Are you thinking, “I came to Japan, but I don’t know where the entertainment districts are where I can play at night,” or “I want to know where the entertainment districts are in various places outside of Tokyo.”
There is a lot of information on tourist attractions in Japan, but information on entertainment districts is hard to come by.
Therefore, this article introduces entertainment districts in various parts of Japan. It also includes information on downtown areas in each regional city outside of Tokyo.
◊Difference between entertainment district and downtown
The meaning of “pleasure” is “pleasant and enjoyable. An entertainment district is a town or area where theaters, playgrounds, restaurants, and other entertainment facilities are gathered to provide a pleasurable experience. It is sometimes described as a “nightlife district” or “neon district.”
A downtown area is a busy area with commercial facilities and many buildings. Famous places in Japan include Ginza and Kitashinchi.
The difference between an entertainment district and a downtown area is the number of stores offering alcohol and sexual services. In entertainment districts, stores offering alcohol and sexual services are more concentrated.
Incidentally, a district can be said to be a downtown area if it is crowded with many people. For this reason, people often think that entertainment districts and downtown areas are the same. In reality, they are slightly different as described above.
◊Introduction to entertainment districts in various regions of Japan! 8 representative spots
This section describes the location, access, and characteristics of eight typical pleasure quarters in various parts of Japan.
Please refer to this page if you are interested in visiting these entertainment districts. If you are planning to visit Japan in the future, it is a good idea to check “where is the nearest entertainment district to the place you are going sightseeing” and if you are already in Japan, it is a good idea to check “where is the nearest entertainment district”.
①Kabukicho(Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)｜Enjoy the late night life in Tokyo
Kabukicho is the most famous entertainment district in Japan. It is also known as “the town that never sleeps.”
You can enjoy a deep nighttime atmosphere at the “TOHO Cinemas,” a movie theater characterized by the visible head of Godzilla, and the “Golden Gai,” lined with small snack bars and bars.
There are also many adult entertainment establishments, cabaret clubs, and host clubs, making it a busy town where it is difficult to choose the right place to play.
・Address
→Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
・Closest station
→Shinjuku Station
→Seibu Shinjuku Station
・Access from the nearest station
→About 4 minutes walk from Shinjuku Station
・Nearest Airport
→Haneda Airport
・Travel time from nearest airport(approximate)
→30 minutes by car
→40-50 minutes by train
②Minami(Namba/Shinsaibashi)｜Gourmet food and a taste of the deep town
Minami in Osaka is the collective name for Dotonbori, Namba, and Shinsaibashi.
It is called Minami because it corresponds to the area of Minami Ward in Osaka City that existed before. The address is Chuo-ku, Osaka City. The former Minami and Higashi wards merged to form Chuo Ward.
Exactly to what extent “Minami” is referred to varies from person to person. In Japan, it is famous for the Glico advertisement in Dotonbori. Shinsaibashi and Amerika-mura are also very lively.
At night, they are towns where you can drink and have fun. Many cabarets, sex clubs, and host clubs also line the streets, making it a lively entertainment district day and night.
・Address
→Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
・Closest station
→Osaka Namba Station
→Namba Station
→Shinsaibashi Station and others
・Nearest Airport
→Itami Airport
・Travel time from the nearest airport
→35 minutes by bus
→1 hour by train
・Access from Tokyo(approximate)
→35 minutes by bus
→1 hour by train
③Sakae (Nagoya)｜Nagoya’s most prosperous district
Sakae is Nagoya’s largest downtown area. It is lined with many office buildings and commercial facilities.
Sakae is a downtown area and entertainment district. There are stores that serve alcohol, host clubs and cabarets. It is a representative downtown of Aichi Prefecture, so why not visit it once if you are sightseeing in Nagoya?
By the way, the address is “Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya City. Be careful when looking up the address, as it is not in Sakae Ward, Nagoya City.
・Address
→Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
・Closest station
→Sakae Station
→Hisaya-odori station
→Yaba-cho station, etc.
・Easy-to-Use Airports
→Central Japan International Airport (Centrair)
・Travel time from the airport
→30 minutes by train
→55 minutes by bus
・Access from Tokyo(approximate)
→Tokyo Station – Nagoya Station 1 hour 40 min.
→Nagoya Station – Sakae Station 5 min.
④Nishiki (Nagoya)｜Nagoya’s largest entertainment district
Nishiki is a famous entertainment district in Nagoya. It is located in the same Naka Ward as Sakae and is in close proximity.
While Sakae was introduced as a commercial and business district where people enjoy shopping, etc., Nishiki has a strong image of a “night town” or “entertainment district. Especially in Nishiki 3-chome, commonly known as “Kin-san,” there is a concentration of clubs, lounges, host clubs, and adult entertainment establishments.
When visiting Nagoya, remember to go shopping in Sakae during the day and Nishiki for nightlife. It is within walking distance and easy to get around.
・Address
Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture
・Closest station
→Sakae Station
→Hisaya-odori station
・Easy-to-Use Airports
→Central Japan International Airport (Centrair)
・Travel time from the airport
→30 minutes by train
→55 minutes by bus
・Access from Tokyo(approximate)
→Tokyo Station – Nagoya Station 1 hour 40 min.
