theatre Archives | Tokyo Cheapo

You can't miss the glitzy gold building that is Grand Hammer, just across from JR Shimbashi Station. An all-in-one "food entertainment leisure" complex that opened in November 2024, Grand Hammer is a great place to go on a rainy day in Tokyo (except for the rooftop BBQ -- save that for a sunny afternoon). Each of the nine floors has a different focus: think a basement-floor seafood restaurant showcasing Japan's culture of ama divers, a neon-lit yokocho above; a show restaurant; an all-day club with crane games; geisha dining; a Japanese sake and sweets bar; a sauna and oxygen-massage zone; karaoke booths with magicians, and more. What is there to do at Grand Hammer? The real question is -- what isn't there? It really has a bit of everything, other than a whole lot of windows. The cyber-punk, cocktail-lit complex is the brainchild of Yoshinori Hamakura, a well-known figure in the world of Japanese dining and entertainment. He's the guy behind the popular Entame Yokocho in Kabukichō Tower. Grand Hammer is his biggest project yet. The idea is that you can head to Grand Hammer for some old-fashioned R&R -- and you can easily spend an entire day/night (and lots of money) here. Eat, drink, and be merry, while also filling up on Japanese culture, and then rinse and repeat. Pro tip: Don't miss the unique staff uniforms at each facility -- we were especially partial to the "space formal" look at the 5th floor Hama Club. Grand Hammer floor guide Here's what to expect on each floor of the Grand Hammer complex in Shimbashi. B1 Floor ("aquarium floor"): Amajoh A huge Japanese restaurant called Amajoh, offering fresh seafood, as well as shabu-shabu and yakiniku meat courses. Look out for the fish tank in the center; sometimes this features an ama diver as part of the restaurant's commitment to bringing awareness to the oft-forgotten female pearl-diving culture. 1st Floor ("Japan yokocho floor"): Shimbashi Yokocho A casual eatery designed to resemble a drinking and dining alley called a yokocho. Here, you can tuck into ramen, udon, pork cutlets, and other delectable Japanese street-food dishes, all at a reasonable price. You might encounter some matsuri-style performances during your meal; keep an ear out for traditional drums, and an eye out for dancers! 2nd Floor ("Asia yokocho floor"): Shimbashi Yokocho Another big dining zone, this one focused on Korean, Thai, and other Asian cuisines. We have to say that the Korean food was a highlight -- start there, but don't skip the others. Look out for live entertainment here, too -- you never know what might be on. Fun fact: There are a whopping 880 signboards in the yokocho zones. 3rd Floor ("stage floor"): The Grand Tokyo Show Restaurant A great place to kick off a night out, this offers a classy stage-side dining experience. The lineup changes day to day, but includes song, dance, martial arts, and acrobatic performances -- among other types of entertainment. Reservations are highly recommended. . 4th Floor ("lounge floor"): Grand Café Lounge A posh, intimate dining lounge with some seats overlooking the stage. Open only in the late evening. Reservations are highly recommended. 5th Floor ("amusement floor"): Hama Club -- Crane Game & DJ Island Public This is the area with the silver space suits. Epically loud beats, flashing lights, tacos, and crane games. More of a young vibe. 6th Floor ("premium floor"): Karaoke, snack bar, and geisha dining A sophisticated area featuring a geisha restaurant, where you can enjoy a meal and show; a Japanese "snack" bar called Mikan, with a rotating cast of men and women hosts, all of whom are excellent conversationalists; and karaoke booths that sometimes feature live magicians. Reservations are highly recommended for the karaoke and geisha restaurant. 7th Floor ("relaxation floor"): O2 Plage -- massage chairs and sauna rooms Head up here for fancy massage chairs that feature supplementary oxygen, as well as private sauna and relaxation rooms (some single-gender, some mixed). There are lockers for your belongings. 8th Floor ("hope floor"): Sake bar and BBQ On the rooftop floor, you'll find a premium Japanese sake bar that also serves delicate traditional sweets (think matcha and adzuki flavors); and then if you head outside, you'll hit Rainbow Star -- a year-round, all-weather BBQ restaurant and bar, with decent beats. What to know before you go English support varies by the floor and facility. The first, second, and seventh floors are open 24/7, year round. The other floors have their own opening hours. Smoking rooms are available on some floors. Some floors, like the club, carry age restrictions -- you need to be 20 or older to enter. There are not always live performances -- check the official website for the schedule. Some of the facilities only accept cashless payment; make sure you bring a card or digital payment app. While we do our best to ensure it's correct, information is subject to change.

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