Arrive in Tokoname, a port town in Aichi Prefecture known as a historic ceramics production centre. Meet your local guide at the starting point and get your first sense of how the town’s working-class roots have shaped its drinking culture — compact bar streets, unpretentious venues, and a local crowd that keeps things real.

The guide introduces the evening’s route, walking you through what to expect at each stop before the first bar comes into view. Over the course of three stops, move on foot through Tokoname’s bar districts, stepping into a different venue each time.

At each bar, order drinks and food directly — your guide helps you navigate the menu, communicate with staff, and settle into the rhythm of each place. The pace is relaxed, giving you time to drink, eat, and talk before moving on to the next spot.

By the third bar, work your way through a cross-section of Tokoname’s local drinking scene — three distinct venues, three different atmospheres, all within walking distance of each other. Leave with a drink tab paid at each bar and a grounded sense of how locals in this corner of Aichi actually spend their evenings.