For several reasons, I had to take a closer look at this one once I saw it on the shelf.
I actually worked in a Japanese-owned izakaya kitchen some years back, so I have firsthand experience of some of the minutiae from the opposite side of the curtain. They liked me a lot- enough that they later said they thought I could take over running the place so they could retire and go back to Nagano. But they found that out too late. Three days before I walked in and was hired, they'd sold the place. So we all comisserated in mutual regret, and I did the best I could by them, making sure everyone got quality food and service till the day the place closed.
Plenty of people are fascinated with some aspect or other of Asia, but far fewer spend the time and effort to really understand. Norms in different parts of the world vary widely, but the historical and cultural reasoning behind why they are as they are? Frequently ignored. As such, I'm always on the hunt for the uncommon volume where someone does the digging and tries to work their way back toward the origins for institutions or concepts like this.
On a related, Japan-specific note, we also have to at least gently address the Tokyo Problem. Japan is infinitely more than Tokyo, but there's a notorious habit of books getting stuck there. However, the microcosmic effect isn't quite so bad when addressing a concept that's both pretty ubiquitous and also somewhat vigorously resistant to short-term cultural trends. While this volume is centered in Tokyo, it feels more 'tight research budget' than 'tunnel vision', so I let it slide. Given the subject matter, you could almost say it's centered in Edo instead.
The book, thematically, reads a lot like an izakaya might feel. It tells many fine stories with the same casual comfort you might get from walking into one for the night. Even the layout is vaguely evocative of them- the font is small and the text cramped, but it's all tighty organized in its own way. History lessons and basic etiquette are sprinkled in between what could best be described as love songs to eight izakaya all around the city. Each very distinct in its own way, different stories highlighting all sorts of things, from the establishments or owners to their staff, customers, methods, and legacies.
Some of the historical notes are a little handwavey, noting that izakaya most likely evolved organically from noodle shops and niuriya (煮売り屋) from the Edo period onward. Things like yakitori, now often associated with izakaya, became popular later on in the Meiji period, eventually leading to the first Western-influenced izakaya, Bar Kamiya in Asakusa being opened in ~1880. This is more or less where the concept was cemented (and why I typically translate 'izakaya' as 'brewpub').
Recipes usually follow a few pages behind their pictures all throughout the book, showcasing staples as readily as strange things. Right alongside a simple surimi/udon stirfry, for example, there's a method for curing tofu in miso that's basically just "do x, y, and z, then leave it in the fridge for two years". What you get out of this book in terms of useful recipes and techniques may vary widely in accordance with your skillsets and personal preferences, but I will say there's plenty of fundamentals for the relative beginner to pick up. Similarly, there's a section on Japanese ingredients, aromatics, and flavors that offers very useful basic to intermediate information.
If you're looking for a cookbook, I'd say this is a good but not great primer for basic Japanese snacks and nibbles. If you're looking for a thoughtful, friendly look at a cornerstone of modernish Japan's culinary culture, this is a book for you. Grab a drink and something to munch, sit down somewhere that's comfy but not cushy, and enjoy them all at your leisure.
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