddenly disappears. Small buildings stand close together, illuminated signs hang above tiny bars, and each doorway seems to lead into a different atmosphere. Golden Gai preserves an important part of postwar Shinjuku. Tokyo's official tourism information describes six compact blocks containing approximately 280 establishments, with a character that recalls the early 1950s.Golden Gai is also a documented Tokyo Vice filming location. Both a Japanese government report and production-related reporting identify the area, although they do not establish which individual bars or entrances appeared in particular scenes. This distinction matters, because Golden Gai is not a museum or a television set.Photography without permission is prohibited according to Tokyo's official visitor guidance. Do not smoke or drink in the lanes. Ask about cover charges before ordering, and respect each bar's policies. As our tour ends, remember that Tokyo's greatest stories are not only fictional ones. They are also the stories of the neighborhoods and people who keep this city alive.
Track 1 is free. One payment of $3 unlocks every track of Kyochika's film location audio guides for 7 days on this device and browser. The scripts below stay free to read.
$3 · 7 days →Pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay (Stripe). Legal notice (Japanese)
Advertisement
The route
Begin at Shibuya Scramble Crossing, then walk uphill into Shibuya Hyakkendana. Travel by train to Roppongi and visit the public street outside Seryna. Continue to Esplanade Akasaka, a confirmed Season Two filming street. Take the subway toward Shinjuku, where the final three stops are Kabukicho, Shinjuku Batting Center, and Golden Gai. Allow approximately three to four hours for sightseeing, walking, and train journeys, excluding meals and nightlife. The route is best started in late afternoon so that the final Shinjuku stops can be experienced after dark. Avoid arranging unnecessary detours through quiet residential streets. All locations should be visited from ordinary public access areas unless you are a paying customer of a business.
The places
- 1. Shibuya Scramble Crossing 渋谷スクランブル交差点
Tokyo Vice — Official collaboration. Japan's government-supported filming report explicitly identifies Shibuya Scramble Crossing and its bus-stop area among the principal filming locations for Season One. The report confirms the location but does not identify a particular episode, shot, or precise camera position.
Shibuya Crossing is one of Tokyo's best-known pedestrian intersections. It developed into a major urban landmark as Shibuya expanded around its railway station. Its illuminated signs, surrounding commercial buildings, and intersecting pedestrian flows express the district's role as a center of youth culture, transportation, entertainment, and shopping.
Look for: Observe the crossing from the station-side pedestrian area. Notice how vehicle movement stops while pedestrians travel simultaneously in several directions. The surrounding buildings, advertisements, and railway infrastructure create a dense visual environment familiar from countless depictions of contemporary Tokyo.
Visiting: This is a public road intersection, not a ticketed attraction. The government report confirms filming at the crossing and nearby bus-stop area but does not designate an exact scene-recreation viewpoint. Cross only when the pedestrian signal permits. Never stop in the roadway, block a crossing, stand in traffic, or position equipment in the path of pedestrians. Do not photograph identifiable people at close range without consent.
Sources: Government of Japan — Foreign Production Location Attraction Report, March 2022, page 12 · Tokyo Location Box — Tokyo Vice Production Support
- 2. Shibuya Hyakkendana 渋谷百軒店
Tokyo Vice — Official collaboration. Shibuya Hyakkendana is explicitly listed in the Japanese government's report among the principal filming locations used for Season One. No particular bar, business interior, scene, or camera position is identified.
Hyakkendana was developed in 1924 as a commercial district that initially attracted businesses affected by the Great Kanto Earthquake. Its name refers to a concentration of shops. Through subsequent decades, the neighborhood evolved into an entertainment area associated with cinemas, cafés, restaurants, music, and nightlife. Its narrow streets offer a different experience from the large commercial avenues nearby.
Look for: From Dogenzaka, enter the public streets of Hyakkendana and observe the smaller buildings, shop signs, traditional storefronts, and intimate street proportions. Look for the contrast between this older entertainment district and the modern commercial center around Shibuya Station.
Visiting: The streets are public, while businesses have their own entry requirements and operating schedules. No entrance fee is required for an ordinary walk through the district. The documented production connection is to the area, not to a named establishment. Respect restaurants, bars, customers, and residents. Do not enter private doorways or staircases to recreate television scenes. Ask permission before photographing shop interiors or people. Avoid blocking the narrow streets.
Sources: Government of Japan — Foreign Production Location Attraction Report, March 2022 · Shibuya PARCO — History and Culture of Hyakkendana
- 3. Roppongi Seryna Street 六本木 瀬里奈本店前
Tokyo Vice — Official collaboration. The Japanese government's filming report specifically identifies the area in front of Seryna in Roppongi as a principal Tokyo Vice filming location. The report does not establish that the restaurant interior was filmed or provide an episode-specific scene description.
