Izakaya

Anizakaya(居酒屋)(Japanese:[izakaja])is a type of informal Japanesebarthat servesalcoholic drinksandsnacks.Izakayaare casual places for after-work drinking, similar to apub, a Spanishtapasbar, or an American saloon ortavern.
The wordizakayaentered theEnglish languageby 1987.It is a compound word consisting ofiru("to stay") andsakaya("sakeshop"), indicating thatizakayaoriginated from sake shops that allowed customers to sit on the premises to drink.Izakayaare sometimes calledakachōchin('redlantern') in daily conversation, as suchpaper lanternsare traditionally found in front of them.
Anecdotes and songs that appear in theKojikishow thatizakaya-style establishments existed in Japan at the early 700s.There is a record dating to 733 when rice was collected as a brewing fee tax under the jurisdiction of the government office calledMiki no Tsukasa. In theShoku Nihongi, written in 797, there is a record ofKing Ashiharawho got drunk and was murdered in a tavern in 761.
The full-scale development ofizakayabegan around theEdo period(1603–1867). At liquor stores that used to sell alcohol by weight, people began to drink alcohol while standing. Gradually, someizakayabegan using sake barrels as stools for their customers,and gradually began to offer simple snacks calledsakana.Historian Penelope Francks points to the development of theizakayain Japan, especially inEdoand along main roads throughout the country, as one indicator of the growing popularity of sake as a consumer good by the late 1700s.
Anizakayain Tokyo made international news in 1962 whenRobert F. Kennedyate there during a meeting with Japanese labor leaders.
Izakayaand other small pubs or establishments are exempted from an indoor smoking ban that was passed by theNational Dietin July 2018 and fully enforced since April 2020.
Izakayaare often likened totavernsorpubs, but there are a number of differences.
Depending on theizakaya, customers either sit ontatamimats and dine from low tables, as in the traditional Japanese style, or sit on chairs and dine from tables. Manyizakayaoffer a choice of both as well as seating by the bar. Someizakayarestaurants are alsotachi-nomistyle, literally translated as "drinking while standing".
Usually, customers are given anoshibori(wet towel) to clean their hands; the towels are cold in summer and hot in winter. Next, a tiny appetizer, called anotōshiin theTokyoarea ortsukidashiin theOsaka-Kobearea, is served.It is local custom and usually charged onto the bill in lieu of anentry fee.
The menu may be on the table, displayed on walls, or both. Picture menus are common in largerizakaya. Food and drink are ordered throughout the course of the session as desired. They are brought to the table, and the bill is added up at the end of the session. Unlike other Japanese styles of eating, food items are usually shared by everyone at the table, similar to Spanishtapas.
Common styles ofizakayadining in Japan arenomi-hōdai("all you can drink") andtabe-hōdai("all you can eat"). For a set price per person, customers can continue ordering as much food and/or drink as they wish, usually with a time limit of two or three hours.
Izakayadining can be intimidating to non-Japanese because of the wide variety of menu items and the slow pace. Food is normally ordered slowly over several courses rather than all at once. The kitchen will serve the food when it is ready, rather than in the formal courses of Western restaurants. Typically, a beer is ordered when one is sitting down before perusing the menu. Quickly prepared dishes such ashiyayakkooredamameare ordered first, followed with progressively more robust flavors such asyakitoriorkaraage, finishing the meal with a rice or noodle dish to fill up.
Izakayaoffer a wide variety of dishes. Items typically available are:
Some establishments offer abottle-keepservice, allowing a patron to purchase an entire bottle of liquor (usuallyshōchūor whisky) and store the unfinished portion for a future visit.
Izakayafood is usually more substantial than tapas ormezze. Many items are designed to be shared. Menu items may include:
Rice dishes such asochazukeand noodle dishes such asyakisobaare sometimes eaten to conclude a drinking session. For the most part, Japaneseizakayacustomers do not eat rice or noodles (shushoku– "staple food") at the same time as they drink alcohol, since sake, brewed from rice, traditionally takes the place of rice in a meal.
Izakayawere traditionally down-to-earth places where men drank sake and beer after work.However, modernizakayacustomers are more likely to include independent women and students. Manyizakayatoday cater to a more diverse clientele by offering cocktails and wines and a sophisticated interior. Chainizakayaare often large and offer an extensive selection of food and drink, allowing them to host big, sometimes rowdy, parties. Watami, Shoya, Shirokiya, Tsubohachi, and Murasaki are some of the well known chains in Japan.
Izakayaare often calledakachōchin("red lantern"), after the redpaper lanternstraditionally displayed outside.Today, the term usually refers to small, non-chainizakaya.Some unrelated businesses that are notizakayaalso sometimes display red lanterns.
Cosplayizakayabecame popular in the 2000s. The staff wear costumes and wait on customers. In some establishments, shows are performed. Costumes include those for butlers andmaids.
Establishments specialising inodenare calledoden-ya. They usually take the form ofstreet stallswith seating and are popular in winter.
Robatayakiare places in which customers sit around an open hearth on which chefs grill seafood and vegetables. Fresh ingredients are displayed for customers to point at whenever they want to order.
Yakitori-yaspecialise inyakitori, grilled chicken skewers.The chicken skewers are often grilled in front of customers.