The Best of Izakaya:

Izakaya and Shinjuku

Have you been to an izakaya style restaurant back home? It maybe a fancy dining restaurant. Izakaya means a Japanese gastropub and it plays a big role in the Japanese food and drink culture. We believe that izakaya are one of the best ways to try great Japanese food and drinks. Do you want to eat good food? Go to an izakaya.

A little bit of (boring) history… It is said that the izakaya style originally started as a standing sake shop or bar. Some stores started using sake barrels as stools and later on, these stores started serving food and snacks. 

Here is what is unique about izakaya:

• Sit-down dinner with drinks
• Dish portions are relatively large, so dishes are shared within the group. 
• A small appetizer, “otoshi” is automatically served and added to your bill in lieu of a cover or table charge. 
• Most izakaya restaurants specialize in certain types of dishes to differentiate themselves. 

In Japan, it is very common to dine and drink with coworkers. It is expected to go out, socialize, and build better working relationships as a team, so almost everybody goes out even on weekdays. You will probably want to take advantage of the competitive restaurant industry in Japan. Even chain restaurants serve relatively good quality food and drinks. 

We spent a lot of time evaluating those izakaya restaurants to take you to hidden gems and popular places among locals. On our Shinjuku Izakaya tour, you will eat and drink like a local and indulge in the local izakaya style. The tour also comes with two drinks (e.g. beer, Japanese whiskey, or seasonal sake, etc). 

Why do a tour in Shinjuku? Shinjuku has a lot of offer given its rich history and culture. Shinjuku station is the biggest station in the world by passenger size. It is not just big but is a hub for entertainment, sub-culture, and food and drink industry. You will see a lot of aspects of Shinjuku you would not see by yourself. 

Are ready to explore Shinjuku with us?