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Izakaya is an important part of Japanese culture. The Japanese word "izakaya" means "to sit or stay," so literally "izakaya" can be interpreted as sitting down to drink. "An izakaya is a restaurant where you can sit down and drink.
Izakaya is more of a late-night place than a regular restaurant or bar. Here, some people talk in groups, some people are red in the face to vent their anger, and some people come alone with a heavy heart ...... can be said that every sleepless soul in the late night can be housed and rested here.
The Japanese make a clear distinction between the two dining functions of "drinking" and "eating". If you want to drink, go to an izakaya. Many people go to a Japanese restaurant first and then find an izakaya to have a few drinks.
Because of the overtime culture in Japan, many Japanese people choose to go to an izakaya after working late. The owner talks and laughs with the customers across the bar, and the tired people each occupy a corner, sweeping away their fatigue with wine and food, releasing the accumulated negative emotions of the day, and slowly relaxing the tense nerves of the city people.
Japanese people like to drink, but they do not persuade to drink, and what they drink is not the amount of alcohol, but a free and comfortable atmosphere. It is said that the human ethanol dehydrogenase enzyme, which affects the metabolism of ethanol in the Japanese body, is naturally less active, and nearly half of the Japanese people belong to the body that gets drunk as soon as they drink, which is probably why drunk people can be found everywhere in the streets and trains in Japan.
When you open the menu, you order the sake first, which is probably the "first" thing you should do when entering an izakaya. When you enter any izakaya, make sure to order a root beer or a cold beer first, and then take your time to look through the menu and order your food. The Japanese style beer is refreshing and thirst quenching and is well worth trying. And the point is, this simple act will greatly enhance your taste.
Once you are seated, the restaurant will also serve a small plate of food. Unlike the complimentary dishes in Korea, you have to pay for this small dish (300-500 yen), which means it is equivalent to what is called a service charge or a seating fee elsewhere. It's not mandatory, but it's a way for the restaurant to show their welcome, so don't refuse!
Izakaya is different from other restaurants and bars in that it focuses on serving Japanese specialties such as sake, shochu and beer, as well as soft drinks such as wine, fruit wine and oolong tea for female customers. High ball cocktails and plum wine are the most popular among women.
Each Izakaya has its own special flavor, and there are all kinds of dishes such as skewers, sashimi, and cold cuts, but here the amount of food never takes the place of alcohol!
