What Is Nomihodai? All You Can Drink in Japan Explained

Walk past any izakaya in Tokyo after 6pm and you’ll see it on a chalkboard or a laminated sign by the door: 飲み放題, usually in big red or yellow characters. So what is nomihodai? It’s the all you can drink system in Japan: you pay one fixed price per person and drink as much as you like from a set menu for a set amount of time, usually 90 minutes or two hours.

It sounds simple, and mostly it is. But there are rules nobody tells first-timers: why the whole table has to join, why your beer glass gets taken away, why “two hours” really means ninety minutes of ordering. This guide walks you through how nomihodai works, what it costs, and how to order it without the awkward back-and-forth.

What Is Nomihodai? The All You Can Drink System in Japan

The word breaks down neatly. Nomi (飲み) comes from nomu, “to drink,” and hōdai (放題) means “as much as you want.” Put together, nomihodai (also spelled nomihoudai or nomihōdai) means “all you can drink.” Its sister word tabehodai (食べ放題) means “all you can eat,” and you’ll often see both on the same menu.

The concept took off in Japan’s izakaya and karaoke scene around the 1980s, and today it’s everywhere: chain izakaya, yakitori joints, yakiniku and shabu-shabu restaurants, karaoke boxes, some bars, and even hotel lounges.

What makes it so common has less to do with bargain hunting and more to do with how Japanese people drink together. Office parties, farewell dinners and university club nights are almost always booked as a course with nomihodai attached. A fixed per-head price means nobody has to split a messy bill at the end, and nobody feels bad for ordering a fourth highball. If you want the wider picture, our guide to Japanese drinking culture covers how these group nights fit into everyday life here.

How Nomihodai Works: The Rules Behind All You Can Drink in Japan

Every restaurant sets its own terms, but most nomihodai plans follow the same basic pattern. Knowing these rules up front saves you from surprises when the bill arrives.

The time limit (and the last order)

Nomihodai is always timed. The most common plans are 90 minutes or 120 minutes, with some places offering three hours or longer. The clock usually starts when your first drinks are ordered, not when you sit down.

Here’s the part that catches people out: the last order (rasuto ōdā, ラストオーダー) comes before the time is up. Around 20 to 30 minutes before the end is typical. So on a two-hour plan, you’ll often hear a staff member call “last order” at the 90-minute mark. After that, you finish what’s in front of you and the plan ends. Time limits generally can’t be extended, so if you want a longer night, pick the longer plan at the start.

Everyone at the table joins

At most izakaya, nomihodai is all or nothing for the table. If one person orders it, everyone does, including the friend who only planned to drink tea. Restaurants do this so a group can’t buy one plan and share the drinks around.

If someone in your group doesn’t drink alcohol, ask whether there’s a cheaper soft-drink-only plan (ソフトドリンク飲み放題). Many places have one.

One glass at a time

Most places run a glass exchange rule (グラス交換制): you hand back your empty glass to get a new drink. Some limit each order to one drink per person. Both rules exist for the same reason: to stop tables from stacking up full glasses right before last order.

The drink menu is a separate menu

The nomihodai menu is usually shorter than the full drink list. Expect draft or bottled beer, highballs, chuhai and sours (lemon, grapefruit, oolong-hai), shochu, a house sake, plum wine (umeshu), basic wine, and soft drinks. Premium craft beer, aged whisky and good sake are normally left off, or offered only on a pricier plan.

ID and the drinking age

The legal drinking age in Japan is 20. Staff rarely card people who are obviously older, but if you look young, carry your passport. Some restaurants also charge children who come along for the soft-drink plan, so check before you book with kids.

Types of Nomihodai You’ll See in Japan

Not every all you can drink deal is the same. These are the main formats you’ll run into.

Standalone nomihodai (単品飲み放題)

Tanpin nomihodai is drinks only. You pay for the drinks plan and order food separately à la carte. This is the most flexible option for small groups and walk-ins, though some restaurants still ask for at least one food item per person.

Course plus nomihodai (コース＋飲み放題)

This is the classic party setup: a fixed multi-dish meal with all you can drink attached, priced per person. Many courses need a reservation, often a day or more in advance, and some have a minimum group size. For example, the yakitori chain Torikizoku runs a food-and-drink plan called Toriki Bansankai: two hours of all you can eat and drink for ¥3,900 per person including tax, for groups of four or more, booked by the day before, with last order 20 minutes before the end.

Premium nomihodai (プレミアム飲み放題)

A step up from the standard plan, for an extra charge. It adds better drinks, often a premium draft beer, more sake and shochu brands, or a wider cocktail list. If you care about what’s in your glass, it’s often worth the upgrade.

Karaoke nomihodai

Karaoke boxes almost always offer all you can drink packages bundled with room time, and late-night packages can run until the morning. It’s one of the cheapest ways to spend a long night out with friends. Our karaoke guide for visitors explains how booking rooms and ordering drinks works.

