Japan: Where to Drink

the appetizer:

Some Western culinary influences in Japan, including Portugal (tempura) and the Americas (teppanyaki), have been so integrated into Japanese cooking, it is difficult to differentiate them from more traditional Japanese cuisine like sushi and kaiseki. Standard Japanese meals usually include rice, soup, pickles and an entree, like fish or vegetables.

Japan

Where to Drink

Finding a congenial drinking spot within your budget can pose a problem. Some general guidelines can be helpful, with the price of a small bottle of beer as an example. A modest price is 400 Yen or less; fair 400-600; expensive 600-1,200; and very expensive 1,200 or more.

Modest to Fair:
Beer halls or beer gardens
Robatayaki
Akachochin
Yakitoriya
Pubs

Fair to expensive:
Bars without hostesses
Clubs
Hotel cocktail lounges/bars

Expensive to very expensive:
Bars with hostesses
Cabarets

A robatayaki pub features seafood and other taste treats grilled on open hearths in front of the customer and often served on long-handled shovels that slip the food onto the customer's plate.

Akachochin bars take their name from the red lantern strung up by the entrance. They serve a variety of drinks and a la carte dishes.

Yakitoriya are Japanese pubs that serve bite-size chunks (yakitori) of chicken and other selections barbecued on skewers.

Chain pubs—among them Suishin, Yoronotaki, Tsubohachi and Tengu—also serve a variety of dishes with drinks and are a safe choice price-wise.