Izakaya are traditional Japanese pubs, and they are a great place to enjoy spending time with friends. For me, going there alone would be strange and complicated.
In the evenings, izakaya are often packed and very noisy – people come there after a work day to drink and relax. Unlike during the daytime when Japanese people are quiet, in izakaya they’re very loud! At the izakaya that I visited, the patrons were mostly groups of men, and I thought about the reasons for this. Firstly, izakaya are not elegant places - actually, they're very simple. There is nothing but tables and stools, and paper sheets with some writing and prices hung on the walls. For people like me who can’t read in Japanese, it can be a problem to order at an izakaya. However, I went there with friends, so there was no problem as they placed the orders and encouraged me to try different snacks and drinks. At the izakaya, my friends didn’t order big dishes, but mostly small ones and we shared all of them. Some of the traditional snacks include zunda (green soy beans), fried tofu, slices of raw fish, potato chips, small salads, and different seafood. Drinks are quite big and include beer, cold or warm sake, and green tea with sake.
On my first visit to an izakaya I was surprised by the noise and asked my friend why everyone was shouting. She just shrugged and said that people were relaxing that way. I must admit that way of drinking leads to go off limits, but it’s fun anyway. After a few drinks, noisy neighbors are no longer bothersome and you become the part of that atmosphere. My friends and I also shouted to hear each other, and after finishing at one izakaya we often went to another one!
With my friends we mostly visited izakaya near Kanda Station in Tokyo. The outside of izakaya (there is no plural form in Japanese language) are also very simple and often unattractive. Izakaya in Kanda are located right under railway platforms. From outside I’d call them ‘places of no interest’, but izakaya are part of Japanese culture and I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience them.
There are many izakaya in Tokyo, and you can find information about them on Japan Travel.
