Dialogue

Vocabulary

Learn New Words FAST with this Lesson’s Vocab Review List

Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Notes

Unlock In-Depth Explanations & Exclusive Takeaways with Printable Lesson Notes

Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Transcript

Hello, and welcome back to JapanesePod101.com.
I’m Eric.
In this lesson we will talk about the ​"Top 5 words you should know for a Japanese-style pub” or ‘Izakaya’.
The first topic on the list is about a small 
appetizer that is automatically served before or with your first alcoholic drink. This is called (J: o-tooshi).
Keep in mind that this small appetizer is not free and the cost will be included in your bill for a few hundred yen. 
This little dish may or may not be on the menu, and you can ask the staff what they serve as the appetizer and how much it is.

If the dish has something you don’t or can’t eat, 
then some restaurants may replace it with another one. 
But it is not customary to refuse it, as it is considered the Izakaya’s way of welcoming customers. 


The next topic is “All You Can Drink” (J: nomi-hodai).
This is a popular service that many Izakayas offer. You simply pay a flat fee for a set number of hours, and drink from a limited drink menu.
Many all-you-can-drink plans run on what they call “swap-your-glass” basis. This means unless you drink and empty your glass, you can’t order the next drink. 

The plans also ask you to order at least one food item, and may charge you extra if you leave too much drink in your glass.


The next topic is a Japanese word for chugging alcohol drinks. This is called (J: ikki-nomi). 

This used to be a popular party ritual among young Japanese to boost the party atmosphere. 

But this game is banned in many Izakayas these days because it is to hard on your body, andcould even cause acute alcohol intoxication. 

Forcing anyone to do this (J: ikki nomi) is also known as “alcohol harassment.” So if anyone tells you to do (J: Ikki) when you would not like to, then you should gently refuse it, or seek help from the people around you.
The next topic is a wet towel served as you are seated in an Izakaya, called (J:oshibori). 

This towel is meant to be used for cleaning your hands before starting to eat. But you can also use it to wipe around your mouth or fingers.
You might even see some people vigorously scrubbing their faces and necks with the wet towel (J:Oshibori). 
But it’s better if you don’t do that, because it is considered bad manners by some people, especially women. 



Last but not least are the small plates sitting on the Izakaya tables called (J: tori-zara).

These plates are used for  sharing because in Japan, it is not good manners to eat directly from a large dish.

In Izakayas, people normally use the same plate throughout the meal but you can always ask for extra ones if your plate gets too messy.    
That’s all we have for this lesson.
The Izakaya is a perfect place to enjoy inexpensive food and get a glimpse of Japanese nightlife. Why not try out an Izakaya and let us hear your stories?
Thanks for listening and we’ll see you next time. Until then, bye!

Kanji

Review & Remember All Kanji from this Lesson

Get complete breakdowns, review with quizzes and download printable practice sheets! Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Comments

Hide