Izakaya is a traditional Japanese bar where alcoholic drinks are served with different affordable snacks and dishes. In English, izakaya is translated as “dine-in sake shop” where guests eat, drink, and have fun the Japanese way. In Japan's izakaya culture, there's the so-called “nomihodai” concept.
The Japanese word izakaya (居酒屋) is made up of three kanji with the meaning, in order, “stay-drink-place.” A spot to grab a drink, settle in, and get comfortable. Sounds about right.
Izakaya are Japan's traditional epicurean gastropub, a place to enjoy beer, Japanese spirits, and good food. They first appeared as sake bars during the Edo period, which over time began offering small bites of food to customers to enjoy along with their drinks.
What is the difference between izakaya and yakitori?
Yakitori is made of bite-sized pieces of meat (usually chicken) served on a bamboo skewer. We decided to up-the-ante and try it with a few of our favorite proteins, such as chicken thigh, whole squid, and king trumpet mushroom. 'Izakaya' is a type of informal Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks.
What is a Yokocho? Tokyo’s Culinary and Boozey Back Streets
What is Omakase?
Omakase literally means “I Leave The Details Up to You”
Omakase directly translates to - "I leave it up to you." The term Omakase gained popularity in the 1990s. Omakase, a chef-curated dinner, is famous for its direct interactions with the chef. The customer leaves the order details to the sushi chef.
It's a little tricky to describe the difference between izakaya, bars and restaurants. You could say that the purpose of an izakaya is to drink alcohol with food, whereas you don't necessarily need to drink at a restaurant, and you may not find full meals at a bar.
Welcome to the sunakku, or snack bar — a unique and ubiquitous drinking establishment that is a fixture of the Japanese nightlife. With their distinctive pricing systems, these joints are perhaps best-described as a toned-down, budget version of hostess clubs.
This one is no surprise but as the name suggests, sake bars mainly serve Japanese sake. Some places do not serve anything but sake, not even beer or soft drinks. ・The Pricing System. Not exclusive to sake bars but many stores throughout Japan have a cover charge called otoshidai, which literally means appetizer fee.
Description: Girls bars attempt to bridge the gap between hostess clubs and cocktail bars. Just like a cocktail bar, you'll sit at the bar and order drinks as you want. And just like a hostess club, you'll be provided with a girl to talk to (generally one girl per group).
There are several market segments in the drinking establishment industry. Japanese-style pubs, called izakaya, are emblematic of Japan's drinking culture, comprising an important industry segment. Bars and nightclubs, ryotei (traditional high-end drinking places), and coffee shops, are the other important segments.
Golden Gai is a neighborhood in the Shinjuku ward of Tokyo that squeezes in over 200 miniature bars into a network of six narrow alleys, made only for pedestrians. And a visit is one of the best things to do in Tokyo and a quintessential Shinjuku nightlife experience.
Sushi-ya are restaurants which specialize in sushi. In most sushi-ya, customers can sit either at a normal table or at a counter (sushi bar), behind which the sushi chef is working. Kaitenzushi are less expensive sushi restaurants, where the sushi dishes are presented to the customers on a conveyor belt.
Yokocho is Japanese for “alleyway,” but it has grown in meaning to refer to the narrow streets packed with izakayas, bars, and eateries tucked away in Japan's busy streets.
Pocha-style bars originated from Pojangmachas or street stalls in Korea. There are all kinds of Korean street food being sold in small tents. In the evening, many of these tents sell alcoholic beverages. Using this as inspiration, there are indoor bars that use this inexpensive and casual style known as indoor pocha.
Izakaya (居酒屋) are casual drinking establishments, similar to tapas bars, where customers order a variety of small dishes of food that can be shared at the table.
Why are we called Izakaya WA? We want to provide a casual environment for enjoying food and drinks, and that's what an izakaya is for! "WA" represents Japan and also means harmony. We want to offer an authentic izakaya environment with true Japanese style dishes and atmosphere.
Street Food is hugely popular all around the world. From London to Los Angeles, Mexico to Madrid, eating from stalls and vendors has transformed its image during the early 21st Century to become one of the coolest ways to enjoy a meal. Japan is no different and its street food vendors are known as Yatai.
You'll find bars and clubs scattered throughout the city, but the biggest and liveliest nightlife scenes are in Roppongi, Shibuya and Shinjuku. Roppongi attracts a large international crowd and plays host to the lion's share of Tokyo nightclubs.
For an extra fee (and extra commission to the hostess) there are services called 'dohan' which mean the hostess will meet for a non-sexual date before her shift begins in the evening. Or 'after' where one can kick on with the hostesses (drinks are expected to be bought for the women).
As a general rule you should not leave a tip in Japan, with a few notable exceptions. Remember, if you are in one of the rare situations where you believe a tip is apppropriate, be sure to present the gratuity in an envelope (preferably a stylish one) and offer it with a small bow.
What is a Girls Bar? Put simply, a girls bar is an establishment where female bartenders make drinks and serve customers. The customers sit at the bar and can talk to the girls as they make drinks. The main principle is not to pour drinks next to the customers.
いらっしゃいませ – (Irrashaimase) is an expression meaning, "Please come in" or "Welcome to my store." You will tend to hear this as you first enter an eatery, izakaya (Japanese-style gastropub), or bar.
