Entertainment in Kyoto
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A-Bar
This is a raucous student izakaya with a log-cabin interior located in the Kiyamachi area. There’s a big menu to choose from and everything’s cheap. The best part comes when they add up the bill – you’ll swear they’ve undercharged you by half. It’s a little tough to find – look for the small black-and-white sign at the top of a flight of concrete steps above a place called Reims.
reviewed
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Gael Irish Pub
The Gael is a welcoming and convivial Irish pub on the edge of Gion. It’s got table and counter seats, a good menu with a variety of pub food, and excellent beer on tap. It’s a good place to go if you’re travelling solo – you’ll soon find yourself involved in a conversation. It’s on the 2nd floor of the Kamo Higashi building; take the steps on your right just after you enter.
reviewed
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Metro
Metro is part disco, part ‘live house’ (small concert hall) and it even hosts the occasional art exhibition. It attracts an eclectic mix of creative types and has a different theme every night, so check ahead in Kansai Time Out to see what’s going on. Some of the best gigs are Latin night and the popular Non-Hetero-at-the-Metro night, which draws gay and lesbian clubbers and everyone in-between. Metro is inside exit 2 of the Marutamachi Station. Admission varies by event.
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Atlantis
This is one of the few bars on Pontochō that foreigners can walk into without a Japanese friend. It’s a slick, trendy place that draws a fair smattering of Kyoto’s beautiful people, and wannabe beautiful people. In summer you can sit outside on a platform looking over the Kamo-gawa. It’s often crowded here so you may have to wait a bit to get in, especially if you want to sit outside.
reviewed
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Rub-a-Dub
At the northern end of Kiyamachi-dōri, Rub-a-Dub is a funky little reggae bar with a shabby tropical look. It’s a good place for a quiet drink on weekdays, but on Friday and Saturday nights you’ll have no choice but to bop along with the crowd. Look for the stairs heading down to the basement beside the popular (and delightfully ‘fragrant’) Nagahama Rāmen shop.
reviewed
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Zappa
Unbeatable if you’re looking for a more intimate venue. It’s a cosy little place that once played host to David Bowie (he’s said to have discovered the place by chance and decided to drop in for a drink). Zappa serves savoury Southeast Asian fare and a few Japanese titbits for good measure. It’s down a narrow alley; turn south at the wooden torii (shrine gate).
reviewed
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Gion Corner
Gion Corner presents regularly scheduled shows that include a bit of tea ceremony, koto (Japanese zither) music, ikebana (flower arrangement), gagaku (court music), kyōgen (ancient comic plays), kyōmai (Kyoto-style dance) and bunraku (classical puppet theatre). It’s geared to a tourist market and is fairly pricey for what you get.
reviewed
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Minami-za
The oldest kabuki theatre in Japan is the Minami-za theatre in Gion. The major event of the year is the Kaomise festival (1 to 26 December), which features Japan’s finest kabuki actors. Other performances take place on an irregular basis. Those interested should check with the TIC. The most likely months for performances are May, June and September.
reviewed
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Pig & Whistle
The Pig is a British-style pub with darts, pint glasses, and fish and chips. While many of its patrons have moved on to other venues, we still like this place for its relaxed layout and homey interior. The two main drawcards are Guinness on tap and friendly bilingual staff. The Pig’s on the 2nd floor of the Shobi building near the Sanjō-Kawabata crossing.
reviewed
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Jumbo Karaoke Hiroba
Expats love this place as it’s in the same building as the Pig & Whistle – and more than one drunken evening has started at the Pig and moved on to this place! There’s a decent selection of English songs and the price includes all drinks. There’s also a Sanjō Kawaramachi branch in Downtown Kyoto.
reviewed
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Kyō Odori
Annually in spring and autumn, geisha and their maiko (apprentice geisha) from Kyoto's five schools dress elaborately to perform traditional dances in praise of the seasons. Performances run from the first to the third Sunday in April at the Miyagawa-chō Kaburen-jō Theatre, east of the Kamo-gawa between Shijō-dōri and Gojō-dōri.
