Day drinking and happy hour at an izakaya in Japan
Where you can drink before dark in Japan, why some izakaya are closed in the afternoon, and how izakaya happy hours work.
Want a beer at two in the afternoon? In Japan, that’s no problem. Drinking from lunchtime has a name — hirunomi (昼飲み), “day drinking” — and it has become a common thing to do, especially on days off.
Where to drink before dark
Many izakaya only open in the evening, but not all. Places where you can usually start earlier:
- Old-style drinking halls (taishū sakaba, 大衆酒場) in older parts of Tokyo. Asakusa’s “Hoppy Street” and Akabane are well known for drinking from midday.
- Standing bars and liquor-shop bars (tachinomi and kakuuchi). Some open from the late morning.
- Chain and casual izakaya that open from lunchtime — a few even from the morning.
Lunch isn’t always drinking time
Some izakaya open at noon to serve lunch sets, close in the afternoon, then open again in the evening. If you want to stay and drink, look for places that are open straight through. On signs and maps you may see:
- 昼飲み (hirunomi) — day drinking welcome
- 昼から営業 (hiru kara eigyō) — open from midday
- 通し営業 (tōshi eigyō) — open all day, no afternoon break
How happy hour works
Many izakaya have a happy hour (ハッピーアワー, happī awā): cheaper drinks for a set time. It’s often on weekday evenings — for example from 5 to 7 pm — but some places start in the afternoon or from opening time. Drinks might be half price, or one low price for each glass.
Before you order, it’s a good idea to check:
- The times. When happy hour ends, the normal prices start.
- Which drinks. Often only some drinks are included — draft beer, highballs or sours, for example.
- Which days. Some places do it on weekdays only, or at different times at weekends.
Not sure? Ask when you sit down:
Can’t read which drinks are on the happy hour list? Izakaya Buddy’s Scan the menu explains each one in English.
Back to the full evening: How an izakaya works.
Related guides
- How an izakaya works: a first-timer's guide to the nightFrom your first drink to the bill — what happens at a Japanese izakaya, in order, so nothing catches you off guard.
- Before you go to an izakaya: getting in, seating and the rulesHow to pick a place, walk in, get a seat (even alone), and the house rules nobody explains — smoking, shoes, cash and more.
- Izakaya phrases: Japanese to get you through the nightThe Japanese you'll actually use at an izakaya, from walking in to paying. Tap any phrase to show it to staff full screen.