Sake no Ate: The Art of Japanese Drinking Snacks

In Japan, drinking without eating is almost unheard of. Every glass of sake, beer, or shochu is accompanied by small dishes designed to complement the drink and pace the evening. These drinking snacks — called "ate" (アテ) in Kansai or "tsumami" (つまみ) in Kanto — are an art form unto themselves.

What is ate?

Ate (also written as 肴, sakana, meaning "things to go with sake") refers to the small dishes eaten alongside alcohol. Unlike Western bar snacks that are often an afterthought, Japanese ate is carefully prepared, thoughtfully presented, and considered an essential part of the drinking experience.

The word "ate" is used mainly in the Kansai region (Osaka, Kyoto). In Tokyo and eastern Japan, you'll hear "tsumami" or "otsumami" (おつまみ). In more formal settings, "sakana" is used. They all mean the same thing: food made for drinking.

Classic sake ate

Cold dishes

• Hiyayakko (冷奴) — Chilled tofu with ginger, green onions, and soy sauce. Simple, clean, and the perfect palette cleanser between sips of sake.
• Edamame (枝豆) — Salted soybeans in the pod. The universal drinking snack, available everywhere.
• Sashimi (刺身) — Fresh raw fish. Premium sashimi with good sake is one of life's great pleasures. The clean flavors complement each other beautifully.
• Sunomono (酢の物) — Vinegared vegetables, usually cucumber with wakame seaweed. Refreshing and light.
• Shiokara (塩辛) — Fermented squid guts. An acquired taste, but beloved by sake enthusiasts. Its intense saltiness and umami make you reach for your sake cup repeatedly.

Hot dishes

• Yakitori (焼き鳥) — Grilled chicken skewers. Available in countless variations: thigh (momo), breast (mune), skin (kawa), liver (rebā), cartilage (nankotsu). Salt (shio) or sauce (tare).
• Agedashi tofu (揚げ出し豆腐) — Deep-fried tofu in dashi broth. Crispy outside, silky inside.
• Nikujaga (肉じゃが) — Meat and potato stew, sweet and savory. Comfort food that pairs with everything.
• Tamagoyaki (卵焼き) — Sweet rolled omelette. Surprisingly good with sake.
• Motsu-ni (もつ煮) — Simmered offal in miso. Rich, hearty, and a perfect companion to shochu or sake.

Preserved and fermented

• Tsukemono (漬物) — Pickled vegetables. Every region has its own specialty. The tartness and crunch cut through the richness of alcohol.
• Natto — Fermented soybeans. Love it or hate it, but with sake it works.
• Narazuke (奈良漬) — Vegetables pickled in sake lees. The flavor echoes sake beautifully.
• Chinmi (珍味) — Delicacies like kazunoko (herring roe), konowata (sea cucumber innards), and karasumi (dried mullet roe). The highest level of sake pairing.

Pairing principles

Japanese drinking snacks follow an intuitive logic:

Sake pairings

• Light, dry sake (karakuchi) → Sashimi, hiyayakko, light vinegared dishes
• Rich, sweet sake (amakuchi) → Grilled meats, teriyaki, savory stews
• Warm sake (atsukan) → Simmered dishes, oden, pickles
• Sparkling sake → Fried foods, tempura, karaage

Beer pairings

• Lager → Karaage, yakitori, gyoza, edamame
• Craft IPA → Spicy dishes, bold-flavored food

Shochu pairings

• Sweet potato shochu → Rich, fatty foods (motsu, pork belly)
• Barley shochu → Lighter fare, grilled fish
• Shochu with hot water → Simmered dishes, oden

The rhythm of a drinking evening

A well-paced Japanese drinking session typically flows like this:

• Start light — Edamame, hiyayakko, or a small salad with your first beer
• Move to sashimi — Order fresh fish when you switch to sake
• Grilled and fried dishes — Yakitori, karaage, or tempura in the middle of the evening
• Rich and hearty — Stewed or simmered dishes as the evening deepens
• Shime (締め) — Close with rice, ochazuke, ramen, or onigiri to fill the stomach

This progression isn't a rigid rule, but you'll notice it in how Japanese people naturally order at izakayas.

Where to experience it

Every izakaya in Japan serves ate alongside drinks — it's the fundamental purpose of the establishment. For the best experience, look for izakayas with handwritten menus or chalkboards listing daily specials (higawari). This usually means the food is freshly prepared with seasonal ingredients.

Small, independent izakayas often have the most interesting ate, while chain izakayas offer picture menus that make ordering easy. Use barhop.jp to find izakayas and bars near you — and don't forget to order something to eat with every round.