Roppongi developed into one of Tokyo's internationally recognized dining and entertainment neighborhoods, with restaurants, nightlife venues, offices, and cultural attractions. Seryna is an established Japanese dining business known for dishes including shabu-shabu and premium beef. Its main restaurant occupies a building at 3-12-2 Roppongi.
Look for: Stand on the public sidewalk near Seryna's main entrance and observe the surrounding streets, restaurant frontage, commercial buildings, and changing rhythm of Roppongi's nightlife district. Imagine the location before the television production introduced period details to evoke 1990s Tokyo.
Visiting: The confirmed filming location is the area in front of Seryna, not necessarily the restaurant interior. The official address is 3-12-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Visiting the public street requires no admission. Restaurant dining is a separate commercial service. Stay on public pedestrian space and keep the restaurant entrance clear. Do not photograph customers or staff without permission. Enter the restaurant only as a customer and follow its normal booking and dining arrangements.
Sources: Government of Japan — Foreign Production Location Attraction Report, March 2022 · Seryna — Official Roppongi Restaurant and Access Information
- 4. Esplanade Akasaka エスプラナード赤坂通り
Tokyo Vice — Official collaboration. The Hollywood Reporter Japan and Screen Daily document a major Season Two location shoot on Esplanade Akasaka. Production personnel described extensive negotiations with police, local businesses, and neighboring property owners before filming a dramatic nighttime sequence on the street.
Akasaka has long been associated with restaurants, bars, entertainment, and political and business activity. Esplanade Akasaka is a commercial street identified by its shopping-street association, which describes its decorative streetlights, paving, and pedestrian-oriented character. Its combination of intimate nightlife venues and dense urban development makes it a distinctive Tokyo streetscape.
Look for: From a safe position along the street, observe the decorative lighting, commercial façades, restaurant entrances, and compact arrangement of bars. The location demonstrates how an ordinary working nightlife street can become a complex television filming environment.
Visiting: The street filming was reported as taking place in March 2023. The publicly confirmed location is Esplanade Akasaka, rather than an identified individual club interior accessible to tourists. No street admission is required. This is an active commercial neighborhood, not an outdoor film set. Keep entrances, pavements, and emergency access clear. Do not photograph customers, staff, or private interiors without permission. Decline unsolicited nightlife invitations and confirm prices directly with any establishment you independently choose.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter Japan — Tokyo Vice Location Negotiations · Screen Daily — Tokyo Vice Season Two Filming in Japan · Esplanade Akasaka Shopping Street Association
- 5. Shinjuku Kabukicho 新宿歌舞伎町
Tokyo Vice — Official collaboration. Kabukicho is explicitly identified as a filming location in the Japanese government's Season One production report. Tokyo Location Box and interviews with production personnel also confirm extensive location filming in Shinjuku and Kabukicho. The exact individual street positions for every sequence have not been released.
Kabukicho received its name in 1948 during postwar redevelopment. Plans included constructing a kabuki theater, but that particular project never materialized. Instead, the district evolved into one of Japan's most famous entertainment centers, associated with cinemas, restaurants, bars, clubs, and late-night businesses.
Look for: Begin near the Kabukicho Ichibangai entrance and observe the illuminated commercial streets, dense signage, theater-related architecture, and mixture of established businesses and newer entertainment developments. The surroundings illustrate the district's long relationship with Tokyo nightlife.
Visiting: Kabukicho is an active neighborhood with publicly accessible streets. Individual businesses maintain their own prices and operating hours. The documented filming connection is to the district; the suggested entrance is a visitor orientation point, not a verified individual camera position. Never follow street touts or unsolicited guides into bars or clubs. Choose establishments independently, review prices and cover charges before entering, and avoid isolated confrontations. Do not photograph people, private premises, or workers without permission. Keep pedestrian passages and shop entrances unobstructed.
Sources: Government of Japan — Foreign Production Location Attraction Report, March 2022 · Tokyo Location Box — Tokyo Vice · Shinjuku City — Municipal History, 1948 · Edo-Tokyo Museum — Origin of the Kabukicho Name
- 6. Shinjuku Batting Center 新宿バッティングセンター
Tokyo Vice — Official collaboration. The Japanese government's Season One filming report names Shinjuku Batting Center specifically. Tokyo Vice producer Alex Boden has also identified the batting facility as one of the real locations used across the production. Publicly available material does not establish an exact filming bay or episode for this guide.