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Marble Room
The Marble Room is what a lot of people in the 1950s imagined the year 2000 would look like. It’s a mod space that draws Kyoto’s fashionable young set for decent drinks and snacks. If you’re over 30 here, you’ll probably feel like an antique. It’s on the 4th floor of the Pontochō Building, which has a white front.
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McLoughlin’s Irish Bar & Restaurant
This is our favourite expat bar in town. It has ripping views over the Higashiyama mountains, great beer on tap, good food and a nice, open feeling. It also hosts some excellent music events and is an ideal spot to meet some local folks, both expat and Japanese. There is wi-fi internet access in case you want to do some surfing while drinking your beer.
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Ing
This bar/ izakaya on Kiyamachi is one of our favourite spots for a drink in Kyoto. It offers cheap bar snacks and drinks, good music, and friendly staff. It’s in the Royal building on the 2nd floor; you’ll know you’re getting close when you see all the hostesses out trawling for customers on the streets nearby.
reviewed
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Backgammon
On a little alley north of Sanjō-dōri, this is a late-night Kyoto institution. Small, dark and loud, it's a place for serious drinking. Check out the crow's nest drinking area at the top of the ladder - if you don't want to climb down for the next round, staff will send it up to you in a special drinks lift.
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Miyako Odori
Annually in spring and autumn, geisha and their maiko (apprentice geisha) from Kyoto's five schools dress elaborately to perform traditional dances in praise of the seasons. Performances run throughout April at the Gion Kōbu Kaburen-jō Theatre, on Hanami-kōji, just south of Shijō-dōri.
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Kitano Odori
Annually in spring and autumn, geisha and their maiko (apprentice geisha) from Kyoto's five schools dress elaborately to perform traditional dances in praise of the seasons. Performances run from 15 to 25 April at Kamishichiken Kaburen-jō Theatre, east of Kitano-Tenman-gū.
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World
World is Kyoto’s largest club and it naturally hosts some of the biggest events. It has two floors, a dance floor and lockers where you can leave your stuff while you dance the night away. Events include everything from deep soul to reggae and techno to salsa.
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Kamogawa Odori
Annually in spring and autumn, geisha and their maiko (apprentice geisha) from Kyoto's five schools dress elaborately to perform traditional dances in praise of the seasons. Performances run from 1 to 24 May at Pontochō Kaburen-jō Theatre, Pontochō.
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Kyoto Cinema
This new art-house theatre right downtown is a tremendously welcome addition to the Kyoto cultural scene. It rivals Kyoto Minami Kaikan as Kyoto’s best place for arty films. It’s directly connected to Shijō Station; take exit 2.
reviewed
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Gion Odori
Annually in spring and autumn, geisha and their maiko (apprentice geisha) from Kyoto's five schools dress elaborately to perform traditional dances in praise of the seasons. Performances run from 1 to 10 November at the Gion Kaikan Theatre, near Yasaka-jinja.
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Kyoto Concert Hall
The Kyoto Concert Hall holds regular performances of classical music and dance (traditional and contemporary). Ticket prices average between ¥3000 and ¥5000. Check with the TIC for current schedules.
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Café Bon Appétit
Not exactly a bar, not exactly a café, this is a fine spot to sip a drink and watch the characters of Gion stroll by. It’s near the Shira-kawa canal and right alongside some of Kyoto’s best cherry trees.
reviewed
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Taku-Taku
This is one of Kyoto’s most atmospheric clubs, located in another old sakagura. It’s central and tends to present major acts (the Neville Brothers, Los Lobos and Dr John have all performed here).
reviewed
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MataMata
MataMata is a cool bar with an Indonesian theme. They also serve good Indonesian food, if you have a craving. The interior is pleasantly bohemian and you might easily forget you're in Kyoto while drinking here.
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