→Nagoya Station – Sakae Station 5 min.
⑤Susukino(Sapporo, Hokkaido)｜An entertainment district where you can enjoy yourself until morning
Susukino is located in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Susukino, Kabukicho, and Nakasu are known as the three major entertainment districts in Japan.
In fact, Susukino is not an address, so many people have trouble when searching for it. When visiting Susukino, first go to Susukino Station, located in Sapporo, Hokkaido.
It is a downtown and entertainment district with many restaurants and commercial facilities that can be enjoyed throughout the day. Susukino is also famous as a display site for the Sapporo Snow Festival held every February.
Many tourists visit Susukino in time for the Snow Festival.
・Address
→Chuo-ku, Hokkaido
・Closest station
→Susukino Station
・Easy-to-Use Airports
→New Chitose Airport
・Travel time from the airport
→50 minutes by train
→1 hour by car
・Access from Tokyo(approximate)
→Haneda Airport – New Chitose Airport 1 hour 30 min
→New Chitose Airport – Susukino Station 50 min
⑥Nakasu(Fukuoka)｜Yatai stalls for drinking
Nakasu is the largest entertainment district in Kyushu. Together with Kabukicho and Susukino, it is one of the three largest entertainment districts.
Fukuoka is representative of Japan’s yatai culture, which can be seen when you visit Nakasu. Drinking in the pleasant season, such as spring or autumn, will make you feel more energetic.
Nakasu 1-chome to 5-chome is a particularly prosperous entertainment district. Please refer to the map when you walk around with it or look up the address.
・Address
→Nakasu, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City
・Closest station
→Nakasu Kawabata
・Nearest Airport
→Fukuoka Airport
・Required time from the nearest airport
→10 minutes
・Access from Tokyo(approximate)
→Haneda Airport – Fukuoka Airport 2 hours 5 min
→Fukuoka Airport ~ Nakasu Kawabata Station 10 min
⑦Kokubuncho(Sendai)｜Tohoku’s most popular entertainment district
Kokubuncho is located in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, and is said to be the best entertainment district in Tohoku.
Kokubunmachi was an inn during the Edo period (1603-1867) and was transformed into an entertainment district in the Meiji period (1868-1912). Many accommodations and restaurants have been in the area for a long time.
After the start of the Meiji era, the number of stores offering sexual services increased. At the height of the bubble economy, the entertainment district was so large that it attracted 30,000 customers in one night.
After the burst of the bubble economy, the number of customers dropped and now stands at about 10,000. However, it is still famous as one of the largest neon streets in Tohoku.
・Address
→Kokubun-cho, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture
・Closest station
→ Kotodai Koen Station
→Hirose-dori Station
・Access from the nearest station
→2 minutes walk from each station
(15 minutes walk from Sendai Station)
・Travel time from the airport
→45 minutes by car
・Access from Tokyo(approximate)
→Tokyo Station – Sendai Station 1 hour 35 min.
→Sendai Station – Kokubuncho 15 minutes (if on foot)
⑧Kawatan(Akita)｜From an entertainment district to a gourmet town
Kawabata is located in Akita Prefecture in Tohoku. It is read as “Kawabata”. It is still an entertainment district, but it is also becoming famous as a gourmet town.
The fire at Tawaraya in 1884 triggered the transformation of Kawabata into an entertainment district. Restaurants and geisha stores that lost their stores began to relocate to Kawatan 4-chome.
At one time, Kawatami was the most popular entertainment district in the Tohoku region, but due to opposition from residents and the effects of a new virus, the number of restaurants and geisha stores has declined. According to a survey conducted in June 2022, the number of stores has decreased by 118.
Kawasan, however, is still a bustling entertainment and downtown area. More and more people enjoy local cuisine such as seafood and kiritanpo (dried fish cakes) along with alcoholic drinks. When the night gets deep, go to cabarets, sex clubs, and hosts to have fun.
・Address
→Kawatan, Akita City, Akita Prefecture
・Closest station
→Akita
・Access from the nearest station
→15 minutes on foot
・Travel time from the airport
→Akita Airport
・Travel time from nearest airport
→40 minutes by bus
・Access from Tokyo(approximate)
→Tokyo Station – Akita Station 3 hours 50 min.
→ Akita Station – Kawatami 15 minutes (when walking)
We have introduced eight entertainment districts, ranging from the three major cities of Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya to typical entertainment districts in regional cities such as Sapporo, Sendai, Akita, and Fukuoka.
If you happen to be in the neighborhood for sightseeing, please visit them. You will have a great time drinking and having fun, and you will make the best memories.
Q.What is the difference between an entertainment district and a downtown area?
The difference between an entertainment district and a downtown area is the number of stores offering alcohol and sexual services. Compared to downtown areas, entertainment districts have a higher concentration of stores offering alcohol and sexual services.
Q.What are the typical entertainment districts in various parts of Japan?
There are eight representative entertainment districts in various parts of Japan: Kabukicho, Minami, Sakae, Nishiki, Susukino, Nakasu, Kokubuncho, and Kawatan-i.