Bars and self-serve setups

Some bars run nomihodai on certain nights, and a few places let you pour your own drinks from a self-serve counter or taps. These vary a lot place to place, so read the sign carefully or ask.

How Much Does Nomihodai Cost?

Prices vary with the type of venue, the area and the plan, but here are the rough ranges you can expect in Tokyo:

• Standalone drinks plan at a casual izakaya: roughly ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 for 90 to 120 minutes
• Course with nomihodai: priced per person with the food included, so it depends heavily on the menu (the Torikizoku plan above is ¥3,900)
• Premium upgrade: an extra charge on top of the standard plan

Two things can push the final bill above the menu price. First, many izakaya add a seat charge, usually served as a small dish called otoshi, whether or not you order food. We explain it in detail in what the otoshi charge is and why you pay it. Second, some menus list prices before the 10% consumption tax, so check for 税込 (tax included) or 税抜 (tax excluded) next to the price.

Is nomihodai worth it?

Here’s a quick way to decide. Look at the single-drink prices on the same menu and divide the plan price by the price of the drink you’d order most. If you’ll realistically drink more glasses than that in the time limit, the plan pays for itself. If you’re a slow drinker, or only want one or two glasses of something nice, order à la carte.

One honest caveat: the cheapest plans sometimes pour lighter drinks or use house brands. If quality matters more than quantity, go premium or skip the plan.

How to Order Nomihodai: Phrases That Work

Most chain izakaya in big cities have English or picture menus, and many use tablet ordering. Still, these phrases will get you through any door:

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
飲み放題ありますか？	Nomihōdai arimasu ka?	Do you have all you can drink?
飲み放題でお願いします	Nomihōdai de onegaishimasu	We’d like the all you can drink plan, please
何時間ですか？	Nan-jikan desu ka?	How many hours is it?
ラストオーダー	Rasuto ōdā	Last order
おかわりお願いします	Okawari onegaishimasu	Another one, please
お会計お願いします	Okaikei onegaishimasu	The bill, please

A good habit: confirm the time and the last-order time when you start. Something like “Rasuto ōdā wa nan-ji desu ka?” (What time is last order?) saves you from being caught mid-thought when the call comes.

Nomihodai Etiquette and Tips for First-Timers

All you can drink doesn’t mean anything goes. A few habits will make you a welcome guest:

1. Wait for the kanpai. Don’t sip until everyone has a drink and you’ve all toasted together. Our izakaya etiquette guide for foreigners covers this and the other unwritten rules.
2. Don’t hoard drinks. Ordering three glasses each right before last order is the fastest way to annoy the staff, and many places won’t allow it anyway.
3. Don’t waste. Order what you’ll actually drink. Leaving full glasses behind is considered bad form.
4. Pace yourself. Two hours of unlimited drinks goes quicker than you’d think. Drink water or oolong tea between rounds, and eat something.
5. Know when your time is up. When the staff tell you the plan has ended, finish up and move on. Busy izakaya often have the next group waiting.
6. Don’t tip. Tipping isn’t expected in Japan. Just pay the bill at the register or table as the staff direct.

Nomihodai FAQ

So what is nomihodai all you can drink in Japan, in one sentence? A fixed per-person price for unlimited drinks from a set menu, for a set time, usually 90 or 120 minutes, with last order called 20 to 30 minutes before the end.

Can I order nomihodai alone? Often yes, especially the standalone plan, but some places only offer it for groups of two or more, and courses may need more people. Ask at the door.

Is food included in nomihodai? Not in a standalone plan. You order food separately. Course plans include both food and drinks.

Do I need to book? For a standalone plan at a casual izakaya, usually not. For course plans, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, booking ahead is often required.

What’s the difference between nomihodai and tabehodai? Nomihodai is all you can drink; tabehodai is all you can eat. When a plan covers both, you’ll see it written as 食べ飲み放題 (tabe-nomi-hōdai).

Want to Skip the Guesswork on Your First Night Out?

Nomihodai is one of the best-value ways to drink in Japan, once you know the rules. The trickier part is picking the right place: the izakaya that pours a decent highball, the one that’s happy to seat foreigners, the alley bar you’d walk straight past without a local next to you.

If you’d rather spend your night drinking than decoding menus, our Tokyo After 10 nightlife private tour pairs you with a local guide who handles the ordering, the etiquette and the route, so you can simply enjoy the night.

About the Author

Ted

Administrator

Ever since I started working, I’ve been hooked on Tokyo’s nightlife — from hostess clubs to the more risqué side of things, I’ve explored it all. Whenever I travel for business across Japan, I make it a point to dive into the local night scene. With years of firsthand experience and curiosity as my guide, I started this blog to share the real, unfiltered world of Japan’s adult nightlife with foreign travelers. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned visitor, I hope this site helps you discover the hidden side of Japan after dark.

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