Osaka's nightlife is vibrant, hectic and extremely diverse, and there is an enormous number of bars, clubs, restaurants and entertainment venues throughout the city. The Dotonbori area is probably the most famous nightlife spot, with its huge number of eating, drinking and amusement establishments and omnipresent neon lights.

Bars: Pig and Whistle, across Building 2F, 2-6-14 Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, is an English-style pub that is popular with locals and visitors alike. Kirin Plaza Osaka, 7-2 Soemoncho, Chuo-ku, is a relaxing yet stylish bar and pub that brews its own beer on site. One of Osaka's most popular cocktail bars, Cinquecento, Matsumiya building, 1F 2-1-10 Higashi Shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, offers a great selection of Martinis and cocktails. Bamboo, Nichio Silky Tower 1F, 2-7-22 Higashi Shinsaibashi, is another popular cocktail bar with a fusion theme both in terms of interior, food and drinks.

Clubs: Sam & Dave (website: www.samanddave.jp) is a chain of nightclubs that are all characterised by a high energy factor and plenty of fun and drink, enjoyed by foreigners and locals alike. Most popular is probably the venue in Nagahoribashi, Building 1F, 1-21-19 Shimanouchi, Chuo-ku, but its cousins in Shinsaibashi, Kawahori Building 4F, 1-3-29, Shinsaibashi-suji, Chuo-ku and Umeda, 1F, 4-15-19 Nishi-tenma, Kita-ku also attract good crowds. Another place high on party atmosphere is Saza-E, Chayamachi Voice 16-4, Chayamachi, Kita-ku (website: www.saza-e.com), which easily fills its four floors with dancing partygoers enjoying the disco, hip hop, R&B or whatever it is the DJs are channelling through the loudspeakers. A more trendy alternative is Grand Cafe Osaka, B1F Spazio Building, Nishi-Shinsaibashi 2-10-21, Chuo-ku (website: www.grandcafeosaka.com), where the crowd is usually as eclectic as the music, which ranges from house, garage, dance, hip hop, techno and psyche to reggae, R&B, pop and rock.

Live Music: Blue Note Osaka, 2-3-21 Sonezaki-shinchi, Kita-ku (website: http://osaka-bluenote.co.jp/obn/top.html) is one of Osaka's finest live venues, featuring top international and Japanese artists within a musical landscape ranging from jazz and blues to soul and R&B. Much louder and more hard-hitting are the rock, punk, metal and noise acts playing at the vibrant Live-House Fandango, 1-17-27 Juso-Honmachi, Yodogawa-ku (website: www.fandango-go.com/eg/index.htm). Just as popular is Shinsaibashi Club Quattro, Shinsaibashi Parco Building 8F, 1-9-1 Shinsaibashi-suji, Chuo-ku (website: www.club-quattro.com), where the range of live music is even wider - from reggae to hard rock and beyond.

Zepp Osaka, Nannko-kita, Suminoe-ku (website: www.zepp.co.jp) is a large venue staging a variety of events and pop and rock music concerts featuring both international and Japanese artists. Namba Hatch (website: www.namba-hatch.com), 1-3-1 Minatomachi, Naniwa-ku, features both up-and-coming artists and big international names playing rock, pop, jazz, soul, country, hip-hop, blues and R'n'B. Large arenas used for big concerts with international pop and rock acts include Osaka Koseinenkin Kaikan, 1-14-15 Shin-machi, Nishi-ku, Osaka-shi (website: http://kapara.jp/hall1.html), Osaka-jo Hall, 3-1 Osaka-Jo, Chuo-ku (website: www.osaka-johall.com), and the Osaka Dome, 3-2-1 Chiyozaki, Nishi-kuwhich (website: www.osakadome.co.jp).

Osaka Guide is a bi-monthly guide in English with listings of festivals, events, concerts, exhibits, suggested tourist spots, maps and useful contact numbers. It is available from Osaka's many visitor information centres.