An eastern analogue to western pubs and bars, Izakaya (居酒屋) are places where many Japanese people go to build relationships over drinks, but they are usually places for after work drinking. Marked by red paper lanterns outside the entrance, izakaya are renowned for their extensive menus, having many varieties of alcoholic drinks and Japanese dishes. It is said that there are over 150,000 izakaya all over Japan, meaning that, if you should ever desire a place to drink with friends, you can always find one no matter where you are in Japan.

When you first step into an izakaya and take a seat, you are presented with a wet hand towel called oshibori (おしぼり) to clean your hands. Next, a small appetiser, called an otōshi in Tokyo, and tsukidashi in Osaka-Kobe, is served before you order. This is a long-standing tradition with izakaya, that it ensures that customers have something to eat before their first dish arrives.

(Photo): Menu items written on wooden boards

Menu items are usually reasonably priced, and some izakaya make all their menu items the same price to simplify to process of choosing a dish. Some items typically served at izakaya include edamame (枝豆), different forms of grilled meats like yakiniku (焼き肉) and yakitori (焼き鳥), karaage (唐揚げ), different types of tofu dishes, sashimi, and many more. Rice dishes like ochazuke (お茶づけ) and noodle dishes like yakisoba (焼きそば) are usually not eaten at the same time as drinking alcohol; sake, brewed from rice, traditionally takes the place of rice here. However, they are sometimes eaten after the drinking session is over, to finish it off.

Of course, izakaya are not izakaya without alcoholic drinks, and there are many varieties. Western drinks like beers, wine, and whiskey are commonly ordered, but there are Japanese drinks like sake as well. One tradition when serving cold sake is that the server pouring sake pours to overflow the glass, which is held inside a small wooden box. You first take a small drink of the sake in the glass, then pour the amount that overflowed back into the glass. This makes you feel like you’re getting extra sake.

Izakaya are places to get together with friends, build relationships with coworkers, and you can even go on a date to them. At izakaya, ranks and hierarchies are set aside and everyone mingles together as equals. The usual polite atmosphere that you use with your boss can be set aside and everyone can speak their mind casually. Within the group, people pour drinks for each other at the same table. This tradition helps to foster deeper bonds in the group. Another tradition is that it is common to split the bill evenly amongst everyone present, regardless of what they ordered.

If you are travelling in Japan with a group of friends, an izakaya is a place to visit even if you do not drink alcohol. Nowadays, there are izakaya that cater to different interests. There are some that have a cosplay theme, some that have live japanese folk music, and some that have rakugo (落語), a form of verbal entertainment. Once you spend an evening at an izakaya drinking and eating with somebody, your relationship with that person will typically become a little closer.

Article: Adriel Chan / Image: Savour Japan

Japanese Izakaya

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