Must-see nightlife in Japan

  • Citadel is a cocktail bar in Fukuoka

    Citadel

    Fukuoka

    At this classy upstairs bar, mellow out over coffee cocktails such as mojitos (with homemade coffee rum and coffee ice cubes) and espresso martinis…

  • Cafe entrance from inside the courtyard, Akihabara, Kagurazaka & Korakuen.

    Imasa

    Kōrakuen & Akihabara

    It's not every day you get to sip your coffee or tea in a cultural property. Imasa is the real deal, an old timber merchant's shophouse dating from 1927…

  • Amazake-chaya

    Hakone

    Teahouses like Amazake-chaya were once common sights along the old Edo-era (1603–1868) foot highways that criss-crossed Japan. This one, with a thatched…

  • Good Time Charlie

    Kumamoto

    Charlie Nagatani is a living legend, the 'Johnny Cash of Japan', the founding figure behind the nation's entire country-music scene, and an accomplished…

  • SG Club

    Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa

    SG stands for 'Sip' and 'Guzzle' but also for award-winning bartender Shingo Gokan. Ground-floor Guzzle is a social, counter space; the house drink is…

  • Lonely

    Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo

    Arai-san established Lonely 50 years ago because he wanted his friends to always have a place to go. Some of those friends, like the creator of classic…

  • Gora Brewery & Grill

    Hakone

    Sup on a Gora IPA or a Black Belt stout, among other ales from this stylish brewery venue, run by the folk behind Itoh Dining by Nobu. Grill treats…

  • Tea Shop Yūhi

    Hokkaidō

    Filling the halls of a wooden building from 1885 (actually the old Hakodate Quarantine Office) is this magical teahouse overlooking the water. It's lit…

  • Zoetrope

    Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo

    A must-visit for whisky fans, Zoetrope has over a hundred varieties of Japanese whisky behind its small counter, including many hard-to-find bottles and…

  • Honkaku Shōchū Bar Ishizue

    Kagoshima

    This chic, amber-and-wood shōchū bar has everything going for it, and it's one of the finest places to drink Kagoshima's prefectural liquor. There are…

  • Eonta Jazz Bar

    Matsumoto

    If you like jazz, it doesn't get any better than Eonta, a tiny 15-seater upstairs, directly above Katsu Gen restaurant. The friendly owner has been…

  • Tosa-shu Baru

    Shikoku

    Without doubt, this nonsmoking bar with an extremely convivial atmosphere is the place to go to try Kōchi-made sake. Owner Kōji is passionate about sake…

  • Brooklyn Roasting Company

    Osaka

    With its worn leather couches, big wooden communal table and industrial fittings, this is a little slice of Brooklyn in Osaka and the perfect pit stop…

  • James' Nagano Beer Market

    Nagano Region

    This extremely popular beer-hall-type place is upstairs only a couple of minutes' walk from Nagano Station. Plenty of beer and wine from around the globe…

  • Sky Bar Moon Dance

    Fuji Five Lakes

    When conditions are just right at this open-air rooftop bar, lights twinkling on the far shore of Kawaguchi-ko and mighty Fuji-san swathed in evening mist…

  • Libushi

    Nagano Region

    Smack in the middle of the village, Libushi is Nozawa Onsen's very own artisan brewery. With a taproom up front, a brewery out the back and a very…

  • Shinshū Nagaya Sakaba

    Nagano Region

    This lively izakaya (pub-restaurant) isn't far from the station and should be on your to-do list. You'll spot it by all the sake barrels plastered around…

  • Ginza Music Bar

    Ginza & Tsukiji

    A superb sound system showcases the 3000-plus vinyl collection that ranges from the likes of cool classic jazz to contemporary electronica. There are deep…

  • Organza

    Hiroshima

    Bookshelves, old-fashioned furniture, a piano and a stuffed deer head all add to the busy surrounds at this smoky lounge-bar. Organza hosts an eclectic…

  • Matsumoto Brewery Taproom

    Matsumoto

    Tasty local brews, highlighted by the Awesome! Pale Ale, can be enjoyed in a delightful two-storey taproom in a lovely old building in Nakamachi. There's…

