Kansai
With convenient early hours and open generously late, this simple spot serves pour-over coffee, with beans from cult-fave Tokyo roaster Onibus, and local…
Must-see nightlife in Japan
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
This branch of a generic national karaoke chain was immortalised as a location in the film Lost in Translation. Another draw: the rack of costumes in the…
Shinjuku & Northwest Tokyo
This over-the-top lounge bar is from the same people behind the equally over-the-top Robot Restaurant, and is in the same building; enter around the back…
Osaka
In the shadow of the Umeda Sky Building, this bar and bottle shop specialises in local and international craft beers. Order and enjoy around the counter,…
Fukuoka
One of the better pub chains in Japan, this bar attracts a nice mix of Japanese and gaijin (foreigners). Begin your evening with happy-hour cocktails (…
Hakone
This lakeside cafe, open early for those looking to beat the crowds, has great views inside and from the outside terrace. There's a bakery on the ground…
Osaka
Pop in for a drink at this cosy, mellow bar with a beach-shack vibe, Southeast Asian and Okinawan munchies and a big window for bang-on views of the…
Niigata Prefecture
This charming sake shop on the concourse just outside the train station sells hundreds of different types in the kikizake style, where you can purchase…
Kōbe
This large and lively bar draws an international crowd with a rotation of salsa dancing, live bands, open-mic events, acoustic nights and sport broadcasts…
Kōbe
With a hushed atmosphere and no menu, this is the kind of bar that feels intimidating to enter – but actually the staff are welcoming, speak some English…
Aomori Prefecture
This rather hip complex features a cider brewery and food hall (meals from ¥600) alongside a lovely market space selling high-quality Aomori souvenirs…
Southern Higashiyama
The Pig is a British-style pub with darts, pint glasses and fish and chips. It's got a relaxed layout and homey interior. The two main drawcards are…
Downtown Kyoto
This is the only Korean teahouse we’ve ever seen in Japan. It’s a good place to go when you need a change from the creeping monoculture of coffee chain…
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands
Run by the English-speaking P-Boo, who spins tunes from his extensive and eclectic collection, this bar is a welcome aural refuge from Okinawa's…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Your one-stop shop for convivial pre- and post-ski rendezvous, Oto-chaya begins with coffee in the mornings and powers right through to sake and beer,…
Hiroshima
This small corner bar near the station is called '500' in Italian because most glasses of wine here cost ¥500, creating a convivial local atmosphere…
Hiroshima Region
The views from this 100-year-old house perched on the hill overlooking Onomichi are exceptional, making it a great coffee or mojito stop just downhill…
Kagoshima
This cheery, intimate bar has Guinness and Japanese and international craft beers on draft, plus about 15 more in bottles. All the better to wash down…
Osaka
Have a Guinness or two and relax in the friendly atmosphere of this Irish-style pub, popular with local expats and Japanese for after-work drinks and the…
Tokushima & the Anan Coast
Filipina Ingrid is Tokushima's go-to girl for expat gossip and all-night karaoke. The lounge is hard to find, tucked among the hostess clubs in the…
Beppu
BSB has good drinks and a fun vibe, plus a dance floor and even a hookah. The crowd varies, but there's often a large Asia Pacific University (APU)…
Western Honshū
After the Bikan area closes down, relax with the mellow retro tunes and friendly staff at the slightly scruffy SWLABR. By day it serves as a cafe with…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Mu-an is a wooden Meiji-era (1868–1912) teahouse relocated to the gardens of Happō-en. Stop by for a bowl of bitter, moss-green matcha (powdered green tea…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Decked out with velveteen booths, fairy lights and foliage (and with zero interest in trendiness) Enjoy House is a fun place to spend the evening. DJs…
Kanazawa
Kanazawa's grungy, foreigner-friendly reggae/dive bar is littered with years' worth of sawdust and peanut shells. Its appeal lies in the warm, open-minded…
Hokkaidō
To try the local brew, walk east of JR Asahikawa Station for five minutes to this red-brick warehouse turned beer hall. You can drink it, buy it, try the…
Niigata Prefecture
By the south exit of Niigata Station is this fun little stand-up beer bar at the forefront of the city's craft-beer renaissance. Forty-odd beers are on…
Takayama
If you're a fan of Bob Dylan, you'll likely connect with Ken, the friendly owner of this mellow bar with a real rustic charm. Ken speaks some English, but…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
Good Beer Faucets has 40 shiny taps and a changing line-up of beers that includes some Japanese craft brews. The interior is chrome and concrete, and not…
Downtown Kyoto
This is a raucous student izakaya (Japanese pub-eatery) with a log-cabin interior located in the Kiyamachi area. There’s a big menu to choose from and…
Osaka
This popular, dimly lit bar in the Kita-Shinchi district is a short walk from JR Osaka Station and draws a good crowd of expats and Japanese. The staff…
Osaka
On the 35th floor of the Hilton Osaka, this upscale yet slightly dated bar has excellent views and a good wine and whiskey list. Drinks cost about ¥2000…
Shibuya & Shimo-Kitazawa
This tiny, sparkly gem of a cocktail lounge hosts both DJs and live-music events, with attractively low cover charges (around ¥1500) and sometimes none at…
Nagoya
Things can get raucous at Nagoya's largest American-themed sports bar: over a dozen big screens attract plenty of gaijin (foreigners) and their admirers…
Hokkaidō
Hakodate Beer makes its beer right here on the bay with groundwater from Hakodate-yama. You can buy bottles or sample the brews on tap, served here along…
Roppongi, Akasaka & Around
Streamer Coffee Company provides the gourmet joe for this spacious cafe with free wi-fi, big shared tables and a view onto the attached Mercedes Benz…
Ebisu, Meguro & Around
Buri – the name means 'super' in Hiroshima dialect – is one of Ebisu's many tachinomi-ya (small, standing-only bars). Generous quantities of sake (more…
Northern Honshū (Tōhoku)
Halfway up the stone stairs of Haguro-san, as your calves are burning and your heart is pumping madly, this charming teahouse appears like a mirage. Here…
Osaka
This is one of the oldest Irish-style pubs in Japan, and a good place to rub shoulders with expats and Japanese; enjoy free live music; catch sports…
Fukuoka
Enjoy views of Hakata and Canal City across the Naka-gawa through giant windows in this slick dining bar. With lots of glass and mirrors, it's a flashy…
