Home l Fukuoka l Hiroshima l Kobe l Kyoto l Nagasaki l Nagoya l Osaka l Sapporo l Tokyo l Yokohama

Bars and Nightclubs Nagasaki, Japan

Web www.barsjapan.com

Hedonism aside, for a medium-sized prefecture, Nagasaki has a rather high number of universities and post-high school colleges. This is clearly reflected on the streets during weekends when the lab rats and future lawmakers come out to play. Upon clearer inspection into bars and clubs, it’s not at all difficult to acquaint oneself with brethrens from different parts of the country who are eager to practice their English. The bulk of the nightlife is concentrated between Hamano Machi and Sian Bashi. This is the center of the city and there is a decent sized shopping arcade, as well as China Town.

There are hundreds of izakayas and restaurants dotted around, and the best thing is to just walk in randomly. However, you will definitely have trouble on a Saturday night, so get in early or wait in line!

Dejima Wharf, as the name indicates, is located along the waterfront, just beside the harbor. It is a large construction housing numerous eating and drinking establishments catering to all tastes. As it’s a waterfront complex, most establishments put emphasis on their maritime dishes, so if you’re a carnivore, you may want to look elsewhere. Lambini is a rather informal outfit, often hosting live musicians and bands, catering to those with a taste for Latin. They do an excellent paella bursting with seafood and very reasonably priced. On the second floor, there’s St Andrews, a loungy bar with a British theme. They too often host live jazz musicians, and, depending on the artist, there may be a cover. There is a typical pub menu with the usual snacks, but most people go for the fish and chips. The owner is a sound chap who can’t speak much English but loves foreigners. If you’re lucky, he might let you glimpse at the stars through his state-of-the-art telescope. There are also several other bars located along both floors of the complex.


