Over 100,000 Members in the Solo Drinking Association... Japan’s Trend of Eating and Drinking Alone [Is It Okay Alone] ②

Many Solo-Only Barbecue Restaurants, Cafes, and Bars...
Specialized Franchises on the Rise
Small-Portion and Small-Packaging Trends for Ramen, Beverages, Soy Sauce, and Dressings

Editor's NoteWe are now in the era of 8 million single-person households. In Korea, the proportion of single-person households is 36% of all households, higher than Japan's 34%. However, many believe that there are not enough services tailored for people living alone. How should we prepare for this change? By exploring the diverse services in neighboring Japan, which has long been preparing for the increase in single-person households, we aim to learn about initiatives that we have yet to try.

"Let’s protect the solo drinking culture and move toward a society without loneliness or isolation."

This is the membership recruitment slogan of the All Japan Solo Drinking Association. The association emphasizes that fostering a social atmosphere where people can freely drink alone can actually help prevent loneliness among single-person households. Their goal is to create a lifestyle where people may be alone but are not lonely. Initially, the association recruited affiliated establishments that could accommodate solo drinkers, with owners displaying a "Solo Drinking Welcome" sticker at their venues. Now, they have even launched an application (app) that allows users to search for solo-friendly bars and reviews. The app alone has more than 100,000 registered members, and there are over 5,000 affiliated establishments nationwide.

The website of the All Japan Solo Drinking Association. It introduces the sticker given to affiliated stores where solo drinking is allowed. All Japan Solo Drinking Association.

With the rapid increase in single-person households, solo dining and solo drinking have become commonplace in Japan. Most restaurants operate counter seats, so accommodating solo customers is not an issue. Franchises are also reducing menu items that require orders for two or more people and increasing single-person menu options. By expanding choices that are comfortable for solo diners and drinkers, the industry is responding to the growing trend of single-person households.

The Japanese single-person barbecue franchise "Yakiniku Like" is notable for designing its seating, ordering system, and kitchen environment entirely with solo diners in mind. Tables are divided by partitions, each equipped with a personal grill, and the menu is offered in small portions so that solo customers can order a variety of individual dishes. On its official website, Yakiniku Like explains, "We created the franchise because barbecue restaurants are usually difficult to visit alone, even when you suddenly crave meat," adding, "You can enjoy meat at your own pace and cooked to your own preference."

Exterior view of the Yakiniku Like single-person barbecue restaurant. Yakiniku Like.

Many restaurants have opened specifically for solo dining and drinking from the start. Although it has since closed for business, Hokkaido-based food company Cultivate opened "Juden Highball," a solo drinking bar, in Hakodate City, Hokkaido in 2021. All seats were for individuals, and side dishes were offered in small, inexpensive portions. The tables were surrounded by walls to prevent customers from facing others. Orders could be placed via a tablet at each seat without staff assistance, and every seat was equipped with an electrical outlet so customers could enjoy solo drinking with their electronic devices. The bar attracted significant attention at the time, coinciding with social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interior photo of 'Juden Highball,' a solo drinking bar that operated in Hakodate City, Hokkaido. Google Reviews.

"Kinohai," located in Meguro, Tokyo, is also a restaurant and cafe that only accepts solo customers. All seats are separated by partitions so that only one person can use each space. The entire interior is designed to help customers focus on "time alone."

Exterior view of Kinohai, a single-person cafe and restaurant in Tokyo. Although the table can seat three people, it is divided by partitions so that each person can use it individually. Kinohai.

Many Japanese restaurants serving multi-course meals, or kaiseki, also accommodate solo diners. "Muromachi Mitaniya," a Japanese restaurant in Tokyo, offers a special solo kaiseki course exclusively for customers dining alone. Unlike typical kaiseki meals, which are designed for two or more people, this restaurant has adjusted its menu and service so that solo diners can enjoy a full course meal without hesitation. The aim is to ensure that dining alone does not limit one’s choices.

The food industry is also responding to this trend by increasing the release of small-packaged, small-portion products for single-person households. In 2024, food company Nissin discontinued its five-pack ramen sets and launched three-pack sets, declaring it was "opening a new era for bagged noodles" in response to the rise in single-person households. This move was based on the observation that single-person households found it difficult to consume all five packs. The new product became a hit immediately upon release and remains a steady seller. Other ramen companies have since followed suit, introducing three-pack sets at lower prices.

Since 2023, Coca-Cola Japan has introduced "affordable size" beverages, featuring cans of 160ml or less and PET bottles of 350ml or less, designed to fit comfortably in one hand. While targeting single-person households, these products have also become popular among elderly and female customers due to their portability and small size.

Affordable size beverages released by Coca-Cola Japan. Rakuten.

Yamasa Soy Sauce has also introduced a 300ml series, considering that the standard bottle sizes on the market are too large for single-person households. The company now offers small packaging for all five types of soy sauce it sells, including kelp soy sauce, greatly expanding the options for single-person households. Many other products, such as yogurt and salad dressings, are also available in small sizes.

The Japanese economic weekly Diamond analyzed, "With the rise in single-person households, the food industry has begun to reconsider the sizes of products it sells," adding, "By introducing new package sizes suited to modern eating habits and lifestyles, they are stimulating demand from single-person households and using this as a strategy to revitalize the market."