Robot Restaurant - Tokyo

On my way to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I had an overnight layover in Tokyo. I decided to get as much as I could out of it. I booked a Manga Capsule Hotel in the Shinjuku district and got tickets to the Robot Restaurant. I first heard about it on a facebook post by The Points Guy and thought, "I have got to go there" even before I knew I was going to be in Tokyo.

I walked there from the Hotel. I was using google maps on my phone and not sure if I would be able to find it. Then I turned a corner and come upon this.

Yep, think I found it! I still get that song stuck in my head sometimes.

You can take a picture with these giant robot ladies outside of the restaurant.

This is in the hallway on the way inside the restaurant.

It is cheesy, expensive and touristy, but so, so fun. At the visitor counter at the airport I got a coupon for about $20 off the ticket price. You buy tickets for the show across from the actual restaurant. There are people standing outside the ticket area with large signs advertising the show. I walked right up, gave the girl my coupon and she sent me up to the ticket desk. No frills, no fuss, just business. (i.e., this is not where you are going to ask questions about the show- they move you right along - get your questions out to the person outside trying to lure you in).

When you arrive, they put you into this mirrored room with a bar where you can purchase expensive drinks and overpriced bar food. The menus are in English, or at least are available in English. The staff speak English, or at least most of the ones who interact with customers.
You can hear the announcements being made in English.

This is the floor/stage before the lights go out.

These signs let you know that it's now or never. 

By the end of the show, I was saying, "Holy sh*t!" and was kind of relieved it was over. I didn't know how much more of it I could take. Total sensory overload. 

Now for the big girl tips: It is tight in here, very tight. I was lucky to get a front row seat, but it was in the middle of the row so there were tables and people on either side of me. I'm talking just a few inches away from each other. It makes economy class airport seating look like luxury. I was upfront with the staff about the situation and they got a person on the end to trade with me. I had asked if maybe they could just pull up a chair or something but there is no extra space anyplace on the floor. Every inch is accounted for the show. If you are in the front row, they make you practice dodging the robots at the start. And you do! There are pieces of robots and contraptions that do go right over your head.

My photos and videos leave a lot to be desired because the show is dark, and my camera isn't great with dark lighting. There are so many things I wish I could have got good video of. There was a Michael Jackson dance segment where the dancers wore glow sticks all over their bodies. It was really cool, but my photos and videos are nearly impossible to make out.

For me I had this inner battle of wanting to record/photograph everything and wanting to just soak it all up in the moment. There is so much going on at every angle. It is expensive. However, I'm glad I did it. I had a very small sliver of time open for an activity in Tokyo and this fit the bill. The district is a little shady with nudie clubs as you walk by (this is the "red light" district). However, there is enough foot traffic that I did not feel unsafe walking alone at night.

It was an awesome experience!