By Johnnie Stroud, owner of Saké Nomi

Izakaya is one of those Japanese words and concepts that is difficult to translate in any concise way and is most often called a “sake pub” in English. However, even amongst serious sake drinkers, it is a term that is used to describe a variety of establishments.
Literally translated as “sit-down sake shop,” izakayas were first established in Japan during the Edo Period, when sake dealers set up benches and tables in their shops to supplement their income by selling cheap sake by the masu (that square wooden box you’ve seen sake served in at your local sushi restaurant).  In those days, the clientele was made up of laborers and poorer townsfolk who couldn’t afford much more than a pinch of salt on the rim of the cup as their sakana, or “snack,” and their objective was to get as drunk as possible for as little money as possible.
While they’ve evolved quite a bit from those days, if you mention izakaya to a sake fan who used to live in Japan, you’re bound to get a reaction somewhere along the lines of “natsukashii!” meaning “nostalgic,” but also conveying the universal emotion of being “homesick.” Such a reaction shouldn’t seem that unusual, since the best, most traditional izakayas are very much a “home away from home” for its regular customers.  While all customers are greeted with the traditional “irrashai!” welcome, the regulars are hailed with an affectionate “okaerinasai!” (“welcome back,” or “welcome home”) by both the staff and other nomitomodachi (“drinking friends”).  Imagine, if you will, the Japanese version of the TV bar from “Cheers.” The traditional noren, a parted curtain hung at a drinking establishment’s entrance, is a symbol that the shop is open for business, but it also serves as a physical divider between the izakaya’s interior and the “outside” world.  Once inside, all levels of status, income and position are forgotten amongst one’s drinking buddies. 
The focus is still on inexpensive drinks and snacks, but the best izakayas are an extension of their owners’ personalities and preferences.  Some feature small-dish menus that change daily and are prepared by their “master” (or “mama-san”), and many izakayas feature only the owner’s favorite sake or a variety of selections from the owner’s favorite kura (“brewery”).  If the owner and his or her family are from a far-away prefecture, the food and sake selections often reflect a regional flair.
Another interesting and unique Japanese drinking establishment akin to the izakaya is the tachinomiya.  A tachinomiya (literally, “standing drink place”) is a space in a retail sake/liquor store  —  often accessible only by an entrance distinct from the retail one  — where customers can purchase beer, sake and liquor at retail prices, pop the top and drink it on the premises. Bar-height tables can consist of empty beer crates with slabs of wood placed on top, and a variety of packaged sakana (peanuts, chips, dried fish, etc.) are available to supplement the drinks.  Not only are tachinomiyas cheap and convenient places to pop in for a quick drink on the way home, but they also serve as an informal gathering spot for the neighborhood’s inhabitants to socialize and gossip.
At Sake Nomi, our idea was to combine the intimacy of an izakaya with the convenience and informality of a tachinomiya, while focusing on premium Japanese sake brewed by small, traditional kura.  Now in our fifth year of operation, we’re glad to be considered a neighborhood spot frequented by our regular nomidachi (we altered the term slightly), by folks on their way to catch the ferry after work and by sports fans on their way to or from a game. There’s always room for another nomidachi at the bar, and we welcome the opportunity to share our love of Japanese sake and brewing culture with you.

Johnnie Stroud is the owner of Saké Nomi, the saké shop and tasting bar in Pioneer Square.
Saké Nomi | 76 S Washington St, Seattle
Tel 206-467-SAKE