Kokubunchō

The largest concentrated nightlife district in Tohoku, three blocks of low-rise buildings packed end-to-end with izakaya, ramen shops open until dawn, hostess clubs, live music venues, and bars catering to every register from college students to the postwork salaryman crowd. The southern half (Inari-koji, Kuni-bun-koji) is the older, more atmospheric portion with surviving Showa-era frontages; the northern half is brighter and noisier. Walking through is the experience as much as anywhere specific is the destination — sample one or two places and treat the route itself as the activity.