The World of Wakamiya

The foreign visitor can feel secure that comfortable establishments such as an "Akachochin," "Yakitoriya," or "Robata-yaki," will only charge for what is eaten or drunk. These shops are easy to spot by a red-colored paper lantern hanging at the entrance and a Nawa-Noren (advertising curtain) or a rope-curtain in the doorway. English is not spoken at these friendly establishments, but if the foreign customer blurts out "beer" or "sake," the request will easily be understood. It is customary that even a simple order of beer will come with an "otoshi" (a small dish of tidbits). At Wakamiya, the bill is paid at the front of the establishment, and shouldn't come to more than around 5,000 yen. Sake (550 to 700 yen for a flask of up to 180 ml) or "shochu" 350 yen for 180 ml), are among the least expensive orders. Wakamiya also serves beer (600 yen for a 633 ml bottle), which is comparatively cheap. Everyone who drinks should try sake at least once for the experience. Shochu comes in two varieties varying in flavor and strength, but is really only for dyed-in-the-wool drinkers.

Take a look at our long history of "Alcoholic Beverages" in Japan

Background

Way back in the 3rd century, in the days of the Roman Empire, a Chinese emissary visited what in those days was a remote and little-known group of islands, and reported that the inhabitants there had a passion for liquor. Today those inhabitants are known as the Japanese, and their passion for liquor remains as it was. In the postwar days the Japanese experimented with all sorts of Western alcoholic beverages, but in the course of time people seem to have settled on whiskey, scotch, and bourbon, which are available in such quantities today that people have quipped a battleship could sail on it. But beer, too, is massively consumed. Domestic producers are operating at capacity and still cannot fill the demand for beer, and foreign beers, principally from the U.S. and Germany, have also recently been doing well in Japan. Finally, the third leg of the tripod that props up the nation is comprised of the traditional native liquors, principally sake (rice wine) and shochu (a cheap vodka-like booze). Liquor can be purchased from liquor stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, or vending machines. The stores of course sell liquor during their regular business hours, but by law street vending machines that sell liquor must go out of service at 11:00 pm. Also, Japan has a great variety of drinking establishments. Beer and sake are also sold at kiosks in train stations.

Drinking in the Japanese World

The first principle of drinking in Japan is to be well aware that some drinking establishments charge outrageously expensive sums. A bar on the Ginza, for example, might charge an incredible 50,000 yen regardless of how many beverages are consumed. And often the final price will not be known until the customer is ready to depart for home -- which has caused some inexperienced foreign visitors to go into shock, mistakenly thinking they have been robbed. Japanese people go into such places knowing what they are getting into, but nobody feels the slightest sympathy for the unknowing and unwary foreign visitor. Not even the police. If you have a large disposable budget to back up a devil-may-care disposition, fine. If not, be exceedingly careful in that part of town. Generally speaking, drinking establishments that employ hostesses (female conversation companions) tend to charge more than those without. In establishments such as these, prices are not based on the quantity of eat or drink, but by the mood, the decor, and above all the system within which the place operates. Moreover, it would be meaningless to ask for a breakdown of the bill. The people working at the establishment would only consider the request an act of stinginess. So, DON'T GO to Ginza!

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