Kiyamachi Riverside Bar Row

The Kiyamachi canal strip running alongside Pontocho, lined with small bars and izakaya overlooking the Takase River. Expect original cocktails, cheap highballs, and a livelier, younger crowd than in the more formal Pontocho alley itself.

Better for bar-hopping than for settling in one place all night, since most venues are tiny, one-room bars. Expect a cover or table charge (typically a few hundred yen) at sit-down bars, common practice across Japan.