What to do in the evenings

I'm interested in what other travellers do with their evenings whilst in Japan. I'm sure it depends on where you are, but sticking with the major conurbations, and assuming that most of the major sights close by 6pm, how have you spent your time slash how are you planning on spending it?

I realise it depends on personal interests, tastes etc, but I'm just looking for opinions.

Not only does it heavily depend on the person, it also depends on the place (e.g. city vs. hot spring resort).

In cities, you have night clubs, bars and karaoke.

In resorts, you have hot spring baths and maybe town streets to wander around in yukata.

Some cities have specific night attractions, e.g. observation decks on mountains or tall buildings with beautiful night views. Or light up events in temples.

Nightskiing and watching television are two other activities that randomly come to mind.

Most major cities have lit-up attractions that run until about 10 or even farther into the night. Harbor resorts like Kobe, Yokohama, and Odaiba all have very attractive night skylines with ferris wheels and observatories that can give you a great view, especially after dark.

During the summer season (July-August) there are almost always local festivals going on nearby with street games, food vendors and concerts or dancing. Fireworks are common throughout the summer festival season. Some major festivals like Tokushima's Awa Odori turn into all-night street parties where people never go home at all, just continue to drink, eat and dance in the streets until morning.

Large cities will have clubs and lounges for those inclined and even smaller towns will have a selection of Izakaya (Japanese style bar restaurants) which offer cozy, comfortable, but noisy places to drink, eat and socialize with your travelling partners and the locals.

Some neighborhoods also have a yatai area. These late-night food stands are an interesting way to enjoy the night atmosphere in places like Nagasaki and Shinjuku.

Movies are always an option as are kareoke boxes.

Another novel way to spend a night is in an internet cafe or manga kissa. Japanese net cafes are a world apart from most of those in the west and offer refreshments, ice cream, reclining seats (or cushioned floors that double as sleeping mattresses). Most of them have free access to selected online games, a large collection of free streaming movies (usually very current) and shelves on shelves of comics and magazines for free reading. A night at one of these cafes is often significantly cheaper than a hotel and sometimes more entertaining.

Single men may want to try out a snack or hostess bar (just for the experience), just be aware that many refuse foreigners and all are outrageously expensive.

Many onsens and sentou are open rather late and can be a relaxing way to top off a busy day.

In a pinch -- chain restaurants like Joyful, Skylark, Jonathan's, Denny's and McDonalds are often open 24 hours and fill up with colorful young people at night. If you get hungry at 1am or just want to loiter and people-watch these hold some limited appeal.

does anyone know of any nice bars or lounges to go to in tokyo or osaka for a young female travelling alone that are lively also on weekday nights? i was very content travelling around japan during the daytime alone, but felt a bit lonely on the nights i wasn't with my japanese friends. i'd rather sit at a bar alone than sit in my hotel room with the tv.

Hi Mia

Can you suggest some places where I can find the late night food stands in Shinjuku? I assume the food should be hygenic enough right, for most of the stalls?

Thank you

eat; walk around: most major areas shops are open until late, and the neon extravaganzas in the big cities are amazing; people watch while having a relaxing beer somewhere; plan the next day; sleep..........

Apple76, the average Japanese is way more health and safety conscious than the average American or European so food is indeed safe.

Thank you Red Frog. Can you advise where I can find these late night food stands in Shinjuku? The last time I stayed near Keio Plaza and don't think I saw any of these.

I am also curious about safe fun places for a foreign girl to go alone at night! I've never seen any really awesome Tokyo nightlife or clubs so that would be neat!

I really like the ferris wheel at Cosmo World in Yokohama! I've only riden it during the day but i have seen it lit up at night and it is pretty. ^^
Also Tokyo Tower (can't remember if it is in Roppongi...) and Rainbow Bridge (Odaiba) look cool at lit up at night! ^^

I like to just walk around at night in cities like Tokyo and Osaka. Especially because they are pretty safe. I've walked around at like 2am alone before and I was totally fine! oo! And karaoke is fun!