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Beer gardens

Beer gardens are open-air restaurants setup only during the hot summer months throughout Japan.Beer garden locations include places such as rooftops of tall buildings, inside hotels, and shrine gardens or on boat cruises, usually offering all you can eat or drink deals.

Friends, couples, families and co-workers mainly go for the all you can drink fresh beer, but other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are also served with the food.The beer gardens that are cheap and all you can eat normally server barbequed food like Korean barbeque, Genghis Khan (Mongolian mutton) barbecue, sushi, common Japanese, Chinese, and western-style finger foods, salads, fruits and desserts.

However each beer garden is different and there are also ones that serve Hawaiian, non-Japanese Asian, and German style cuisine. Besides the food, beer gardens can differ in atmosphere such as ones located in small forests away from the hustle and bustle of the city or others with a good view of fireworks, live music, or big screen televisions showing sports.

Other unique beer garden examples include Sapporo where large segments of the city become a beer garden. In Kyoto there is a beer garden where you are entertained by maiko (apprentice Geisha) and in Tokyo there’s even a beer garden where you can enjoy French style cuisine on a building 200m high.

Before going, check for discount days such as Mondays or Wednesdays when food and drinks maybe cheaper for women or all customers.