A traditional Japanese pub “居酒屋 Izakaya” very popular with foreign travelers. Because there is old Japan left there🗾. It has a history of 100 years ago, and its present style was completed in 1960s.
This located in Sendai, Japan “ぼんてん酒場 Bontten Sakaba”. A reproduction of a standing pub in the 1960s. The culture in which poor people order only one cup of alcohol and a meal:sake:
. Even now the style is inherited.
Let’s teach Japanese customs for drinking with two or more people. We first order “とりあえずビール Tori-aezu Beer” for the time being🍻. This means the pre-start “Beer before deciding on the menu”. Although it is not a rule, most Japanese make beer for the first cup. In my case, I drink “ハイボール High ball (whisky with soda)”. @user_not_found is a friend whose hobby is drinking alcohol every night:beer:
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A variety of alcohol can be ordered at Izakaya. From traditional Asian to western ones, there are probably more options than in other countries.
- Sake: Brewed liquor made of rice🍶.
- Nigori Zake: Cheap Sake without the filtration of sake. Umami and alcohol very strong. Long time ago drinking with family🍶.
- Sho-chu: Distilled spirits of wheat or sweet potato🥛.
- High Ball: A cheap whiskey diluted with carbonic acid🥃.
- Hoppy: Drinks like beer mixed with non-alcohol beer in shochu. Poor beer🍺.
- Chew Hai: Cocktails made with Shochu🍹.
- Denki Bran: A kind of cocktail mixed with brandy, gin and wine🍷.
- Awamori: Okinawa’s traditional alcohol distilled rice🍶.
Another feature is the small dish food:bowl_with_spoon:. These are systems where you can order as much as you want to eat. Additional order is basic. This system is most interesting for foreign travelers:smiley:. You can eat something close to Japanese traditional home cooking:rice:. And above all, there are many menus where you can eat vegan and less strict vegetarians:laughing:
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- Agedashi Dofu: Above picture. A soup in which tofu is fried and seasoned with a Dashi and grated daikon radish. Less strict vegetarian food🍥.
- Edamame: Boiled and salted Tohoku green beans as they are. Very often ordered with beer. Vegan food🥜.
- Sashimi: Raw fish. We only eat with soy sauce and wasabi. Izakaya sign menu🐟.
- Yaki Zakana: Grilled fish. Izakaya sign menu🐟.
- Yaki Tori: Grilled chicken skewer. Izakaya sign menu🐓.
- Moro Q: Eat raw cucumber with miso. Vegan food🥒.
- Potato salad: Because it is seasoned with Japanese mayonnaise, it is less strict vegetarian food🥗.
- Shime Ramen: Light ramen to eat at the alcohol finish🍜.
The staff of the Standing Izakaya and the guests are very close🤝. Japanese people hardly talk with other people. Therefore, the staff talks like a friend to solve the stress and loneliness👂. This is the real reason to go to a Izakaya. @user_not_found also likes to talk, so she seems to go everyday😆.
Many Izakaya do not support English or Chinese. Since there may be no photo on the menu, it will be ordered with difficult Japanese characters. If possible, you should visit Japan as a guide. But surely the staff will be very kind when foreigners visit!
If you want to experience the old Japanese culture, the Izakaya has the best conditions:beer:
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