Dotonbori, a long, narrow street containing a high concentration of restaurants.It is rough-and-ready, loud and tacky. Photos by Siobhan Downes. : Tokyo's boisterous little brother

Dizzyingly bright neon signs and lanterns scream "okonomiyaki", the region's specialty dish - a cross between a pizza and a pancake. : Tokyo's boisterous little brother

A giant mechanised crab marks the entrance to Dotonbori. : Tokyo's boisterous little brother

Amerika-mura, the ultimate in America-worship, a conglomerate of fast-food chains, tattoo parlours, fashion, hip-hop culture and American iconography. : Tokyo's boisterous little brother

Shinsekai, once the city's most vibrant and glamorous entertainment district, containing an imposing structure, Tsutenkaku Tower, is now an area that most guidebooks warn tourists to avoid. : Tokyo's boisterous little brother