Editorial
Tokyo sports bars cluster around the Hub chain and British/Irish pubs. The 7 below show where to watch international sports.
The HUB chain has anchored Tokyo's sports-watching since 1980, with branches beside nearly every major station. The Shibuya and Shimbashi rooms carry Premier League, Six Nations rugby and the World Cup across multiple screens, and pints stay cheap for the city. Arrive before kick-off on a derby weekend, when regulars stack two-deep at the bar. Best for travelers who want a sure seat and fish and chips.
Up on the third floor ten minutes from JR Shibuya, the Aldgate opened in 1995 and pours 21 draught lines, including its own Aldgate Ale and Porter. Four screens stream football and rugby from around the world, and the kitchen turns out what Tripadvisor regulars rate among Tokyo's best fish and chips. Ask for the rock-LP catalogue. Best on a rugby weekend, calmer midweek for the beer.
Hobgoblin's Roppongi branch opened in 2002 for that year's World Cup and shares its building with Legends Sports Bar, so five large screens cover Premier League, rugby, F1, UFC and AFL. The kitchen sends out pies, bangers and mash, and a Sunday roast from noon with UK-imported trimmings. The Shibuya room, open since 2004, is the quieter sibling. Best for expats chasing a specific fixture.
Seattle native Mike Verweyst launched Two Dogs in Roppongi in 2013, and it still runs on Japanese and American craft beer with California-style pizza. Pints sit around 900 to 1,200 yen, and the 65-seat room screens NFL, boxing and UFC, often at odd Tokyo hours. Come for a late American-football night or a weekday lunch. Best for craft drinkers who want a game without a chain-pub crowd.
Tucked on a third floor off Ueno's Ameya Yokocho market, the Warrior Celt has poured Guinness and rotating cask ales for more than two decades. Happy hour runs nightly until 7pm, and free live music lands Friday, Saturday and some Tuesdays, with Celtic sessions on selected Wednesdays. The bilingual staff make it easy for first-timers. Best for a pint-and-music night rather than a big-screen final.
Failte sits a two-minute walk from JR Shibuya, one of the rare Tokyo pubs with a terrace. The name means welcome in Irish, and the kitchen leans on fish and chips, cottage pie and beef in Guinness across eight tap lines. Hours run 17:00 to midnight on weekdays, from 15:00 at weekends. Best for an early-evening pint on the patio before a Shibuya night out.
The Shamrock works the Roppongi backstreets near the station, open daily from 3pm until 4am for the long-haul crowd. Its tap list of international and Japanese beers draws steady praise, and the Guinness pours with a proper head. The kitchen mixes Irish staples like bangers and mash with Japanese bar bites. Best as a late nightcap or a low-key spot to catch a match after midnight.
99 Sports Bar fills a 300-capacity room in Roppongi with a 200-inch LED screen and 13 TVs showing soccer, basketball, rugby and baseball. Pool tables, karaoke rooms and a long drinks list round it out, open noon to 5am. Sports Bar
An Sólás is an Irish-owned pub in Sendagaya between Shibuya and Shinjuku, pouring housemade pub grub and beer with live music, screened matches and a monthly English-language comedy night. It opens daily from 3pm. Irish Pub
B One runs a Ginza sports bar over multiple big screens, with darts, a billiard table and walls of athlete memorabilia. The kitchen sends out Angus steaks and bar plates with craft beer and cocktails, late morning to the early hours. Sports Bar
Bourbon Street is a hidden Sakuragaoka sports bar in Shibuya wired with eight monitors and the major sports channels. The cover includes all-you-can-eat popcorn and guests can bring in their own food. Sports Bar
Stadium Bar Akasaka wraps its sports viewing in a stadium theme, with a giant screen, many monitors and a batting simulator. Vendor-style beer and hot dogs complete the matchday feel. Best for watching a big fixture with a group.
The HUB chain and the Aldgate are the essential starting points. Most rooms peak during the Premier League season and the World Cup, with rugby weekends close behind.
The HUB chain, the Aldgate in Shibuya and Hobgoblin in Roppongi all stream Premier League across multiple screens. The HUB's Shibuya and Shimbashi branches are the easiest to reach and the cheapest for a pint.
Two Dogs Taproom in Roppongi pairs Japanese and American craft beer with California-style pizza, pouring pints from about 900 yen while screening NFL, boxing and UFC.
Yes. The Warrior Celt, Failte and the Aldgate run bilingual staff and English menus, and they fill with a mix of expats and locals on match nights.
The Shamrock in Roppongi runs until 4am, making it the most reliable spot for fixtures that tip off in the early Tokyo hours.