Nagasaki
Dining And Drinking

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With regards to dining and drinking, Nagasaki may not be in the same group as large Japanese cities such as Tokyo, however there are plenty of great places to eat and drink the night away. Nagasaki eateries are located within specific precincts of the city. For a wide range of casual dining options, the Hamanomachi Arcade is a great place to start. This strip, and Kanko-dori which crosses it, has dozens of restaurants, coffee shops, diners and cafes. There are also a few side streets here you should not hesitate to wander down either. Geographically the heart of the Nagasaki, this area is especially convenient for those who are not in the northern or southern reaches of the city.

An area popular among adults is a strip that runs through Shianbashi called Gourmet Street. This area is interspersed with many bars, snack stands, and a number of Japanese restaurants-many of which stay open late. In northern Nagasaki, other dining areas include the Nagasaki Seiyoh-kan, or the popular Asahi Pier 21. However the most well known area to dine is China Town. Many visitors come to Nagasaki with dinner here at the top of their agenda-and for good reason.

Along the crisscross of two streets that define China Town, you will find a dozen or so restaurants, some quite luxurious, others rather cheap. It was the Chinese who introduced Nagasaki's nationally famous and staple dish champon. This is a soup and noodle dish, also well known because sumo wrestlers consume it in large quantities. Another popular Chinese dish is the ubiquitous gyoza. You will not find a Chinese restaurant without either of these on the menu. If you want to try one of the more formal, expensive restaurants (though still not exorbitant) then Kyokaen is a good place to start. Shinwaroh on the corner is fairly good, too, as is Kohzanroh. For as casual as Chinese gets, visit Sanseigo, or for casual Chinese dining outside China Town, head for Unryutei, near the Hamonomachi Arcade.

For more traditional local cuisine, the Ryotei Kagetsu is one of the nicest Japanese restaurants in the city. You will need a reservation and money to burn, but the ambience and presentation of the food is as excellent as the cuisine itself. If you want to forget manners and get a little greasy, try an iizakaya. Kyabetsu in Hamanomachi is a popular place for this dish, however many people just enter stores with red paper lanterns hanging outside, and hope for the best. Alternatively, an excellent quasi-Japanese restaurant is the Steak House Okano. This highly regarded restaurant is renowned for both the quality of the food and wine and its pleasant interior.

For those wanting International cuisine Malaya, serves authentic Malaysian cuisine. The Asian Café also serves a variety of southeast Asian food at reasonable prices. For extremely casual but nevertheless ethnic delights, you may want to consider Chikyu-kan in the Higashi-yamate district. Here, foreign-exchange students proudly serve samples from their native culture every day. Looking toward Europe, both Bambino, and Ninniku-ya, are popular Italian restaurants.

After eating many people head to the section of the city where decadence is condoned and celebrated, Shianbashi . Although there are some 'decent' places, like Piano Bar Zucchini and the exceptional Inaka, other places may be less kind to your wallet and your morals.

If the lounge-type environment is to your liking (but Shianbashi intimidates you a little), the Nagasaki Building at the edge of the Hamanomachi region has a number of recommended places. Cocktail Bar Joy is the most popular of the several lounges in the building. Bar g Soul is more likely to attract youth, while the Suntory Jigger Bar on the second floor is appropriate for just about anyone.

One street over to the north, Bar 10c, is popular among those who like sipping elegant cocktails. And one street beyond that, there are two other drinking spots of considerable popularity: Fanfan and Panic Paradise. If you are in your 20s, you may want to keep going north a couple of streets. Along this strip lies the legendary Ayer's Rock, where local youth gather to drink and dance to hip-hop sounds. Similar, and perhaps more popular, is Bajamut. Parties here are a weekend tradition, and the place can get pretty wild. One final bar worth mentioning is Bajuni, with combines unique drinks, with an African ambience.