Otoshi (お通し) is the small dish that arrives soon after you sit down at many izakaya and bars. It is not free: it is charged per person, much like a table charge. In Kansai it is called tsukidashi (突き出し).

No. It is widely understood in Japan as the price of the seat, and most Japanese customers expect it. The amount varies by venue, and it is a fixed charge, not a tip.

Practice varies: some venues remove it if you ask when it arrives, many do not. The simplest approach is to ask before you sit down: "Otōshi wa arimasu ka?" (Is there an otoshi charge?)

A small appetizer dish and a glass on a wooden izakaya counter

What Is Otoshi? The Small Dish and Table Charge at Japanese Bars

Updated 22 October 2026 · ClearTab Japan editorial team

Otoshi (お通し) is the small dish that arrives soon after you sit down at many izakaya (Japanese pubs) and bars, before you have ordered any food. It is not free. It appears on the bill as a charge per person, and works much like a table charge or cover charge.

What it is

The dish is usually something small and simple: a few pickles, a little simmered food, edamame or a salad. It changes from place to place and often from day to day. In the Kansai region, including Osaka and Kyoto, the same thing is usually called tsukidashi (突き出し).

On the bill you may see it written as お通し, 突き出し, chāji (チャージ, charge) or sekiryō (席料, seat charge).

Why you are charged for it

Many visitors are surprised to pay for a dish they did not order. In Japan, otoshi is widely understood as the price of the seat: a way for the venue to charge for the table without calling it a cover charge. Most Japanese customers expect it and do not question it.

The amount varies a lot between venues, and it is a per-person charge, so it adds up for a group. If you want to know before you sit down, ask.

Can you refuse it?

Practice varies. Some venues will remove it if you ask when it is first brought out, many will not, and asking can be awkward. Some chains advertise that they do not charge otoshi. The simplest approach is to ask before you are seated whether there is a table charge or otoshi and how much it is.

Useful phrase: Otōshi wa arimasu ka? (Is there an otoshi charge?)

Otoshi is not tipping

Japan does not have a tipping culture, and otoshi is not a tip. It is a fixed charge set by the venue. Our guide to tipping in Japanese nightlife explains what you do and do not need to pay.

At hostess clubs and lounges

Kyabakura, lounges and high-end clubs do not usually charge otoshi. Instead they charge a set charge per person for a block of time, plus a service charge. That is a different and much larger part of the bill: see how the bill works and what venues actually charge in our summary of hostess club prices.

In short

Otoshi is a small dish and a per-person seat charge at izakaya and bars. It is normal, not a scam, and the amount varies by venue. If you want no surprises, ask before you sit down.

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Frequently asked questions

What is otoshi?: Otoshi (お通し) is the small dish that arrives soon after you sit down at many izakaya and bars. It is not free: it is charged per person, much like a table charge. In Kansai it is called tsukidashi (突き出し).
Is otoshi a scam?: No. It is widely understood in Japan as the price of the seat, and most Japanese customers expect it. The amount varies by venue, and it is a fixed charge, not a tip.
Can I refuse otoshi?: Practice varies: some venues remove it if you ask when it arrives, many do not. The simplest approach is to ask before you sit down: "Otōshi wa arimasu ka?" (Is there an otoshi charge?)

Also written as: otoshi / otoushi / tsukidashi / お通し / 突き出し / 오토시