Urban batting centers offer a convenient way to practice baseball hitting without traveling to a full-sized sports field. They are a familiar part of Japan's recreational landscape, especially in densely built cities where space is limited. Shinjuku Batting Center is particularly distinctive because it operates within the surrounding nightlife environment of Kabukicho.
Look for: Observe the exterior of the batting facility, its entrance, and its surroundings. If you decide to enter as a customer, pay attention to the enclosed batting lanes, pitching machines, safety barriers, and the sound of balls striking bats.
Visiting: The facility is a documented filming location, but this guide does not claim an exact batting cage or interior camera position. Operating hours and batting charges should be checked directly with the facility before visiting. Outdoor viewing does not require purchasing a batting session. Stay outside active batting lanes unless participating according to facility rules. Follow posted safety instructions and staff directions. Do not film customers without permission, obstruct entrances, or interfere with machines and sporting equipment.
Sources: Government of Japan — Foreign Production Location Attraction Report, March 2022 · Creative First — Interview with Tokyo Vice Producer Alex Boden
- 7. Shinjuku Golden Gai 新宿ゴールデン街
Tokyo Vice — Official collaboration. Shinjuku Golden Gai appears in the Japanese government's explicit list of Season One filming locations. Producer Alex Boden also specifically identifies Golden Gai among the real Tokyo locations used for the series. No individual bar or precise filmed doorway is established by these sources.
Golden Gai preserves the atmosphere of early postwar Shinjuku through its narrow lanes and tightly packed small bars. Tokyo's official tourism website describes six compact blocks containing approximately 280 establishments and emphasizes the area's surviving early-1950s character.
Look for: Explore the public lanes while noticing the closely spaced bar entrances, small signs, low-rise buildings, and remarkably intimate scale. Compare Golden Gai with the larger commercial streets of Kabukicho just a short walk away.
Visiting: Walking through the lanes does not require a general admission ticket. Individual bars set their own opening hours, charges, and customer policies. Tokyo's official tourism website notes that many bars open around 8 p.m., but availability varies. The filming evidence confirms Golden Gai as an area, not any specific bar interior. Tokyo's official tourism guidance prohibits unauthorized photography in Golden Gai and asks visitors not to smoke or drink in the streets. Ask permission before taking photographs. Respect customers, owners, and residents. Check cover charges and drink prices before ordering. Do not block alleyways, entrances, or stairs.
Sources: Government of Japan — Foreign Production Location Attraction Report, March 2022 · Creative First — Producer Alex Boden on Tokyo Vice Filming Locations · GO TOKYO — Official Shinjuku Golden Gai Visitor Information
Nearby English audio guides
Book for the same day
FAQ
Are all seven stops confirmed Tokyo Vice filming locations?
Yes. The Japanese government's filming report explicitly identifies Shibuya Scramble Crossing, Shibuya Hyakkendana, the area in front of Roppongi Seryna, Kabukicho, Shinjuku Batting Center, and Shinjuku Golden Gai. Esplanade Akasaka is independently confirmed through interviews with production personnel reported by The Hollywood Reporter Japan and Screen Daily. For several locations, exact camera positions and individual episodes have not been publicly established.
How long does the route take?
Allow approximately three to four hours for walking, public transportation, and listening to the audio guide. This is a planning estimate rather than a verified live journey time. Additional dining or nightlife visits will increase the duration.
Is it better to visit during the day or at night?
A late-afternoon start is recommended. Shibuya can be explored in daylight, while the illuminated streets of Akasaka and Shinjuku are especially atmospheric after dark. If you prefer quieter surroundings, the entire route can also be completed during the day.
Is Kabukicho safe for visitors?
Kabukicho is a functioning entertainment district visited by many people. Use normal urban precautions, remain alert, and avoid following unsolicited touts into unknown businesses. Check prices and cover charges before entering a venue, keep control of your belongings and drinks, and seek help from nearby police if necessary.
Do I need to pay to visit the filming locations?
There is no general admission fee to walk through the public streets included in this route. Restaurants, bars, and the batting center are separate businesses that may charge for their services. Check with each establishment for current conditions.
Are the places exactly as they appeared in the series?
Not necessarily. Tokyo Vice portrays the 1990s, but the series was filmed decades later using real locations and period production design. Shopfronts, lighting, signs, and streets may have changed since filming. Do not assume that the present appearance matches the television image.
Why are some well-known Tokyo Vice locations not included?
This route focuses on seven documented locations that can be combined into a practical Tokyo itinerary. Other confirmed sites include filming areas in Akabane and outside Tokyo. Locations without sufficiently precise or reliable public documentation are not presented as specific scene locations.
Checked 2026-11-10. No footage, dialogue, music or character voices are used.