16 Best Bars, Live Music, and Night Clubs in Kyoto

The Pig & Whistle is a popular authentic English pub in Kyoto. Popular with expats, visitors and English-speaking Japanese, this bar has a friendly atmosphere. It has live music every weekend and monthly live performances of various types of artists, from jazz to country. Happy hour runs from 5pm to 7pm. The Pig & Whistle serves pub food, ranging from buffalo chicken wings to burgers, to pizzas to meat pies as well as fish and chips. They have at least 10 different types of draught beer and English-speaking staff.

Housed in an old sake warehouse and oozing with ambience Jittoku hosts a variety of musical acts drawing a hip young crowd. This is a great place to see up-and-coming musicians performing in a relaxed environment. There is an entry fee of around ¥1,000 to see the live acts, but it's free to enter on open mic nights. Jittoku is located near Nijo Castle, a little north of the main tourist hub.

Taku Taku has been hosting some of the biggest Japanese rock and blues bands since 1974, and occasionally gets some big name international acts. Occupying a big wooden warehouse, the club has plenty of room to hold the crowds of young Kyoto locals who flock to the club on weekends. There is usually an entry fee, but if you’re looking for high quality live music played by prominent Japanese artists then Taku Taku is a great choice. It's quite hard to find this live music venue – look out for a wooden sign with a black kanji symbol. 

Live Spot Rag is one of the most interesting nightlife venues in Kyoto. You can listen to live music from rock to jazz to acoustic ballads. Small tables are scattered around the room and there’s more space to stand around the bar with a good view of the stage. The kitchen offers a mix of everything from Japanese to pan-Asian and some western dishes. Highlights from the menu include smoked salmon pizza, Malaysian chicken curry, Chinese style spring rolls, seafood & seaweed salad and tofu salad.

Described as a place for ‘serious drinking’, Backgammon is a popular late night spot drawing groups of people from the clubs who are not ready for the night to end. The bar is cozy and dark and if you are able to climb the ladder you can sit in the crow’s nest and have your drinks sent up by a special elevator. Backgammon is located on Kiyamachi street, surrounded by other bars and restaurants. Take the subway to Sanjo station and cross the bridge. 

Great jazz music with occasional live performances, intimate lighting and contemporary stylings draw a young hip crowd to Zac Baran. This funky club is also a restaurant, and a great place to combine dinner with friends with a night of dancing. The drinks menu is comprehensive, offering a good selection of wines, cocktails, local and imported beers. Located in the east of Kyoto, you can find Zac Baran close to Heian Shrine. Take the subway to Jingu-Marutamachi station.

The Man in the Moon Irish pub is close to Kyoto Station in the south of city. It’s the sister venue of the Pig & Whistle and offers a similar experience of good food, plenty of beers, and a welcoming, international vibe. You’ll find 7 draft beers on tap and 60 single-malt whiskies. If you fancy watching sports, the bar has 3 large TV screens. With an English menu and English-speaking staff, it’s a popular place with the travel weary. The happy hours at The Man in the Moon start as early as 11am and last until 5pm. To find the pub, head to the west side of the Hachijo-guchi exit of Kyoto station.

This is yet another opportunity to soak up some traditional Japanese culture when in Kyoto. The Kanze Kaikan Noh Theatre stages regular performances of classical noh drama, a form of musical stage drama that dates back to the 14th century. This masked performance art is a wonderful spectacle, even if you’re not fully aware of the plot. The theatre occasionally has free shows, otherwise tickets can be upwards of ¥8000.

Le Club Jazz is a popular live music club featuring blues, jazz and soul bands every Tuesday night with artists form across Japan and some international guests. From Thursday to Sunday they hold live jam sessions where the musically minded come together to freestyle. Cover charge includes two drinks.

Gnome is an Irish pub offering plenty of traditional Irish meals like colcannon and freshly baked soda bread. There's also Guinness and Kilkenny on tap. Prices are reasonable, plus all vegetables used in their kitchen are organic. Gnome is popular for having regular live music and happy hour runs daily from 5pm to 8pm. Don’t forget to check out the crafts shop upstairs which is also run by the same talented owner. Gnome is located in the basement of the SSS building, close to the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

You’d be surprised to see how many Kyoto people love salsa and Latin dances. Café Rumbita is among the city’s favourite venues for Latin beats. The café puts on salsa dance classes nightly at 9pm, from beginners to advanced level. After the class, the floor is open for everyone to party and dance the night away. Mexican and Cuban dishes are served at Café Rumbita and there’s a fully stocked bar. It’s easy to find the bar on Pontocho-dori, a popular nightlife street close to Sanjo subway station.