Surprising Moments! Foreigners Share Their Quirky Encounters at Japanese Pubs

1. “I was surprised when they shouted ‘Welcome!’ when I entered. Izakayas are awesome!”

Photo: PIXTA

When you enter a popular izakaya, you will be greeted by a loud and cheerful ‘Welcome!’ from all the staff. This is normal for Japanese people, but it was a hit for V, an American living in Japan.

“When I go to an izakaya, one staff says ‘Welcome!’ and then everyone else says ‘Welcome!’ too. At first I was shocked, but now I like it,” he said.

He also said that he felt relaxed and welcomed by the lively atmosphere, even though it was noisy.

“Besides, the food is good, the prices are cheap, and the staff are energetic and attentive. I was really amazed when they gave me a wet towel as soon as I came back from the bathroom. That’s something you might see in a three-star restaurant in America, but not in a casual bar. I’ve never had such a satisfying service in a bar before,” he said, also praising the wet towel culture.

2. “The touch panel is amazing. It’s so helpful for foreigners!”

Photo: PIXTA

Another thing that V was impressed by was the touch panel ordering system.

“The touch panel at the izakaya is really amazing! Most of the dishes have pictures, so you don’t have to worry about what you’re getting,” he said.

“When I first came to Japan, I couldn’t speak much Japanese, so ordering was scary. If I had known about the touch panel back then, I would have cried with joy. This service should be more widely known!” he said.

The touch panel is also available in different languages, and it is a symbol of Japanese hospitality that combines technology and service. Recently, there are also conveyor belt sushi restaurants where you can order with a touch panel and your sushi will be delivered to your seat on a train that runs on a high-speed lane. This is another example of Japanese service that incorporates the latest technology and entertainment!

3. “Japanese izakayas have so many drink options! In China, there are not many choices.”

Japan has a variety of alcoholic drinks besides beer, such as cocktails, sake, shochu, wine… Some foreigners were surprised by the abundance of drink options.
　”In China, most izakayas have beer. They also have Shaoxing wine, but students don’t drink it much, so they just keep drinking beer,” said Lara, a Chinese exchange student.

Lara also goes to izakayas sometimes because they have affordable menus that even college students can enjoy. She was surprised by not only the variety of food menus, but also the drink menus.

Recently, there are also frozen fruit sours that use frozen fruits mixed with shochu and soda, and low-alcohol sours that are popular among women.

Also, in China, it seems that cocktails and other drinks are mostly consumed at specialized bars, especially in urban areas. It’s understandable that colorful and cute cocktails and sours would make you more excited if they were available in many varieties.

4. Izakayas have many charms that only exist in Japan for foreigners!

Apart from the points mentioned earlier, there are many other unique systems in Japanese izakayas that are rare in other countries. For example, the “otoshi” system where a small dish is served to the table before ordering, and the “call button” system where you can call a waiter to your table by pressing a button when you need them. For foreigners, izakayas might be one of the splendid cultures that represent Japan.

Although it’s been difficult to drink at an izakaya without hesitation lately, please take a moment to appreciate the “izakaya culture” that is unique to Japan and is highly praised by people all over the world.