The Door , 3F, Maritai Building, 6-7 Yagenbori. Mellow, arty bar whose friendly owner is married to a Canadian; no cover charge. Has occasional live acoustic sets. Mon-Sat 7pm-5am.

Harry's Bar , B1, Apple 2 Building, 3-15 Ebisu-machi. Not quite up to its Venice namesake, but does have a more spacious and stylish ambience than many other bars. Cocktails cost around A?1000, snacks are available and sometimes live music. Daily 6pm-midnight, at least.

Jacara , 5F, Shatore No.3 Building, 13-13 Ginzan-cho, Naka-ku. The best of Hiroshima's late-night dance bars, Jacara has a friendly vibe and the DJs play a wide range of sounds. The entry charge of A?1000 includes one drink. Mon-Thurs 1pm-1am, Fri & Sat 7pm-3am.

Mac , 2F, Hiroshima Rakutenchi Building, Nagarekawa 6-18. At this laidback bar you can choose from a vast CD collection as you sip beers from A?500. Daily 8pm-late.

Nakachan . This shack at the south end of Yagenbori, near the police box ( koban ), has bags of atmosphere, especially late at night, with pavement tables where you can sip beers and tuck into dishes such as grilled fish. You'll find things more easy-going if you take a Japanese-speaker. Daily 6am-4pm.

Public , Jizo-dori. Set apart from the central district, a couple of blocks south of the crossing with Heiwa-dori, this friendly bar has an open-air section, an English menu and most drinks under A?1000. Look out for the blue awning. Mon-Fri 11.30am-1am, Sat & Sun noon-2am.

Snappers , 4F Miya Building, 1-7 Yagenbori. A well-known gaijin hangout, this tiny bar is often packed on weekends, and turns into a disco should the crowd feel in the mood to dance. Happy Hour is Mon-Sat 8-9pm, and bands occasionally play. Daily 8pm-1am.