Izakaya in Japan

If you are planning to visit to Japan, perhaps, you will be looking forward to a dinner at restaurant also.

Especially in Tokyo, you will enjoy the whole world dishes not only Japanese one.

When you are going to enjoy the Japanese local dishes with sake, please try "Izakaya".

"Izakaya" looks like a bar or a BAL.

Many Japanese are enjoying the food and sake at there.

There are many "Izakaya" near the business town such as Yurakucho, Shinbashi, Kanda, Shinjuku, Ueno and Ikebukuro.

When you find a red lantern or a noren(a shop curtain) made of ropes, it is "Izakaya".

Though many of them accept Japanese only, they will welcom you kindly.

You have not to pay a chip in "Izakaya", but in return, there are unique custom "Otoshi".

This likes the table charge.
As you take a sheet, some kind of charm will be served to you without order.

The price of "Otoshi" is generally between $3 and $4.

How to order at "Izakaya"

The menu coming out at "Izakaya" is like this.


You can see a menu with a photograph at the almost chain store "Izakaya", but a menu at the local "Izakaya" does not often have a photograph, letter only.

When you are in trouble ordering in Japanese, the next hint will be usuful.


When a menu has the letter of

•  "魚", it is fish dishes.
•  "寿司", this is Sushi.
•  "刺", this is Sashimi(raw sliced fish).
•  "天", this is Tenpura.
•  "揚" or "フライ", this is fried dishes.

You can order the dishes by pointing the menu and tell a word "Kore", means "this".

Please enjoy dishes culture of Tokyo.