New Year’s Eve in Tokyo 2012-2013

New Years Eve Party
Where: Sound Museum Vision, Shibuya
The pitch: Sound Museum Vision snagged two of the biggest names in Detroit techno for its inaugural NYE party last year, inviting both Derrick May and Jeff Mills. Taking an 'if it ain't broke' approach, the club will repeats the trick this time around, as May returns in the company of one of his cohorts from the early days of the techno scene, Kevin Saunderson. Read more

New Year Countdown to 2013
Where: Womb, Shibuya
The pitch: Womb entrusts its New Year festivities to some capable players from the German techno fraternity this year. Bpitch Control label boss Ellen Allien tops the bill, joined by sometime collaborator Apparat, while local boys Sodeyama, Satoshi Otsuki and a selection of club residents round out the lineup. Read more

New Year’s Eve Countdown to 2013
Where: Eleven, Nishi-Azabu
The pitch: Just because you're out clubbing doesn't mean you can't respect a few New Year traditions, right? Eleven will be doling out seasonal zoni soup and all-you-can-drink saké all night long, with a solid soundtrack of deep and spiritual house courtesy of guest DJs Chez Damier and Ron Trent. Read more

Countdown Party @ Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo
Where: Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo, Marunouchi
The pitch: The 27th floor of the Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo is the site of the capital's most opulent – and expensive – countdown party, with martial artists and cheerleaders to supplement the music. Ibiza diva Rebeka Brown makes her debut Japan appearance to headline the event, with local house heavyweight Masanori Morita and DJ Vivid also on board. Read more

Countdown Japan 12/13
Where: Makuhari Messe, Chiba
The pitch: The end-of-year counterpart to Rockin' On magazine's Rock in Japan festival offers most of the same bands in an indoor setting, complete with an all-night party on New Year's Eve itself. Quruli and The Mirraz get the countdown slot at this year's event, with Dir en Grey, The Hiatus, Ziyoou-vachi and many others performing earlier in the day. Read more

Countdown to 2013
Where: Air, Daikanyama
The pitch: While most of Tokyo's NYE parties seem to have opted either for a couple of marquee international DJs or an all-local lineup, Air will be offering both. Head to the Daikanyama club for an audience with International Deejay Gigolo Records boss DJ Hell and Tokyo's own DJ Emma, spinning a mix of house, techno and whatever else fits the occasion (which in Hell's case could be just about anything). Read more

Regenerate
Where: Face, Shinjuku
The pitch: Offering the next best alternative for people who couldn't afford a flight to Goa, homegrown star DJ Tsuyoshi is teaming up with Israel's Zoo-B for a full-blown psytrance countdown party at Shinjuku Face. The tripped-out, ten-hour jamboree also features live and DJ sets from the likes of Ree.K, Masa and Artman aka K.U.D.O. Read more

2000: Countdown 2012-2013
Where: Unit, Daikanyama
The pitch: It may not have the A-list DJs you'll find at other clubs around Tokyo, but Unit won't be charging premium prices for its countdown party either. Punters pay a piddling ¥2,000 on the door, and there's a varied lineup of key figures from the local techno, house and bass scenes, including DJ Wada, Kaoru Inoue, Force of Nature, Altz and Goth-Trad. Read more

Countdown 2013: Anthems
Where: Ageha, Shin-Kiba
The pitch: While many revelers will be heading to a shrine after their countdown parties for hatsumode, the all-important first visit of the year, at Ageha you won't have to: the club has installed one on the premises. Music-wise, you can expect anything from trance to hip hop from a cast of big-name Tokyo DJs – Yoji, Ken Ishii, Taku Takahashi and DJ Kaori among them. Read more

2013 Liquid
Where: Liquidroom, Ebisu
The pitch: Not one to mess with tradition, Liquidroom will be welcoming the start of 2013 in the company of the same DJs who played there last year, and the year before, and the year before that. Techno heavyweights Takkyu Ishino and Fumiya Tanaka oversee the festivities in the main room, with help from fellow Liquidroom countdown party alumnus DJ Nobu. Read more

