Eating at Japan's Alley Restaurants Oita at Night
Eating at Japan's Alley Restaurants Oita at Night
Overview
John Daub travels to Oita City on the island of Kyushu to explore a rare surviving example of Showa-era nightlife: Miyako Machi Yatai Tei. This historical alleyway, opened in 1966, features small shack-like restaurants that have remained largely unchanged for over 50 years. Unlike Tokyo's Golden Gai, which has become tourist-heavy, this location offers an authentic local experience with few Western visitors.
John visits two specific stalls within the alley: Tatchan and Shitose Yatai. At Tatchan, he meets owner Takiguchi-san and Shinoda-san, a sake company president who hand-brews sake on-site. They discuss local specialties like toriten (Oita-style chicken tempura) and pair them with local sake. Later, John moves to Shitose Yatai to try oden (winter stew) and learns about unique local drinking customs involving salted sake served in a wooden masu box.
The video highlights the importance of preserving these cultural spaces, especially with the upcoming Rugby World Cup bringing more attention to Oita. John provides practical advice for foreigners who might find alleyway restaurants intimidating, emphasizing that pointing and simple phrases are enough to enjoy the experience.
Highlights
- 00:00 Intro to Oita Nightlife: John introduces the main entertainment area and the unique light blue and pink illumination.
- 00:31 Miyako Machi Yatai Tei: Exploration of the historical alleyway opened in 1966, unchanged for 50 years.
- 04:22 Entering Tatchan: John meets the owner and a sake company president inside the small stall.
- 05:34 Local Specialties: Introduction to toriten, crab, myoga, and shellfish available at the stall.
- 08:54 Soko Sake Tasting: Shinoda-san explains his 154-year-old sake company and innovations like Ryoju.
- 14:24 What is Toriten?: Detailed explanation of Oita's famous chicken tempura and how to eat it.
- 20:32 Oden Guide: Breakdown of winter soul food ingredients like daikon, konnyaku, and hanpen.
- 24:18 Shitose Yatai: Visit to the second stall for whiskey and more oden.
- 28:30 Salted Sake Trick: A patron explains the Kyushu custom of putting salt in the corner of a masu box.
- 30:32 Preservation Message: John emphasizes the need to protect these historical shacks amidst modernization.
Timeline / Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction to Oita City nightlife
- 00:31 Walking through Miyako Machi Yatai Tei
- 04:22 Inside Tatchan restaurant
- 08:44 Sake brewing discussion with Shinoda-san
- 14:17 Eating Toriten (chicken tempura)
- 20:32 Ordering Oden and winter foods
- 24:18 Moving to Shitose Yatai
- 28:30 Learning about salted sake customs
- 30:32 Conclusion and preservation message
Japan Travel Tips
- Overcoming Intimidation: Alleyways (yokochō) can feel intimidating to foreigners, but Oita is very friendly. Even without Japanese, you can order by pointing.
- Ordering Phrases: Use kore hitotsu (this one), futatsu (two), mitsu (three) to order quantities.
- Costs: Beer is around 550 yen ($5). There is usually no cover charge, though sometimes a small otoshi (snack charge) of a couple dollars applies.
- Allergies: Use Google Translate for allergies or vegetarian requirements, though Japanese food is generally straightforward (eggs, tofu, chicken).
- Sake Pairing: Ask the owner (shachō) for sake recommendations based on the food you ordered.
- Timing: Monday nights are quiet; Friday nights are crowded. Visit during evenings for the full atmosphere.
- Rugby World Cup: Oita was a venue for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, so infrastructure is foreigner-friendly.
Japanese Language & Culture Notes
- Yatai (屋台): Traditional open-air food stalls. Miyako Machi Yatai Tei is a permanent collection of these stalls built in 1966.
- Yokochō (横丁): Narrow alleyways filled with small bars and restaurants, common in older urban areas.
- Otoshi (お通し): A small mandatory snack served upon seating, usually carrying a small charge (similar to a cover charge).
- Kabosu (カボス): A citrus fruit specific to Oita Prefecture, used in ponzu sauce instead of lemons.
- Shachō (社長): Company president. Shinoda-san is the president of a sake company but still works behind the counter.
- Masu (枡): A traditional wooden box used for measuring rice or serving sake. In Kyushu, salt is sometimes placed in the corner.
- Kakuichi (角一): Refers to a square measure of sake, often associated with the masu box serving style.
