Bottomless booze barrels booming in Tokyo bars
Shurely shum mishtake? I could’ve sworn Rio was next week.When it comes to hard-drinking nations, the Germans, Irish and Brits traditionally lead the way, with the Japanese a mere schooner or two behind.
That, however, looks set for a shake-up with the news that several major Japanese pub chains are enticing recession-wracked customers with the offer of flat-rate, all-day drinking for a pittance.
Dirt-cheap drinking
Currently the talk of the Japanese Internet, several rival izakaya and restaurant groups are rolling out the barrel and leaving it wide open to all-comers for up to 13 hours at a stretch for one low fee.
The cost of this liver-crippling excess? A mere ¥3,000 ($39) per person per day on average.
- More on CNNGo: Tokyo’s best izakaya
As with the more standard “nomi-houdai” 90-minute deals seen until now, that typically includes beer, wine and simple mixed drinks.
Naturally, the businesses in question aim to make their money back on food sales to boozed-up customers held captive for days at a time.
Where to go
If you’re eager to try the new wave of bacchanalian entertainment, we can point you in the direction of Himonoya (all over Tokyo) or the various bars and restaurants run by the nationwide Colowide chain.
Availability isn’t necessarily universal at every outlet, so it’s probably wise to ask before getting stuck in. And to book a taxi home too, we’d imagine.
