Why You Can Smoke in a Japanese Izakaya — But Not a Cigarette

In Tokyo, smoking indoors has been banned since the late 2010s or has it?

Disclaimer:This article discusses smoking regulations and heated tobacco products in Japan for informational and cultural purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice, nor should it be interpreted as an endorsement of smoking, vaping, or any tobacco product. Smoking and tobacco use carry significant health risks. Always consult reputable health authorities for medical information.

A picture of 2 people smoking whilst having a beer and Kushikatsu (deep fried skewers) in Osaka

Walk into an izakaya (Japanese pub) in Japan today and you might notice something strange.

The restaurant is technically non-smoking.

There are no cigarette smokers, no cigars nor clouds of grey tobacco plooms hanging over the tables.

Yet people are still smoking.

Or at least, that’s what it looks like.

Instead of cigarettes, you’ll see glowing devices from brands such as IQOS, Ploom, and glo.

For many foreign visitors, Japan feels like one of the few developed countries where heated tobacco products are absolutely everywhere.

The reason isn’t culture.

It’s regulation.

The Loophole Most Tourists Don’t Know About

When Japan strengthened indoor smoking regulations ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the goal was to reduce second-hand smoke.

Traditional cigarettes faced tighter restrictions in restaurants, bars, and public facilities.

But lawmakers created an important distinction.

Heated tobacco products were treated differently.

The result?

In many establishments, customers could continue using heated tobacco products while eating and drinking.

For visitors from Europe or North America, this often comes as a surprise.

You can’t light a Marlboro at your table.

But you can sit down with an IQOS, order yakitori and a beer, and smoke throughout the meal.

Tokyo Isn’t the Rest of Japan

Many tourists assume smoking rules are the same nationwide.

They’re not.

Tokyo has some of Japan’s strictest anti-smoking regulations.

But travel into neighbouring prefectures and you may still find cafés and restaurants where conventional smoking remains permitted.

It’s entirely possible to sit in a chain café outside Tokyo with a coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

That contrast helps explain why visitors often leave Japan with completely different impressions about smoking culture.

The Country That Fell in Love With IQOS

The iQOS 3 Duo Model By Aphis Marta — Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113026686

Japan became one of the world’s most successful heated tobacco markets.

Philip Morris launched IQOS in Japan before many other countries.

Japan Tobacco (JT) pushed its Ploom devices.

British American Tobacco (BAT) promoted glo.

Aggressive marketing campaigns, discounted devices, and lower-priced tobacco sticks encouraged smokers to switch.

Today, heated tobacco users can be found everywhere used by retirees, office workers, university students, construction workers to bar hostesses.

For many younger smokers, heated tobacco isn’t an alternative to cigarettes.

It’s simply the default.

If you want to know the whole story of how Japan accidentally became a heated tobacco powerhouse — including why nicotine vaping never took off, how smoking regulations differ by prefecture, and why many smokers switched in the first place.

**Read the full article from here (free read)**