Food & Drink Guide
- Toriten (とりてん): Oita-style chicken tempura. Breaded and deep-fried chicken served with cabbage, dressing, and kabosu ponzu. 14:24
- Oden (おでん): Winter stew featuring daikon (radish), konnyaku (devil's tongue cake), hanpen (fish cake), egg, and ginko (ginkgo nuts). 20:32
- Soko Sake: Local sake brewed by Shinoda-san's company (154 years old). Varieties include Sara (original) and Ryoju (sweet). 08:54
- Highball & Whiskey: Available at Shitose Yatai, including Jack Daniel's and Johnny Walker. 24:18
- Salted Sake: Sake served in a masu box with salt in the corner, sipped like tequila but without lime. Unique to Kyushu. 28:30
People
- John Daub: Host and narrator. Explores the alleyways and interviews locals.
- Takiguchi-san: Owner of Tatchan. Welcomes John and explains the history of the stall.
- Shinoda-san: President (shachō) of Soko Sake company. Hand-brews sake and joins John for drinks.
- Kihara-san: Patron at Tatchan. Claims Japanese sake is the most delicious in Japan.
- Patron (Shitose Yatai): Explains the kakuichi salted sake custom.
Key Takeaways
- Cultural Preservation: These Showa-era alleyways are disappearing due to modernization and disasters like the 2011 Tohoku quake. Supporting them helps keep history alive.
- Local Pride: Oita residents are proud of their specific food (toriten) and drink (sake, kabosu), distinct from the rest of Japan.
- Accessibility: Despite language barriers, foreigners can enjoy these spaces by pointing at menus and using simple counting words.
- Handmade Quality: Many products, like Shinoda-san's sake, are still made by hand with personal care, even by company presidents.
Notable Quotes
- 01:52 "This is Japanese old-style Showa era—my parents' generation—still existing, which makes traveling outside Tokyo cool."
- 04:22 "If you visit Japan without Japanese, these yokochō (alleyways) can be intimidating, like in Tokyo, but Oita's different—no Westerners, so unique."
- 10:26 "When drinking sake, don't sip like a wuss—respect it, like old timers yell at you. Man up, give approval."
- 14:24 "Toriten—Oita Fried Chicken, not KFC. Breaded, deep-fried, with cabbage, dressing, ponzu."
- 30:32 "Protect these shacks. Nightlife has alleys like Zanzibar—feel it out, good vibe in Oita."
Related Topics
- Tokyo Golden Gai alleyways
- Kyushu regional cuisine
- Sake brewing processes
- Rugby World Cup 2019 Japan venues
- Showa era nostalgia in Japan
Search Tags
#only-in-japan-go #oita #kyushu #yatai #alleyway #sake #toriten #oden #nightlife #travel #miyako-machi #showa-era #japanese-food #street-food
Full Transcript
00:00 John Daub: Welcome to Oita City on the island of Kyushu. We're a ways away from Tokyo, and this is what the nightlife looks like. We have some taxis—an Oita taxi going by. This is the main entertainment area, with illuminated lights to the left and right. It's hard to see, but they're light blue and pink, I guess to attract more ladies. But it's a Monday night, so I don't know if we're going to get that Friday night feeling.
00:31 John Daub: What we are going to do is explore a historical alleyway called Miyako Machi Yatai Tei (Miyako Town Yatai Street), opened in Showa 41, 1966. This area hasn't changed in 50 years. I'm gonna walk through so you can see the shacks to the left and right. Post-WWII, you have places like this—wires coming out, Chinese lanterns lit up, Akita beer brand, lots of dust, memories built up. Made of sheet metal, basically trailers with signs out front.
01:52 John Daub: This is Japanese old-style Showa era—my parents' generation—still existing, which makes traveling outside Tokyo cool. We have Golden Gai in Tokyo like this, but it's full of tourists now. Here, no tourists, especially on a Monday night, though the two entrance shops are open. This is Miyako Machi, and we're going into this one called Tatchan. We'll meet Shinoda-san, president of a sake company, and owner Takiguchi-san. The history goes back to 1966; these buildings haven't changed, and I hope they keep this feeling. Here's the police—not after me—and a pachinko place, 7-Eleven. This is the nightlife, a little intimidating. Hey, foto kawaii (photo cute). John-san, have a snack. Thanks, we're going to sleep—Austin's sleeping. Have fun. Aloha.
03:31 John Daub: If you visit Japan without Japanese, these yokochō (alleyways) can be intimidating, like in Tokyo, but Oita's different—no Westerners, so unique. Gotta see how small this place is. Let's go into Tatchan.
