Izakaya, kissaten, the soba shop with no English menu — the small rooms where Japan really eats.
The teishoku — a set meal of rice, miso, a main, and pickles — is how working Japan eats lunch. Here is how to sit down and order one. JP: 定食の読み方：昼の小部屋へ
Tachinomi — standing drinking — is where salarimen, cooks, and retirees share a narrow counter. No reservation, no performance, no minimum spend. JP: 立ち飲みの静かな作法