Dotonbori - Osaka, Japan

Dotonbori Street, Shinsaibashi

We don't want to see the power bill. Darkness never really descends on Dotonbori, a chaotic, neon jungle and the heart of Osaka's entertainment district. Colourful, wall-high advertisements and bizarre shopfront decorations provide the backdrop for the restaurant spruikers, bar scouts and vendors, who all noisily compete with the booming advertisements, music, constant chatter and muffled sounds of karaoke along this 500-metre promenade.

It is a true microcosm of Osaka. High-rollers swish by wide-mouthed tourists, who mingle with evening revellers, cell phone-toting teenagers and young families heading out for a meal. You can blow a week's pay in a night out at some of the more extravagant venues (we recommend you check the prices first) or you can stagger home less than $20 out of pocket. So it is in Dotonbori, where everyone seems to find their niche. Some people will feel right at home here and others will feel dizzy. Whatever the case may be, you can't leave Dotonbori without being deeply impressed on some level.

Photos of Dotonbori

Above: "Glico Man" - the oldest neon sign in the world.

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