The Lightning-Fast Toast: Why Is “Toriaezu Beer” the Ultimate Japanese Starter Pack?

The Slow Beverage Dilemma

When you sit down with a group of friends at a bar or lounge in Los Angeles, ordering drinks can take a significant amount of time. Everyone looks through a multi-page cocktail menu, asks the bartender about specific hazy IPAs, or customizes their wine selection. It can easily take fifteen minutes just for the first round of drinks to arrive at the table. But in the fast-paced world of the Japanese Izakaya (pub), this slow, individualistic approach is completely rejected. In Japan, the time between sitting down at your table and clinking your glasses together for a collective toast is incredibly short, thanks to a national cultural default setting.

The Magical Unified Command

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This lightning-fast speed is driven by a legendary phrase that every visitor to Japan must learn: “Toriaezu Beer” (とりあえずビール). This roughly translates to: “For now, let’s just start with beer!” When a group sits down, instead of looking at the menu, someone will immediately look at the waiter and order a round of draft beers for the entire table. It acts as the ultimate Japanese drinking “starter pack.” This tactic is brilliant because it establishes an instant sense of equality and group harmony (Wa). Nobody is left waiting for a complex blended cocktail; everyone gets a cold, foaming glass of lager delivered to the table in a matter of seconds, allowing the entire group to launch into the mandatory “Kanpai!” (Toast) together without delay.

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The Art of the Quick Start

Ordering “Toriaezu Beer” doesn’t mean you are forced to drink beer all night. It is strictly a tactical decision to get the momentum of the evening started as efficiently as possible. Once that first, ice-cold glass is cleared and the initial bonding toast is finished, you are completely free to look through the menu and order whatever you want next—whether it is highballs, sake, or sour cocktails. In a society that values speed, efficiency, and collective experience, the “Toriaezu Beer” culture perfectly captures the fast, exciting, and welcoming spirit of the Japanese night out. It is the perfect, stress-free way to kick off an unforgettable evening!