The pub has introduced a maximum age limit for drinkers as the venue tries to maintain its “boisterous” atmosphere.
Tori Yaro Dogenzaka, a chain store in Tokyo, is known for its affordable prices and young, laid-back crowd – anyone over 40 is now banned from drinking inside.
An izakaya (affordable Japanese pub) located in the central district of Shibuya, a trendy hot spot for tourists and students, has plenty of signs at the entrance trumpeting their special offers.
“Entry limited to customers between the ages of 29 and 39,” reads one of them.
“This is an izakaya for the younger generation. U-40. Pub under 40 only.”
The notices specify that if one person in the group is 39 or under, older customers will be accepted with them.
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Friends and family Employees and business partners of the restaurant are also welcome.
There is no legal way to enforce the rule and the notice only applies to one pub, not the entire chain.
Regardless, it has caused controversy among its customers – especially those who have crossed the age limit.
One person posted on Instagram: “The bar will be empty. Me, 21, has some of my fondest memories in Japan of drinking in izakayas and striking up conversations with overworked 50-somethings who like to ask me all sorts of questions about life in the west.”
“Don’t take the one thing these salarymen love the most.
Another pointed out that this is not the best strategy, pointing to data that “the younger generation is drinking less and less.”
“So good luck with your strategy!” they added.
“So their business model is to limit their customers to just 10.2 percent of the population Japan” was the third comment.
The comments appeared under a post on the Japan Explores Instagram page that highlighted the announcement.
“While minimum age requirements for alcohol are standard worldwide, there is a trend in East Asia for businesses to impose upper age limits,” it said.
“In early 2026, Tokyo izakaya chain Tori Yaro Dogenzaka made headlines by restricting entry primarily to customers aged 29 to 39 and promoting itself as a ‘pub for younger generations.’
“The aim of the move is to preserve the ‘boisterous atmosphere’ and reduce noise complaints from older visitors.
“This reflects long-standing practice South Koreawhere “No Senior Zones” have spread from nightclubs in neighborhoods like Hongdae to sports facilities and even coffee stores, sparking a heated debate about age discrimination in rapidly aging societies.
The chain’s spokesman Toshihiro Nagano said Japan today that the pub’s customer base is young.
“With older customers, they often complain about the restaurant being too noisy and such, so we decided to limit who comes so that everyone can go home satisfied with the experience they had,” they emphasized.
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