Tokyo’s top beer gardens

Summer just wouldn't be summer without an evening spent idly sipping frosty pints or elaborate cocktails in the open air – after all, what's the great outdoors for if not to be conquered one alcohol-packed drink deal at a time? As is customary, the city's bars and department stores have flung open their roofs and terraces to thirsty Tokyoites hoping to soak up some summer sun before the sweaty embrace of August descends and ruins it for everyone. But how do you, the discerning drinker, find the best settings, the best deals or a boat that you can get drunk on? Well, fret not – we've done the legwork for you. So whether you're looking to splurge, save or end a hard day's hiking with a boozy reward, here are the best beer gardens Tokyo has to offer.

Best for: beer and pizza

Kagurazaka Beer Garden
Kagurazaka, until September 30
As if having the plummiest terrace in the area wasn't enough, Kagurazaka Stagione also boasts a beer garden up on the roof. Beer and spumanti go for ¥650, and you can soak up the suds with antipasti plates or the restaurant's trademark Neapolitan pizzas. Read more

Best for: a terrace with a view

Seiyoken Beer Garden
Ueno Park, until September 23
Seiyoken has been staking out its spot in Ueno Park since the 1870s, and the rooftop beer garden enjoys panoramic views of the area. Best visited early in the evening, when it's still light enough to see. Beers cost ¥700, and there's a ¥2,500 all-you-can-drink deal. Read more

Best for: a swanky setting

Oak Door Beer Garden
Roppongi, until September 30
This is how a beer garden should be done, though it comes with a suitably high price tag. On the patio outside the Grand Hyatt's signature steak restaurant, ¥7,000 gets you as much as you like from a menu of finger foods, plus free-flowing Asahi Super Dry and organic wine. Read more

Best for: getting an eyeful of the Sky Tree

Restaurant Luke Beer Terrace
Tsukiji, until September 27
It might be a little pricey, but the view doesn't get much better than from the open-air terrace at Restaurant Luke, some 221 metres above sea level. Take in sweeping views of the city, including Tokyo Skytree, though be warned that lofty perches come with lofty prices. Read more

Best for: fulfilling your pirate fantasies

Waterline Beer Cruise
Higashi-Shinagawa, until October 26
A beer garden is all well and good, but if you're especially dedicated to open-air boozing only a boat will do. See the sights from the water as you cruise past on TY Harbor Brewery's Saturdays-only floating lounge, while filling up on tapas and all-you-can-drink craft beer. Read more

Best for: going with a date

Garden Cafe with Terrace Bar
Shinagawa, until September 30
This café bar in Landmark Square is opening up its third-floor terrace once more for a summer of open-air drinking. Deals start at ¥4,800, and will buy you a set menu of tapas and all-you-can-drink draught beer, sours, highballs, cocktails, mocktails and soft drinks. Read more

Best for: eating (and drinking) your way around Asia

Shinjuku Asia Yokocho
Kabukicho, until September 30
The cuisine at this Kabukicho spot draws fans of street food from the Asian backpacker circuit. Its lofty vantage point is perfect for enjoying the cool rooftop breeze, and the beers, which start at around ¥550, are sourced from more than 35 countries. Read more

Best for: cruising while you’re boozing

Tokyo Bay Noryosen
Tokyo Bay, July 1-September 23
The capital's very own booze cruise departs from Takeshiba Terminal at 7.15pm every night throughout the summer (weather permitting), and does a lap of the bay while serving up all-you-can-drink beer, wine and cocktails. Yukata wearers get discounts, too. Read more

Best for: drinking in an actual garden

Forest Beer Garden
Shinanomachi, until September 28
An expansive outdoor spot located within Meiji Shrine’s Outer Gardens, the Forest Beer Garden is separated from its boozy cousins by its tranquil, tree-lined surrounds. Choose from an à la carte menu or go all out with an all-you-can-eat-and-drink option. Read more

Best for: a setting worth splurging on

Sekirei
Shinanomachi, until September 6
If you're going to splurge on a beer garden, they don't come any better than this. Sekirei sits on the lawns of the Meiji Kinenkan, sections of which date back to the 19th century, where a predominantly suit-wearing crowd sinks beers and wine while lounging in grand wicker chairs. Read more

Best for: a boozy end to a hike

Beer Mount
Mount Takao, June 22-October 6
Mt Takao's beer garden is located 500m above sea level, and does a good job of keeping hikers well sozzled in the summer months. The price (¥3,500 for men, ¥3,300 for women) includes a buffet and free-flowing beer, wine and cocktails. Read more

Best for: dropping after you shop

Starlight Beer Garden
Nihombashi, until August 27
Never mind that it's been open since 1933: it took until 2010 for Nihombashi's Takashimaya department store to surrender to the inevitable and open a rooftop beer garden. The spacious seating lends itself to quiet enjoyment rather than raucous office parties. Read more

Best for: classy drinks and a hearty dinner

Tokyo Sanuki Club Beer Garden
Mita, until early October
With an outdoor wooden deck, enclosed on all sides by greenery and trees, Tokyo Sanuki Club Beer Garden is one of the classier spots for outdoor boozing. The food's decent, too, including basashi (raw horse meat), sashimi and cold bukkake udon noodles. Read more

Best for: a raucous keg party

Yebisu Bar The Garden
Kasumigaseki, until September 30
The patio outside Kasumigaseki's Yebisu Bar turns into a raucous beer garden during the summer. Advance bookings are only taken for groups of four or more, with a choice of ‘casual’ (¥4,000) or ‘hearty’ (¥4,800) courses that include free-flowing Yebisu beer and highballs. Read more

Best for: a decent beer selection

Hibiya Saroh
Hibiya Park, year-round
The premises date back to 1949, making this probably Japan's first garden restaurant. The main draw is the beer – with Erdinger, Guinness, Hoegaarden and various guest beers, it has the best selection of suds of any open-air drinking spot we've visited in the capital. Read more