Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [53]
Beer
Introduced at the end of the 1800s, biiru (beer) is now the favourite tipple of the Japanese. The quality is generally excellent and the most popular type is light lager, although recently some breweries have been experimenting with darker brews. The major breweries are Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo and Suntory. Beer is dispensed everywhere, from vending machines to beer halls, and even in some temple lodgings. A standard can of beer from a vending machine is about ¥250, although some of the gigantic cans cost more than ¥1000. At bars, a beer starts at ¥500 and the price climbs upwards, depending on the establishment. Nama biiru (draught beer) is widely available, as are imported beers.
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ŌTA KAZUHIKO ON JAPAN’S IZAKAYA
Ōta Kazuhiko is considered by many to be Japan’s leading authority on izakaya, Japan’s beloved pub-eateries. Ōta-san travels the length of Japan seeking out the best traditional izakaya and he has published his findings in over a dozen books, including one titled Ōta Kazuhiko no Izakaya Mishuran, the ‘Mishuran’ in the title being a play on the famed Michelin restaurant guide series.
What is the definition of an izakaya? Simply put, an izakaya is a place where you can enjoy sake. More broadly, an izakaya is a place where you can enjoy sake and food. In addition, they are places that you can easily enter alone.
What is the history of the izakaya? Prior to the Meiji period, saka-ya (sake shops) would serve alcohol to customers who dropped by for a drink. The customers would stand around and drink their sake out of masu (square wooden boxes used to measure sake). Thus, these places were tachi-nomiya (stand-and-drink places). Later, some saka-ya turned the sake barrels into seats for their customers, so they could relax and enjoy their drink. Thus, they became ‘izakaya’ (the ‘i’ here means ‘to be’, which added to saka-ya forms izakaya, or a saka-ya where you can stay and drink). Later on, some places started to serve snacks to go with the sake, and this evolved into proper food to go with the sake.
What role did izakaya play in Japanese society? Izakaya played an important role in Japanese society. Traditionally, after men finished work at a company, they would go together to an izakaya. The older members of the group, or the boss, would often pay for the younger workers. While they drank, they could talk freely about work and also about things outside of work, like their personal lives and their past. The older guys would teach the young ones how to drink, how to order, and also about the ways of the world. Thus, the izakaya served as a place of human and social education, not just drinking places.
What should you order in an izakaya? First of all, don’t rush. Just have a look around. Maybe start with some ginjō-shu (a high-grade sake). Have the first one cold. Then, consider having some hot sake. As for food, seafood is the way to go: sashimi, stewed fish, grilled fish or shellfish. You can also try some chicken dishes. Have a look at what the other customers are eating, or check out the specials board. If you can’t speak or read Japanese, you can point at things or bring along a Japanese friend to help you order.
Where can you find good izakaya? Well, there are lots of chain izakaya near the train stations in most cities, but the best place to look for really good places is in the old hankagai (entertainment district), which is usually not where the train station is. The best places have been run for generations by the same family, and the customers have also been coming for generations. So, the master might have watched his customers grow up. These are the places that take pride and their work and are the most reliable.
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