  • Andcoffeeroasters

    Kumamoto

    Delightful boutique coffee shop with freshly roasted beans and a 'tart of the day', such as persimmon or Earl Grey. Coffee nerds will feel right at home…

  • Bungalow

    Downtown Kyoto

    Spread over two floors with an open-air downstairs bar, Bungalow serves a great range of Japanese craft beer along with natural wines in a cool industrial…

  • Mocking Bird

    Matsumoto & the Northern Japan Alps

    This Echoland favourite has a cosy, natural-wood, log-cabin vibe about it, offering a solid range of drinks and pub food on an English menu with great…

  • Coffee Shop Tirol

    Hokkaidō

    Tirol may have only opened a few years ago, but the owner has kept the 70-year-old building lovingly intact, with a suitably vintage interior and jazzy…

  • Vibes

    Kumamoto

    Come to this cool new 'glocal' bar for an immersive experience in shōchū, Kyūshū's signature tipple. Owner and bartender Nori-san is something of a shōchū…

  • Karakara

    Kagoshima

    On the 3rd floor of a generic bar building next to a 7-Eleven, a low door leads to another dimension. Enthusiastic owner Hiroshi-san has crammed every…

  • Sapporo Biergarten

    Sapporo

    This complex next to the Sapporo Beer Museum has no fewer than five beer halls, the best of which is Kessel Hall, where you can tuck into jingisukan…

  • Miyako-jima Cafe Karakara

    Okinawa & the Southwest Islands

    Stop in to pay a visit to the inimitable and delightful Mr and Mrs Yamashita, who built this fabulously atmospheric sea-shanty cafe on the road to Ikema…

  • Misono Building

    Osaka

    With a waterfall and a grand, spiralling staircase out front, the Misono Building (built c 1956) was once a symbol of the high life. It's now fallen into…

  • Koba

    Hiroshima

    It's bound to be a good night if you drop into this laid-back place, where the friendly metal-loving musician owner 'Bom-san' can be found serving drinks…

  • Circus

    Osaka

    This small club is the heart of Osaka's underground electronic scene. The dance floor is nonsmoking. It's open on Friday and Saturday nights and sometimes…

  • Entrance to tea shop on the 5th floor of the Spiral Building (narrow hallway, this was the best I could do!), Harajuku & Aoyama.

    Sakurai Japanese Tea Experience

    Harajuku & Aoyama

    Tea master (and former bartender) Sakurai Shinya's contemporary teahouse is a must-visit for anyone hoping to deeper their understanding of o-cha …

  • Bar BenFiddich

    Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo

    Bar BenFiddich is dark and tiny, with vials of infusions on the shelves and herbs hung to dry from the ceiling. The English-speaking barman, Kayama…

  • Ao

    Tokyo

    This swank and sophisticated little salon – think red velvet banquettes, round, low tables and shelves of books – has a unique cocktail focus: tea and…

  • Gen Yamamoto

    Roppongi, Akasaka & Around

    Gen Yamamoto takes the seaonal tasting menu concept and applies it to cocktails. Here they're made with fruits and herbs, with the same kind of devotion…

  • Mikkeller Tokyo

    Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa

    Mikkel Borg Bjergsø is a pioneer 'gypsy brewer', one who dreams up wild concoctions, but outsources the actual brewing. His beers are served at world…

  • Tōzan Bar

    Southern Higashiyama

    Even if you're not spending the night at the Hyatt Regency, drop by the cool and cosy underground bar for a tipple or two. Kitted out by renowned design…

  • Ginza Lion

    Ginza & Tsukiji

    So what if Sapporo's beers are not among the best you can quaff in Tokyo? Dating to 1934, the gorgeous art deco design at Japan's oldest beer hall –…

  • Bashamichi Taproom

    Yokohama

    Set over three compact floors, this Baird Brewing Company pub offers at least a dozen of its own beers on tap, from session JPAs (Japan pale ale) to smoky…

  • Beer Komachi

    Southern Higashiyama

    Located in the Furokawa-chō covered shopping arcade close to Higashiyama Station, this tiny casual bar is dedicated to promoting Japanese craft beer…

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