Inside is a dark cavern of industrial concrete filled with people and cigarette smoke. We arrive just as the warm-up act finishes. There is an orderly rush to the bar as the Japanese crowd has waited politely for the act to end before they get another drink. We buy plastic cups of beer and Sato finds us a table right in front of the speakers.
"Good place?" he asks and points to the stack of Marshall amps.
"Oh, yeah ... great ..."
The main act begins, Let's Zeppelin's guitarist, Jimmy Chang, takes the stage to perform an introductory guitar solo. In fact, he starts by playing his Les Paul with a violin bow, in the style of the master, Jimmy Page. I can't help but think of Spinal Tap.
The drummer, Bonzo Kitahara, takes his seat amid his kit with kettle drums and gongs. He looks the part complete with 70s mo and for most of the set he looks as bored as Charlie Watts. He's joined by bassist John G Saito and, finally, lead vocalist and weekend rock god Isamu Plant strides on to his realm.
Isamu is the real deal. Long wavy, almost Rick James-style hair, open shirt and silver chains, high-heeled boots and tight jeans for the ladies. He does a damn good Robert Plant, too, eyes closed as he screams into the mic on Whole Lotta Love, his hands in the air with perfectly replicated mannerisms.
He's studied hard and has his hero down pat. There's nothing fake about this impersonator. The band is tight and even the vocals are good. Apart from the Oriental faces, I could be watching a young Led Zeppelin, just perhaps when Led Zeppelin were not so young.
The crowd is exclusively locals and not solely the ageing rockers I'd expected. In front of the stage, clapping in time to Black Dog is a granddad, who must have been getting on when Zep were in their heyday.
Behind us is a group of kids who would be in bed now if this were a school night. Sato has dozed off during The Rain Song, lulled to the land of nod by the rock ballad theme of his youth. As for me, my ears are screaming in complaint, I haven't been this close to such loud rock since my 20s.
During guitar changes, Isamu waves to people in the crowd he knows. It seems he has a regular following and talks about the sushi restaurant he runs, his day job when he's not worshipping at the altar of rock.
Jimmy walks to the front of the stage wearing a double-necked guitar and Isamu announces their final song.
"This is a song of hope," he tells us.
The crowd gets to their feet cheering and we all start climbing that Stairway to Heaven, winding down that road and meeting that lady we all know. Isamu throws his head back and crescendos into the microphone as everything turns to gold.
Let's Zeppelin's set ends and the band lines the stage arm in arm, bowing to the crowd which bellows for more. At home, I struggle to sleep despite the not-sure-how-many beers I've had, that ringing in my ears I haven't had for yonks.
Yep, it'd been a long time since I'd rock'n'rolled.
CHECKLIST
Getting there: Air New Zealand operates five services a week to Tokyo (Narita) and four services a week to Kobe.
Further information: See japan-guide.com.
