5 Best Bars in The Kansai Region, Japan

After browsing the fashions in Minami's boutiques, pop into Café Absinthe in neighboring Kita-horie for Mediterranean food and good music. Live performances usually start at around 9. The music and the crowd are very international and very laid-back.

Up-and-coming Japanese rock bands and popular Western bands play at this popular venue. The sound system is excellent.

This club on the ground floor of the Hotel Vista Prima Donna regularly features a jazz trio and a vocalist. Well-known acts also stop by for performances. The cover charge starts at ¥3,500.

The city's most famous jazz club has been run by the Sone family since 1961. There are three sets of live music every night, starting at 6:30, and the action often centers on a jazz trio with a guest vocalist. Spacious and relaxed, the place serves pizza, pasta, and salads. There's a cover charge of ¥1,320 (occasionally a bit more depending on the band).

Located in a basement below the streets of downtown Kobe, this friendly bar is a shrine to all things associated with the Beatles. The owner is a massive fan, and the bar is a recreation of the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool, where the "Fab Four" first made their name. There are regular performances by Beatles tribute acts, making it is a great place to listen to some live music and discover more about Japan's ongoing obsession with this band.