Kabukicho Rock ‘n’ Roll Olympic 2012-2013
Where: Loft, Shinjuku
The pitch: In what must be Tokyo's only NYE party specifically for aging punks, Loft is corralling some veterans of the Japanese mosh scene. Three-decade-old acts Cobra, Laughin' Nose and New Rote'ka are joined by slightly younger groups like The Slut Banks, in a night that runs from ska to rockabilly to hardcore punk – complete with dodgy knees and receding hairlines. Read more

Tokyo City View Countdown Party 2013
Where: Mado Lounge & Tokyo City View, Roppongi
The pitch: Well, it's certainly the highest you'll get on New Year's Eve without breaking any laws. The 52nd floor of Mori Tower provides a scenic, high-glam location for this countdown bash, starring tongue-in-cheek hip hop act Schadaraparr, downtempo doyen DJ Krush and a host of veteran players from the house and club jazz circuit. Read more

Whistlebump New Years Special
Where: Xex Nihonbashi, Nihombashi
The pitch: The dependably debauched Whistlebump bash returns to glitzy Xex Nihonbashi on New Year's Eve, to prove that you don't need famous DJs to throw a mean countdown party. Bryan Burton-Lewis is the biggest name on the bill, though you can expect good things from on-the-up London deep house DJ Leroy Roberts and nattily attired electropop trio Ezypt. Read more

Que’s Countdown 2013
Where: Club Que, Shimokitazawa
The pitch: Shimokitazawa live spot Club Que is splitting its NYE celebrations across three separate gigs, with an all-inclusive ticket available for anybody brave enough to attempt to do all of them. The Ton-Up Motors, Domingos and a few others play out the final moments of 2012, then Noodles, The Privates and Kaminarigumo take over for the post-midnight session. Read more

Countdown Bump Show 2012-2013
Where: Shibuya O-East, Shibuya
The pitch: After a quiet year in which the group's members have been off pursuing solo careers and side projects, alt rock survivors The Pillows reconvene for a show at O-East, with support including fellow Hokkaido bands Dohatsuten and Bugy Craxone. Naturally, the headliners are saving the countdown slot for themselves, and things wrap up shortly before 1am. Read more

All Night Concert 2012-2013
Where: Pit Inn, Shinjuku
The pitch: They'll be swingin' into the New Year at Pit Inn: in what's become an annual tradition, the Shinjuku jazz den is staying open until 4.30am, with over 40 veteran musicians taking part in the festivities. The music ranges from Komaccha's exuberant klezmer to a countdown session with saxman Naruyoshi Kikuchi, and you're free to come and go as you please throughout the night. Read more

Solfa 2012-2013 Countdown Party
Where: Solfa, Nakameguro
The pitch: Offering a cheaper alternative to the NYE parties in central Tokyo, Nakameguro's Solfa is charging just ¥2,000 on the door (¥1,000 if you bring a flyer) for its own bash. Ambient disco and deep house explorer Kuniyuki Takahashi drops by to play a guest live PA set, crowning a DJ lineup that seems to consist entirely of tag-team pairings. Read more

Year’s End Mega Hittt Night 2012-2013
Where: 20000V, Higashi-Koenji
The pitch: You can start the New Year with a healthy dose of tinnitus at 20000V, as 15 purveyors of quality guitar skronk gather for an ear-shredding countdown party. In keeping with the venue's music policy, the bands taking part tend towards punk (Firebirdgass, Boovies), post-punk (Steiner, Kyu-shoku) and psychedelic mayhem (Groundcover). Read more

Countdown Party 2012 to 2013
Where: Club Asia, Shibuya
The pitch: One of only a handful of Tokyo clubs offering free-flowing saké on New Year's Eve, Asia will be supplementing the booze with a selection of familiar names from its regular parties, including Capsule producer Yasutaka Nakata, dubstep king Goth-Trad, electro duo The Lowbrows and Tha Blue Herb member DJ Dye. Read more

Hooters Count Down Party
Where: Hooters Ginza
The pitch: There's something for everyone in Tokyo this New Year's Eve – even if your 'thing' involves gawping at girls in hotpants and figure-hugging T-shirts. Head to Hooters Ginza for free food and drinks, cheesy dance music from DJs Cargo and JR Marques, and a whole eyeful of the infamous Hooters Girls. Read more