The most common translation of izakaya - "Japanese pub" - is hopelessly inadequate to describe the atmosphere of these places. But they share one thing in common with the Western pub: more than just food and drink establishments, they are community hubs with casts of characters and ongoing narratives - not unlike soap operas. The customers will be locals, regulars, occasional repeaters and new faces; of all social classes from day labourers to office workers. Customers arrive in...
more »The most common translation of izakaya - "Japanese pub" - is hopelessly inadequate to describe the atmosphere of these places. But they share one thing in common with the Western pub: more than just food and drink establishments, they are community hubs with casts of characters and ongoing narratives - not unlike soap operas. The customers will be locals, regulars, occasional repeaters and new faces; of all social classes from day labourers to office workers. Customers arrive in pairs or small groups, occasionally in large bookings, though some men visit alone (women rarely). Drink - whether shochu (distilled grain spirit), rice-brewed sake, or beer - facilitates straight talk and the sort of hard truths that won't ordinarily be spoken. In short, people are more themselves here. Izakaya also help commemorate life's milestones: graduations, new jobs, romance, and, perhaps their busiest period, the end-of-year office bash - the bonenkai (literally, "forget the year party"). These are often held, for reasons of space if decidedly not food quality, at the dead cheap chain-store izakaya that cover Japan in their thousands. (extract from Mark Robinson's article on izakaias)
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