	Ayer's Rock 6-13 Yorozuya-machi Hananoki Bldg. 3F Nagasaki 850-0852 +81 95 827 7373
This basement club, not far from the Hamonomachi area, is one of the most popular hang-outs among hip youth in Nagasaki. It is not a big place, but the energy and the number of people stuffed in there at the weekends can make it seem larger. The music is primarily hip-hop, with live DJs and emcees a common part of the scene. Weekdays can hardly be called "dead," and may be a better time to go if you want space to dance. On entering you will see a small bar. Around the perimeter there are a few tables. Most of the space is reserved for dancing, and the sound system is pretty good. All drinks are JPY500. There are standard mixed drinks, of a very limited number.
	Bar 10c Kimuraya Bldg. 3F 8-20 Hamaya-machi Nagasaki-shi 850-0853 Shianbashi +81 (0)95 821 6622
This bar serves cocktails as well as excellent freshly squeezed fruit-juice based drinks. It is particularly popular among women. The interior is elegant and simple, with attractive back lighting behind the bar and track lights above. Expect to pay between JPY800 and JPY1,000 for cocktails. The Vodka milk cocktail is interesting, as are the seasonal selections.
	Bar Soda 5-16 Kosone-machi Hotel Victoria Ship 4F Nagasaki-shi 850-0937 Matsugae +81 95 822 8888
This bar is located, interestingly enough, on a ship that is in Nagasaki Harbor, but permanently docked so that people can come and go as they like. There are several rooms in the ship, and this is one of them. You do not have to worry about feeling seasick! You can enjoy your drinks on a steady stomach, while gazing at the dockside if you sit by the windows that wrap around the bar.
	Bar g Soul 21 Hamanomachi With Bldg. 6F Nagasaki 850-0853 Shianbashi +81 95 826 0019
This bar is a great place for those with a passion for soul, R&B and hip-hop music. There are usually DJs as well as occasional emcees, some of whom are rather good. Many of the DJs and emcees work together to produce some great sounds, while stylish guests sip on cocktails and enjoy conversation with frequently seductive intentions. The interior is not at all grungy and sticky like so many places of the same ilk where grooving guests spill their drinks everywhere. Most of the patrons are fairly mellow, and the cool lighting and modern design no doubt facilitates this mood. Their age tends to vary quite widely.
	Bar Sweet Box Dohbiya Building 3F 8-12 Dohza-machi Nagasaki-shi 850-0841 Shianbashi +81 95 821 7083
Freud would have had a time with the name of this place. You will have a time with the over 230 different kinds of drinks available—that, or the somewhat ethereal atmosphere. Among the many drinks are some with ice cream or parfait, hence making it popular among women who usually like sweet drinks. Overall, the bar is a decent destination if you are looking for class and to have a date. Do not be surprised to hear your mind echoing, "Hal..." after a few drinks; the white and creamy interior, and the glittering lights, make it seem as if you were inside 2001--A Space Odyssey. The place is expensive. Do expect the drinks, though, to be top class.
	Cocktail Bar Joy With Bldg. 7F 10-21 Hamanomachi Nagasaki, 850-0853 Telephone: 00 81 958 26 5014
Not that we would need extra incentive, but with a name like this who could refuse a drink? Their big claim is that they have over 500 bottles of vodka and gin available but it's quality not quantity that counts and the slick bar staff in here at least know what makes an audience tick. Every concoction from the Singapore Sling to the Japanese version of a Pina Colada is in their silky repertoire, skilled mixology that would hold its own in any bar in the Western Hemisphere. Jazz tinkles from the speakers, your fellow drinkers are chic, designer-clad beauties, not all of them with boyfriends. Sure, the refined, sophisticated air is of a bygone age but a couple of those Sino Coladas and you'll be dancing on the tables anyway.
	Cyberspace On 1-3-2 Nishi-kojima Nagasaki-shi 850-0837 Shianbashi +81 95 820 5288
This bar is a rather unique hybrid of times instead of styles. It would normally have the feel of a home built in the early Meiji years (from 1868), except that the owners then decorated the place with contemporary lighting and what they consider "psychedelic" effects--which are admittedly limited. While this may seem tacky, it is not the case, proving for a rather interesting drinking environment. The interior seems to be more old than new, thus making it appeal to older clientele who dress fairly nicely and drink relatively quietly.
	Inaka Okonomi-tei 3F, 12-6 Dohza-machi Nagasaki-shi 850-0841 Kanko-dori +81 (0)95 823 9938
Few bars are more charming than this one. Actually, it would be a little misleading to call Inaka a bar; it is a traditional Japanese watering hole. Everything about it is Japanese. You sit on the floor or in a private room with Japanese fireplaces, and sip sake while eating a variety of fish--baked, broiled, grilled, fired or raw--and seasonal vegetables.
	Music Inn JJ Shianbashi Bldg. 5F 1-14 Aburaya-machi Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture 850-0832 +81 95 827 5918
There are a number of live houses in Nagasaki, and this is one of the more popular ones. The bands are all local, and the music is a wide mix, from Elvis to the Beatles to folk. A little cramped and cluttered, there is the lively, intimate feel that you expect from a live house. The place is of course loud when the music starts, and the guests are casual and friendly.
	Panic Paradise 5-33 Yorozuya-machi Nagato Shokai Building BF1 Nagasaki 850-0852
This standard bar has booths and tables, as well as seats at the bar, from which you can see any part of the room. Local musicians play here on occasion, and at other times the bartenders spin the records in their collection. The bar has a warm, hearty atmosphere to it with a generally cheerful mood. Glasses and bottles hang from racks above the counter. Rock posters and signs adorn the walls.
	Piano Bar Zucchini Social Shianbashi 2F Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki Prefecture 850-0901 Shianbashi +81 95 820 1911
This bar is a great place to go to booze to the sound of a piano for a remarkably good price. Arrive early, you can drink all you want for an hour, and this is not cheap liquor either. Local transvestites and other interesting, foreign performers dance, sing and do acts.
	Pub JAL City Hotel JAL City Nagasaki 1F 13 Shinchi-machi Nagasaki-shi 850-0842 Tsuki-machi +81 95 825 2580
You certainly do not have to be staying in the Hotel JAL City Nagasaki, near China Town, to eat at this pub-like restaurant located within the hotel. In fact, many if not most of the clientele are from "outside," and have come because word has spread: the place is good and the prices are affordable. While it calls itself a pub, this is basically in appearance only. It is more like a restaurant.
	Suntory Jigger Bar Savoy 2F Nagasaki Building 10-21 Hamanomachi Nagasaki-shi 850-0853 Shianbashi
Suntory Jigger Bars are found in nearly every major Japanese city. People go in usually because they know what to expect; the feel, price and selection changes very little from city to city. A tad more expensive than most bars, the drinks are good, but standard. Inside you will find impeccably dressed staff, dim lighting, elegant wood-style counters and booths. There is a comprehensive menu of cocktails and shots, priced from JPY500. Complementary bar chow is served, such as mixed nuts and potato chips.