The izakaya — Japan’s casual pub-restaurant — is the setting for one of the country’s most relaxed and sociable dining experiences. A combination of bar, small-plates restaurant and social club, the izakaya operates on entirely different rhythms from a formal restaurant. Understanding its conventions makes the difference between a slightly awkward visit and an evening that feels genuinely local.
What Is an Izakaya?
The word combines i (stay) and sakaya (sake shop), describing a place where one stays to drink, with food served alongside. Izakaya range from individual-operated six-seat counters (ko-izakaya) to chain establishments occupying multiple floors of office buildings. The common thread is a menu of small, shareable dishes designed to complement drinking, an atmosphere that encourages lingering, and pricing that enables long evenings without large individual outlays.
Izakaya are distinct from restaurants in that the food and drink order proceeds in rounds throughout the evening rather than in a single set sequence. Arriving hungry enough to eat a full meal across two to three hours of ordering is the correct approach. Izakaya are generally not suitable for quick dinners.
Drinks
Beer: Draft beer (nama biru) is standard. Japanese lager from Sapporo, Kirin, Asahi or Suntory dominates. The first drink ordered at the table is almost always beer — toriaezu biiru (“beer for now”) is a standard opener while the menu is reviewed. Craft beer izakaya are increasingly common in major cities.
Shochu: Japan’s distilled spirit (potato, barley or rice base, 25–30% ABV) is served on the rocks (rokku), with water (mizuwari), with hot water (oyuwari) or with oolong tea. It is lower-calorie than beer and works well across an evening of food.
Sake: Cold sake (reishu) or warm sake (atsukan) is ordered by the flask (tokkuri). Premium sake by the glass is increasingly offered at higher-end izakaya. Ask staff for recommendations by specifying karakuchi (dry) or amakuchi (sweet).
Highball: Whisky soda (whisky highball) has surged in popularity and is now standard across all izakaya. Suntory Tory’s highball poured from a dedicated tap is the current benchmark for value and quality.
Soft Drinks: Non-alcoholic options — oolong tea, orange juice, cola — are available at all izakaya. Designated drivers (unten daiko) are common in Japanese culture; asking for non-alcoholic options never requires explanation.
Food
Standard izakaya food across Japan includes: edamame (salted soybeans), hiyayakko (cold tofu), agedashi tofu (fried tofu in dashi), karaage (fried chicken), sashimi moriwase (assorted raw fish), yakitori (grilled skewers), potato salad, tamago yaki (rolled omelette), and grilled fish. Seasonal menus add items reflecting spring bamboo shoots, summer fresh corn and okra, autumn mushrooms and winter oysters and root vegetables.
A small appetiser (otoshi) is brought automatically and added to the bill — typically ¥300–¥500 per person. This functions as a table charge and is non-negotiable at most establishments. It is sometimes excellent (a small marinated dish from the chef’s daily preparation) and sometimes perfunctory (a small dish of peanuts).
Ordering and Etiquette
Call staff by saying sumimasen (excuse me) or pressing the table call button if provided. Order by pointing at pictures on the menu or using the ordering tablet that most larger izakaya now deploy — these typically have English menus. No need to order everything at once. Successive rounds are expected.
Glasses are refilled by companions, not staff — pouring for others before yourself is standard. Accept refills graciously; if you wish to stop drinking, leave your glass full. Toasting (kanpai) happens at the first drink; after that, drinking proceeds without ceremony. Tipping is not practised in Japan.
Closing time: izakaya in entertainment districts run until 1–3 am on weekends. Last orders are announced 30 minutes before closing. The bill (okaikei) is paid at the register in most establishments; group bills are often split equally (warikan). Card acceptance varies; keep cash available in smaller establishments.
Types of Izakaya Worth Seeking Out
Senmom-ten (specialist izakaya) focus a menu around a single ingredient: oyster izakaya, offal izakaya, horsemeat izakaya, seasonal fish izakaya. These typically have shorter, higher-quality menus at moderate prices. Standing izakaya (tachinomi-ya) near major train stations offer the fastest and most democratic drinking culture in Japan — a beer and two skewers for under ¥1,000, standing beside salarymen who have been coming to the same counter for thirty years.