Japan's Izakaya Pubs Closing at Record Pace
Friday, 2026/05/2987 words2 minutes1310 reads
Izakaya are Japanese pubs. They serve drinks and food together. People go there after work with friends.
Many izakaya are closing now. Food and electricity cost more money. Customers think izakaya are too expensive now. A meal with drinks costs over 5,000 yen.
People's habits changed too. More people work from home now. They don't go out with coworkers like before. They buy cheap drinks at supermarkets and stay home. Foreign tourists don't visit izakaya much. They prefer restaurants with famous Japanese food like ramen or sushi.
