One of the things to enjoy when visiting Japan is the local food. There are many restaurants where you can enjoy authentic Japanese food, but as Japan has a distinct culture, there are unique characteristics that would be best for visitors to know before going to local restaurants, especially the most common Izakaya, which are popular among the local people. They are casual restaurants where you can enjoy drinks and tapas dishes that are usually shared, and in local regions they offer local dishes as well, so putting dining at an Izakaya on your to do list in Japan would be an experience. Here are 5 things to know before going to an Izakaya.
Once you are seated, you are given a wet towel, called oshibori in Japanese. These are meant for guests to wipe their hands before and during eating, and are hot during the winter and cold during the summer. Almost all types of restaurants give you a type of oshibori, whether it’s a wet towel or a small wipe wrapped in plastic.
Don’t be surprised if you are served a small appetizer dish you haven’t ordered! This is called otoshi, which is served to everyone and is charged per person, acting as an entry fee. (Sometimes it is only served to people who ordered alcoholic drinks.) It is usually pickles or local tastes, and unfortunately you cannot say no to it so why not give it a try 🙂
The ultimate cutlery in Japan are chopsticks, which are two long pieces of thin wood (sometimes plastic) used to pick up food. Spoons and forks are available at most restaurants, but beware that most noodle shops and Izakaya in local regions may only have chopsticks. But don’t be overwhelmed; it’s a genuine local experience!
Japan does not have a tipping culture, so there is no need to tip. This goes with other places such as hotel concierges and taxis as well, so if you’d like to express your gratitude, simply say “arigato”, meaning “thank you”.
The Japanese people learn English as a second language at school, but unfortunately not many can speak it, and especially at local Izakaya, they do not have English menus or staff who can speak or understand English. If you happen to step inside an Izakaya with neither, I recommend using a translating app to communicate and understand the menu.
Experience going to an Izakaya, and enjoy the different local food culture of Japan!
<Author>
Saori Futsukaichi
Travel Consultant at WaWo Japan Travel