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The Izakaya Experience
The closest Western equivalent to a traditional izakaya experience may be that of going to a British pub where, as veteran Tokyo expatriate friends of mine say, ‘beer is the staple food.’ It’s true that the primary activity in these taverns is drinking, but what also jumps to mind is the fragrant, grilled appetizers and colorful small dishes that are ordered in rapid succession and shared by all. In Japan, a good izakaya can easily outshine an ordinary bar outing.
A good izakaya of the traditional variety is an oasis from daily pressures and modern-day mayhem. The smell of sweet, caramelized soy sauce and gently smoking yakitori wafts onto the street behind the sliding wooden doors adorned with festive red lanterns. Behind these doors awaits a friendly staff greeting you with “irasshaimase!” (“welcome”), a steaming-warm oshibori (hand towel), a tall, frosty mug of ice-cold brew and pure gastronomic pleasure.
Standard fare at an izakaya is comprised mostly of grilled fish, beef, yakitori, tsukune (grilled chicken meatballs – delicious with spicy mustard), skewered vegetables and yaki-onigiri (stuffed rice balls), dipped in a thick, sweet barbeque soy sauce. Items from the kitchen might include hearty niku-jaga (slow-cooked meat & potato stew), sashimi, a wide variety of salads, chilled tofu and the ubiquitous edamame. Beer and saké are the usual beverages of choice, and are sometimes drunk together. Shochu (liquor made from potatoes) is also quite common, and is served warm or in a less potent, fruit-flavored cocktail known as chu-hai. Non-alcoholic beverages include tea and juice – usually an orange-flavored, tastier version of Tang.
The most important parallel between izakaya and Western pubs is the inherently warm, friendly, casual atmosphere in which guests are made to feel welcome and comfortable. While this is not true of all izakaya, it is generally true of the smaller, family-run establishments. There are many commercial izakaya chains which generally cater to a younger, livelier crowd. These places are a great starting point for a night on the town. But the more traditional izakaya are those in which you feel as though you are visiting close relatives – at home, relaxed and a little spoiled.
Most family-run izakaya in Japan rely on the patronage of neighborhood customers who eat there one to two times a week. These patrons may even keep their own bottle of liquor behind the bar – a centuries-old tradition. Chances are if you become a regular patron of a family-run izakaya, you will become well-acquainted with this cast of regular characters.
The father of the family typically does all the cooking on a grill behind a bar, with his son or other relatives assisting as humble apprentices. His wife or daughter(s) serve customers sitting at the bar or at nearby tables. Part of the appeal to sitting at the bar (besides watching the incredible precision of the cooks as they engage in unfathomable feats of multi-tasking) is to strike up lively conversation with the ‘o-tosan,’ which literally translates into ‘father,’ but also holds the nuance of ‘the friendly old guy’ behind the bar. The servers, especially the ‘o-kasan’ (again, the literal translation is mother – we’ll avoid the issue of age), will also engage in friendly banter as they move about the place, but the o-tosan is your captive audience.
If you’re a foreigner to Japan, you’ll most likely be talking quite a bit about your home country, or what it’s like to live in Japan as a foreigner. Most Japanese are immensely curious about what daily life is like in foreign countries, or how you’re adjusting to life in Japan, what foods you like or don’t like, etc. Typical comments to foreigners include, “your Japanese is very good!” and “you use chopsticks so well,” or my all-time favorite, “your nose is so tall!” While it feels incredibly patronizing to a fluent Japanese speaker who has lived in the country for years to endure such remarks, they are generally meant as friendly compliments.
As you become more acquainted, conversation will most likely gravitate to your personal life, particularly if you are young and single. These frivolous conversations can be the perfect laughing cure for the lonely, homesick foreigner. And if you don’t mind being playfully chided once in a while to hurry up and get married, it can be immensely entertaining, and is always in good fun.
One of the best parts of becoming a regular patron is the occasional ‘freebies’ of free food and/or drinks, known as ‘saabisu’ (adopted from the English word ‘service’). These are occasionally doled out by the o-tosan as a sign of appreciation for regular patronage. At my favorite izakaya, the o-tosan would give me samples of unusual, seasonal foods that I hadn’t tried before. I remember one evening in early spring, the izakaya was serving these purplish, miniature squid, not more than 2 inches long. He served a sample to me raw, in whole form, with a sweet sauce that reminded me of hollandaise. The flavor was very salty and ‘seafoody,’ and the crunch of the tentacles was a little unsettling. The hollandaise sauce helped to mitigate the strong flavor (and texture) to some degree, but not quite enough. I swallowed as quickly as I could, all the while maintaining a defiant, if somewhat forced smile. This was one of those items that test the boundaries of what constitutes ‘food’ to most Westerners. In general, however, the o-tosan will choose wisely according to what he knows your tastes are – free food with a little adventure thrown in.
The saabisu tradition works both ways – if you seek to build a rapport with the o-tosan, offer to buy him (usually him) a drink. The friendliest way is to offer a glass of your own (bottled) beer. He might already have a glass behind the bar – offer to fill his glass, and you’re well on your way to becoming a favored customer. Whether or not your stay is long term, this puts you in good stead for future trips to Japan, as the staff will surely remember you.
If you are a visitor to Japan who is fortunate enough to be visiting a native or longtime resident, do not pass up the opportunity to go to their favorite izakaya. Like the pubs of the west, izakaya provide an invaluable opportunity to observe the values, rituals and idiosyncrasies of Japanese daily life. And if your host is friendly with the o-tosan, chances are you will not be disappointed.
. For more information on Jennifer’s travels and writings, please email her at jennifer@ghatravel.com.
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