Japan's izakayas, once a staple of after-work socializing, crippled by pandemic

People can save more money due to corona virus ...

launch a fried chicken delivery service. Finally welcome to 2020.

The gloom could put a dent in consumption for months if not years, and prolong Japan's already deepening recession.

Thanks a lot, CCP, thanks a lot.

People can save more money due to corona virus ...

A lot of people are losing money being as how they're losing their jobs.

How difficult is it to partition a restaurant?

Time for the restaurants to become creative as I had to...

launch a fried chicken delivery service. Finally welcome to 2020.

Another good reason to go back to 2019.

We went to a couple of places in Kobe yesterday. One was moderately busy the other was packed.

I don't like izakayas. Small, smoky, expensive. Good riddance.

The lockdown and social distancing did this. Not the pandemic

thelessdeceived you have been deceived. It is banned but still half of the izakayas still allow smoking because they are afraid they will lose customers.

Whatsnext ?? what's logic? pandemic=lockdown=social distancing.. ?

doggarToday  06:17 pm JST

I don't like izakayas. Small, smoky, expensive. Good riddance.

You sound like a bundle of fun.

@Tandoorinacho ..LOL !

The reason is not Coronavirus alone. The taxation hike hit consumption figures pretty hard.

Combination of Covid economic depression and taxation hike is just too much for Japanese people.

I don't like izakayas. Small, smoky, expensive. Good riddance.

What would you want to replace them with though? The best izakayas are small, smoky but cheap. Faded beer posters on the walls along with most of the menu, racks of keep bottles, a grill sizzling in the corner, lots of noise and laughter. Wonderful places.

What terrible places to go to :

Cheap beer.

Awesome cheap food.

And a happy environment.

Please keep the fun police away.

Wish we had more Izakayas in Melbourne.

I enjoy izakayas but come on; with the beers that come quickly, the surcharge cheapo appetizer, and the small dishes that necessitate many dishes, has anyone ever left an izakaya paying less than 30$? Its not cheap like a night market in SE Asia or quick fry in China or Taiwan.

I think this will solve the problem Japan faces with alcoholism but may require more alcohol rehab facilities to open to prevent AWS.

good, send them home to their families / relax / have some rest ... ... i like izakayas, what i don,t like is the obligation ( after a long, and i mean long, day of work ) to go to this so called “after work social drinking” thing... how much you wanna bet that more than fifty percent of workers are actually not sad with this because they don,t even wanna go... in many cases they don,t even like some of their coworkers and bosses... in other cases they,re too tired to go... etcetera.

There are both positives and negatives to this issue. One positive result is people not relying on 'friendship' with co-workers, but rather going home or seeing real friends or family in more mentally stimulating environments. And, of course, one negative is some izakaya employees losing their jobs, and the owners of said establishments being forced to re-design their service. 'Survival of the fittest'? I don't think so, but if there's one thing about Japan that I always found disturbing it was how many of these places exist. They're more numerous than convenience stores. So, in my view, it's about time people took a serious look at their work/life imbalance. And that doesn't hurt. It requires introspection, and sadly I think that's something most Japanese shy away from.

Peterbowie if by awesome food you mean microwaved takoyaki, frozen takitori and day old sashimi, then by all means tempt fate and eat. The food at most izakayas has a lot of be desired.

doggarToday  10:03 pm JST

Peterbowie if by awesome food you mean microwaved takoyaki, frozen takitori and day old sashimi, then by all means tempt fate and eat. The food at most izakayas has a lot of be desired.

Chain stores yes, small local izakaiyas no.

I Have been going to the same izakaiya for over a decade

Nice regulars and good owner who have become good always nice to drop in alone for a few beers on the way home . A local Izakaiya is a small community.

Peterbowie if by awesome food you mean microwaved takoyaki, frozen takitori and day old sashimi, then by all means tempt fate and eat. The food at most izakayas has a lot of be desired.

No. You are eating at the wrong izakayas and I suspect that your experience is not as extensive as you would have us believe.

about time

Chain stores yes, small local izakaiyas no.

A local Izakaiya is a small community.

Exactly! My local izakaya is superb and a huge part of my life here, I'd be gutted if it closed and the neighborhood has done its best to keep it going. The people who run it and the people who go there are as important here as they are to a pub back in England. Although the decor looks like it was set fire to then put out with an axe, I love it.

if by awesome food you mean microwaved takoyaki, frozen takitori and day old sashimi, then by all means tempt fate and eat. The food at most izakayas has a lot of be desired.

Keep looking, you'll find one

you are reckless, its' well known that they serve old chicken. you risk getting food poisoning every time you eat at a cheap izakaya. It's better to go to gusto or jonathans, it's frozen, but its fresh.

Good riddance to Pubs and booze production centers. This is what we need to save our livers. Stop encouraging people to down toxin drug called achohol your not doing humanity a favor. Think of a wiser buisness rather sell booze a drug that kills.

There are too many of these fringe dwelling momma/papa Izakayas and ramen shops in Japan. The virus has shown just how fickle their livelihoods and Japan’s economy really are.

Stories like this remind me that COVID-19 is a human-made disaster and was preventable. And that those responsible need to pay a very, very high price for destroying our world, our culture, our society. Never again!

The government hasn't given a time frame for how long the restrictions will last. But officials warn they must stay in place until an effective vaccine is developed.

A vaccine is effective only when it targets a specific virus. If that virus mutates, the vaccine is no longer effective. An effective vaccine, therefore, will never be developed because viruses such as corona viruses, are never stable; they are always mutating. Herd immunity is the only way to end the threat. And that implies that these establishments remain open for business and people stop isolating themselves.

@doggar and @Oxycodin: Wow. I bet your lives are really fun. Looking forward to that night out at Gusto. Save me a seat.

I agree with doggar. These places encourage people to drink more and, as a result, alcoholism becomes more prevalent.

When people become inebriated they tend to let go of their inhibitions which causes them to act foolishly without restraint.

I avoid such places like the plague (no pun intended) because I don't want to be surrounded by people acting stupid and getting out of control.

Let them fail. I don't care.

@David Shawn Kanda: Thats a VERY short sighted attitude form someone like yourself with a service/hospitality background. I doubt if you would want the same wished on you.

This is peoples lives. How callous of you.

Some of us enjoy a drink - doesn't mean we get stupid.