04:22 John Daub: Good evening. Tachigawa-san [?], Shinoda-san. Konnichiwa. In full disclosure, I've already been eating and drinking here. Welcome to Tatchan, opened about 10 years ago when shops from the other side of town shut down and moved here, keeping the culture going. You can see lots of food.
05:17 Takiguchi-san: Karage? Toriten (chicken tempura).
05:34 John Daub: Toriten, just Oita—chicken specialty, really good with special Oita ponzu, no lemons—kabosu (Oita citrus fruit). This is crab, baby crabs. Myoga (ginger bud). Shellfish—eat like this, break it. Wonderful.
06:58 John Daub: Hey, if you're a foreigner, what would you order if a Japanese tourist came? This! It works every time. Prices listed: Asahi jockey beer 550 yen ($5), highball. Drink menu up here. To ask "how much," say ikura, but understanding the response is hard—or write it down. Not expensive, no cover charge, sometimes small otoshi (snack charge), a couple dollars, worth it. No problems just ordering a beer. Shinoda-san has all this sake—shachō (president) of a sake company.
08:44 Shinoda-san: Soko [?].
08:54 John Daub: Soko Sake, making sake 154 years, fourth generation here in Oita. Lineup to try with food. Start with original Sara—really good, different flavor. Next, Soju—sweet, amakuchi (sweet taste), called Ryoju. He's innovated; started with one kind, now a lineup to compete.
10:26 John Daub: Cheers! Easy to drink. All these sakes go with the food. Not great at pairing—that's my friend Jennifer's job—but Shachō can pair. When drinking sake, don't sip like a wuss—respect it, like old timers yell at you. Man up, give approval. He's making it by hand, started 30 years ago. I want to visit the brewery (sake kura).
13:00 John Daub: Can be intimidating with unknown ingredients—use Google Translate for allergies or vegetarian. Japanese food doesn't get too wild—eggs, tofu, chicken. Oita chicken's amazing, Kyushu too, especially karaage (fried chicken).
14:17 Takiguchi-san: Because we love chickens.
14:24 John Daub: Toriten—Oita Fried Chicken, not KFC. Breaded, deep-fried, with cabbage, dressing, ponzu. Ordered by saying "Toriten"—only in Oita.
15:23 Kihara-san: Japanese sake. The most delicious in Japan.
16:18 John Daub: Dip toriten in kabosu ponzu and spicy mustard. Beautifully fried chicken—ponzu good, chicken really good, mustard spicy. Ask for sake recs based on food—thousands of brands, but local Oita rice (Oitashi kome), pairs with local food: Oita sake, Oita tabemono (food).
19:16 Shinoda-san: Rice only.
19:27 John Daub: Shachō still hand-brews as president—people put love into products. Really good sake.
20:32 John Daub: Monday night vibe—quiet, but Friday's crowded, lots of people. Every second Monday's grandma holiday, but not today. Recommend toriten, kampachi (amberjack)—good fish. Oden (stew) is so good—not like 7-Eleven's. Daikon, konnyaku (devil's tongue), hanpen (fish cake), egg—winter soul food. Ginko (ginkgo nuts). Order by pointing: kore hitotsu (this one), futatsu (two), mitsu (three).
24:18 John Daub: Gonna jump to the next place—Shitose Yatai, 52 years [?], fourth gen [?]. Oden too: konnyaku, hanpen, gobomaki (burdock roll). Whiskey rocks, Jack Daniel's, Johnny Walker. From Korea, third gen, lived Osaka—mōkarimakka (Osaka dialect: isn't it?). Oita food delicious—shōjin ryōri (Buddhist vegetarian), tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), country food. Order by pointing.
28:30 Patron: Kakuichi (square sake measure). Japanese taste. Masu (wooden box)—salt in corner like tequila, but no lime. Only in Kyushu.
29:07 John Daub: First time hearing—salty sake in masu. Foreigners sometimes come; speak little Japanese. Rugby World Cup next year in Oita—lots of foreigners, watch out. Friendly place.
30:32 John Daub: Wanted to show this historical area—don't know how long it'll last, like post-2011 Tohoku quake, old Tokyo buildings torn down. Protect these shacks. Nightlife has alleys like Zanzibar—feel it out, good vibe in Oita. Rugby World Cup 2019 venue, excited, signs everywhere. Miyako Machi Yatai—showed Tatchan (Yachan?) with hand-brewing president, 150-year company. That's traveling. Hope you enjoyed—see you next time, reclaiming my seat for more oden. Bye!