A Beginner's Guide to Japanese Izakaya: Everything You Need to Know!

Going to an izakaya is one of Japan’s quintessential experiences but if it's your first time, it can be daunting. In this video, we give you a complete overview of entering an izakaya, how to order and classic food and drinks so that you'll be able to enjoy an izakaya like a pro.
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Check out our izakaya article:
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== CHAPTERS ==
0:00 Intro
0:27 Reservations & entering an izakaya
1:26 Izakaya menu & ordering
2:28 Classic food and drink
3:36 Izakaya etiquette
4:34 Paying at an izakaya
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Intro sequence by the most talented Peter Laugesen
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* Ginza Holiday Promenade www.flickr.com/photos/yoshika...
* Shibuya Crossing www.flickr.com/photos/3102986...

[@BaconLordBear]

What I think a lot of people are unfamiliar with with izakayas is that they're thinking of it like a normal restaurant or cafe, where everyone orders their own dishes and sticks to it. But izakayas are meant to just order a bunch of different things among the group and then everyone shares it among the table. It's super fun and cozy for a night out!

[@nny2055]

I think this is probably an introduction to Izakaya, an urban franchise type that is easy for beginners to enter. And I think it's a wonderful care for everyone overseas. From the Perspective of Japanese, I want you guys to go to the countryside and enjoy the local seafood dishes. That Is pretty much best way possible to enjoy food rather than in tokyo. I mean Tokyo is suck at food cost... Hokkaido's seafood dishes are famous. However, for me, who lives in the Kansai area, I like Ise shrimp and abalon from Mie Prefecture, white shrimp/shiraebi from Toyama Prefecture, oysters from the Seto Inland Sea, and bonito/katsuo Tataki style from Kochi Prefecture. There are many other regional seafood/dishes, which is one of the best things about local izakaya. And most of all, Izakaya is also a place to enjoy Sake. Recently there is also more and more an izakaya run by a sake brewery. It will be fun to taste and compare such Sake. Anyway, I would be glad you guys enjoy Izakaya the way you like. Extra Sashimi such as horses, deer, and whales exist somewhere in the Japan as forbidden advanced gourmets....dunno why we obsessing with eat raw this badly.

[@tokyocheapo]

Thank you for your comment - it’s great to hear more about the Kansai area! Yes this one is a great option for beginners who want an English-friendly environment but independent, local izakaya are a good place for the more brave and adventurous 😊

[@nny2055]

​@@tokyocheapo thanks for your kind word. I kinda felt too much put on comment. Anyway I hope you enjoying it.（＾ω＾) good luck with your channel.

[@AmbientWalking]

Always amazing and super cool to experience these trips with you. I really like them. Thank you so much!

[@markylon]

Look at the menu of this place - Raw Guts, Raw Uterus, Cat Food, Small Intestine, Stomach. It's a no from me.

[@KoboldGamer]

I will go to one of these kind of Izakayas, but frankly, the kind I'm most excited for is the very small, cramped kind, where you are just sitting next to the 60 year old japanese salary man, or some other local. I crave that close, conversational atmosphere, and even if you barely speak any japanese at all, you'd be surprised at just how much you can still convey to one another despite language differences.

[@samclemons9086]

Recently went to an Izakaya in Osaka. Ordering was done on a Tablet so it made it really easy to order. It was a fun atmosphere. It was fun to see all the salary men getting hammered with their coworkers after a long day of work.

[@tokyocheapo]

Haha glad to hear you had a great experience!

[@akinasukizakura]

笑った😂

[@ConditionGreen]

次の日には、一緒にランチを楽しんでいます。

[@Martyverz]

I went to a few Izakayas in Asakusabashi. I was alone but it was tons of fun anyways. I had some really great duck and even tried shark for the first time. plus the beer was always amazing.

[@ashleighdearest]

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to Tokyo Cheapo for all of your guides and articles! It made my recent trip to Japan so much richer and stress-free. And thanks for the Hanbei recommendation--we loved it!

[@tokyocheapo]

Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that our guides and articles enhanced your recent trip to Japan and made it both richer and stress-free!

[@clownearound5751]

Great video guys, definitely something that would be going on my list of things to do for an evening out. Best wishes

[@markylon]

Look at the menu of this place - Raw Guts, Raw Uterus, Cat Food, Small Intestine, Stomach. It's a no from me.

[@kensanokaeri]

Nice one! The izakaya looks very "showa" style! Love it! Awesome video as always!

[@tokyocheapo]

Yes great Showa vibes! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@onhel1679]

Cant wait to be there next week!!!!!

[@tokyocheapo]

Have a great trip!

[@cooljammer00]

Tablet ordering seems super convenient. I just got back from a week in Tokyo and didn't visit any izakaya, partially due to being by myself and there being a language barrier. Not having to talk to anybody makes it a little easier.

[@solomani5959]

Can you please stop filling my itinerary with good ideas! In all seriousness, nice tip AND recommendation for non-Japanese speakers. Recommend it to anyone visiting Japan for more cultural/food reasons (as opposed to Disney and Pokémon).

[@tokyocheapo]

Haha glad you enjoyed this one! Thanks for watching!

[@karenrobbins6656]

I was at an izakaya in Osaka where the Japanese menu was handwritten and posted around the walls. Google translate couldn’t handle the handwriting. We ended up ordering from a more limited English menu. This place was mostly locals so we felt kind of awkward figuring out what and how to order

[@dereksbooks]

This is why we decided not to go to one despite really wanting to 😂

[@user-tz7gn3cc5j]

その場合は店員さんに予算を伝えおすすめの食べ物を持ってきてもらいましょう◝(⑅•ᴗ•⑅)◜..°それを断る人はいないと思います！

[@EbeAlomai]

Hi, may I ask what is the name of the restaurant at min: 02.01? thank you!

[@lucyclark704]

It would be good to also see a visit to a not so touristy izakaya where the menu is in japanese etc to see if a non Japanese speaker could cope.

[@tokyocheapo]

Thanks for the suggestion! That would be interesting.

[@joanafigueira4548]

I see in the video that they have non alcoholic drinks but, if no one in the groups drinks alcohol that will be a problem? Or they don't care about that since you order something? We want to go to an Izakaya because of the food but we don't drink hahaha

[@NN-od4dd]

There are Japanese people who can't drink alcohol, so it's not a problem.

[@Omni0404]

I was at a Japanese restaurant in the US and the server asked if I wanted a to-go box for my edamame pods lol. I was like "No, I think I'll be leaving those."

[@tokyocheapo]

Ha, that’s funny! To be fair though, on their first ever Izakaya dinner in Japan, one of the Tokyo Cheapo team tried eating the whole edamame including pod - thinking it was like mange tout 😂

[@sreypovchun663]

Covercharge sucks😢😢😢

[@markylon]

Look at the menu of this place - Raw Guts, Raw Uterus, Cat Food, Small Intestine, Stomach. It's a no from me.

[@tokyocheapo]

Haha you found some of the more interesting items on the menu! 'Motsu' or offal is relatively common in Japan so you might find it on some menus but there's also plenty of other food options as well 😊

[@frankpeter7852]

Beginners guide 😂 wtf just go there and eat

[@Omni0404]

Going to different styles of restaurant with no prior knowledge is a great way to look like a confused gaijin 😇