In less than 5 minutes from Bairin-an there are two 24hours convenient stores, a 24h supermarket, post office, bank, cafes, restaurants.
A 15 minutes walk will take you to the riverside of the Kamogawa. You can take a pleasant stroll along the river, or do shopping in the nearby Kawaramachi area convenient for rainy days as the shopping streets are covered, like Nishiki food market street. A night life spot is Pontocho, a narrow lane with no cars, full of elegant restaurants, bars, and where you can see a Geisha or Maiko on the way or from an appointment.
Next street Ovest of Pontocho is Kiyamachi, a very lively night zone where you can find many kinds of restaurants, bars, pubs and more...
Enjoy just walking from Bairin-an!