acceptable for women to visit izakaya?

Me and my gf want to do some izakaya hopping,try couple of different things we have seen in various manga's/anime things like umeshu,sake,kaku highball etc. My gf is concerned if it is socially acceptable for women to drink alcohol or visit izakaya etc(she is from india,so little conservative) or if that is something only shown in anime/manga and not acceptable in real life.

We know japan has a strong drinking culture but after googling can mostly only see salary men partaking.

Perfectly acceptable.

Depending on the store, there may be cases where there are only men, but there is no problem at all.
I used to go to izakaya often.
popular tv shows
https://bs.tbs.co.jp/sakaba/
A female version was also made.
https://bs.tbs.co.jp/sakaba/

Women (even solo woman) are welcomed at Izakaya. Some places expect every guest to order at least one drink. If your gf does not drink, order 2 for yourself.

Of course it's perfectly acceptable.

But any drinking woman in the world knows that there are bars where women can drink totally comfortably, and there are bars where women always get annoying men coming to flirt with you.

The trick is always to say a straightforward "no" to whatever you don't feel comfortable with. Sure, they may look like they're joking, but don't smile if you don't like it. Don't let them touch you lightly. People aren't supposed to touch strangers easily in Japan. And be quick to ask for the bill if they don't stop.

A great way to judge a bar when entering is to see if there are other solo women or women groups, instead of just couples or men-only groups. You might be surprised by the number of women like me going to izakaya on their own.

If you get to know nice customers or bartenders at the izakaya, you can ask them for recommendations on where to go next.

Meanwhile, I hope you're used to drinking various types of alcohol in one night, because mixing drinks gets you drunk fast, often in a horrible way. If you're not confident, keep drinking various umeshu for the night, and try various sake on another night. And be sure you eat a decent amount BEFORE you drink too much.

Hope you have fun, know your limit, and be sure you know what time your last train leaves for your hotel!

Was your question just the general consensus if women are even allowed to go to an izakaya? It's just a restaurant... Anyone can go inside, lol.

In regards to drinking alcohol, why would women not be able to drink and go from one izakaya to the next? It's not like it's a hot springs where they don't allow tattoos. You'd be fine.

The OP clearly asked if it was "socially" acceptable (and I would say it is).

@Uco

I know, that's why I was confused why the OP was asking if it's acceptable for women to go to different izakaya to drink. This isn't the middle east where alcohol is banned or anything.

Tom, you are clearly a young male. But, yeah, I'm happy that now we live in the 21st century.

@Uco

I'm not sure what that comment is supposed to mean, lol. You're suggesting I'm a young man, but you don't know anything about me and just making a judgement on someone you don't know.

Best not to judge people as you don't know their background, looks, age, etc. I wouldn't judge you and I literally tell it how it is with truth and based off of my experience.

You may disagree with advice or suggestions/experience I give, and you're entitled to that, but it doesn't mean that you're right. I'm not here to sugar coat things. I just give my honest opinion on things to help people.

Tom, thank you for your comment. I am sorry.

Thank you for the answers Uco also Tom i asked because we are from india,in some parts of india its not really socially acceptable for women to drink at all or even in cities not drink atleast publicly fellow women are the one usually shaming them not even men moral reasons rather than religious.

i realize japan's very cool that way drink all you want, no judgement.

I'm delighted to hear that female tourists are excited about experiencing the izakaya culture in Japan, feeling liberated from their own customs! (Having traveled to India before, I noticed that fewer people indulge in drinking outside, particularly women.)
In Japan, it's quite common for women to visit bars, izakayas, or other places to enjoy drinks. Some curious (or occasionally even rude) men may attempt to strike up a conversation with you, but the choice is up to you: engage in a brief conversation or simply ignore them.

The comments about men trying to hit on women apply mainly to a woman seated alone, so if you go with your girlfriend it is not going to be an issue, especially if you are a male yourself. (You didnft specify, and I donft want to offend anyone by making assumptions!)

Note that some izakayas (including some of the better small, indepently operated ones) are not particularly foreigner friendly (for example, they might not have an English menu or English-speaking staff), and some of them still allow smoking, which can be very annoying, especially if you donft smoke yourself. But many (especially the chain ones) are quite welcoming to foreigners, and cigarette smoke is becoming less of an issue than it used to be.

If you havenft been to izakayas before, you might be surprised when they present you with a small dish of some food item soon after you are seated. This is a standard practice, and you will be charged for it, but not very much. It is sort of in lieu of a cover charge.

I love izakayas myself. You can order as much or as little as you want, and there always seem to be at least a few items that I really like. But you do kind of have to watch out for what you order sometimes (or else you might learn about shiokara, which Wikipedia describes as being a dish gmade from various marine animals that consists of small pieces of meat in a brown viscous paste of the animal's heavily salted, fermented viscerah.)

The comments about men trying to hit on women apply mainly to a woman seated alone, so if you go with your girlfriend it is not going to be an issue

Is that how it is nowadays? When I was young, the times men came to me the most was when we were two girls drinking together, regardless of what country I was in, and regardless of who the other girl was. Some men were happy enough just chatting, but others turned out to be annoying or even harassing. It was always nice to have a reliable bartender around who would watch out for us.

If you don't like Shiokara, then stay away from izakaya Surugaya Kahei (2 stores, both near Akihabara station). They have 35 kinds of Shiokara on the menu, and more on their daily special menu. Like squid, crab, clam, octopus, shark cartilage, sea squirts, etc.. Too many options and too confusing. To help you wash all that slime down, they offer 24 kinds of sake. If you need a more forceful wash down, they offer beers you can guzzle. If you wish to neutralize what you washed down, they offer all kinds of Oden, Shizuoka style, like blackened Hanpen. But, to play safe, stay away.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/vUdgFyiRFq1Wpiy89

Also bear in mind that the term "izakaya" can cover quite a range of scenarios.

It can be like a bar-counter-style set up, with all the customers sitting around it, able to see and interact with each other.

It can be the above, with also some tables. Quite like an open plan restaurant setting.

At the other end of things, it can be lots of separate rooms, with each group being in a separate room, screened or curtained away from other groups, and with a buzzer to call the waiting staff for service. If your girlfriend is a little on the shy side about being seen out drinking in public, then maybe this kind of setup might be more comfortable for her? You miss out on the chance of striking up some conversation with a friendly stranger, but on the other hand I think that there's something really cosy (maybe romantic, even?) about having your own little booth.

Hope you have fun,,,