Many travel blogs & website like to advertise specialty restaurants. Ramen restaurants. Sushi restaurants. Curry restaurants. Afterall, most countries likes to show how their chefs train years and years to perfect a skill and its history - like a 100-year-old tempura shop, or a chef who trains for 20 years to perfect some kind of noodle dish/soup.
There's nothing wrong with that, of course. If you're looking for a VERY SPECIFIC food, you know that you can't go wrong with a trained chef and years of history.
However, especially when you're travelling, sometimes you're hungry and just want to fill your stomach with all the food. You might also find yourself in a situation where you might just want a good selection of veggies, fruits and other fresh salads for one meal - which tourists in Japan often complain it can be difficult to find since many famous Japanese fast foods are carbs & meat-heavy.
Buffets & All-you-can-eat (AYCE) restaurants can be a saving grace for your trip, but they may not be such an obvious option when you're just wandering about in touristy areas.
But AYCE restaurants are more common than you think in Japan.
Hotel Buffets
Most hotels you stay at offer a simple breakfast buffet option at the lobby. In its simplest form, it will probably be some toast and cereal, plus an small assortment of juice, tea and coffee. Some hotels may offer some hot foods like eggs and ham, and even some salad.
At bigger chain hotels (often western chains), they will definitely have a more elaborate & full buffet set up. Some may even have cooking stations that serve freshly cooked omelettes, etc. Of course, those buffets are often at a premium cost - but if you're looking for some variety and to have a more balanced travel diet, this is a good place to get your fill.
VIKING (バイキング)
In Japan, buffets are called バイキング (baikingu). You can find out more information about the history and here. So if you aren't finding any buffets in Japan, it's probably because you aren't looking for the correct terminology. Vikings in Japan are your typical buffet set up - there are different offerings and stations of hot foods for the choosing.
Prices will range depending on the selection, quality of food, and the amount of selections they have. Most vikings average at around 2000 yen, with a decent selection available (of course the quality will not be the best).
I've been to places that charge around this price and they usually have some pretty neat things like a waffle machine or a soft serve ice cream machine. Just tiny perks that you don’t find in normal buffets back home. Some buffets may have some limited edition themes - like a strawberry-focused dessert option, or matcha special. Those don’t usually cost extra either, which is a nice touch!
There is usually a time limit for these places of around 2 hours.
食べ放題 and 飲み放題 and “Drink Bars”
TABEHOUDAI (食べ放題) is usually another term they use for “AYCE options”. Takehoudai and Viking are both used synonymously to mean the same thing.
However, Japanese food options will opt to use the term Takehoudai and not Viking. You will see tabehoudai used a lot with Yakiniku (like the restaurant “Gyukaku”) or Shabu Shabu. At these places, you usually get your unlimited servings of food by ordering via a server at the restaurant. There may still be a vegetable station for you to pick up some salad and raw veg for your Shabu Shabu hot pot for cooking, but you will still need to flag someone down to top up.
Some restaurants like Gyukaku for example, may have an iPad for you to order from. It’s helpful for you to cut out the middleman.
NOMIHOUDAI (飲み放題) might be another Japanese Term you come across while restauran-surfing. This isn’t limited to buffets. Many restaurants have this option, especially at Izakaya style dining. This just means it’s an option to drink unlimited alcohol (for a limited amount of time).
Some more family-friendly restaurants like Saizeriya or Gusto will have something called a DRINK BAR (ドリンクバー). This is unlimited soft drinks! This is NOT for alcohol. If you like an unlimited alcohol option, you want the Nomihoudai (which usually includes soft drinks). But if you just want unlimited soft drinks, you want to ask for a Drink Bar.
Sushi AYCE in Japan??
I get this question a lot from friends visiting. AYCE Sushi is a huge thing in Canada, and it’s usually pretty affordable and sometimes the quality is pretty damn good too.
However, AYCE Sushi really isn’t that much of a thing here.
They exist, but it appears more as an “add-on” option at a Yakiniku or Shabu Shabu AYCE restaurant. Or a sushi station at a buffet (but even that can be a rarity itself). A chain called Shabu SAI for example offers (pre-COVID) a shabu shabu & sushi AYCE course. I rarely ever see a stand-alone AYCE Sushi restaurant because 100yen sushi shops are so common here, and Sushi is so readily available for cheap at Supermarkets.
I would love to see if someone find an AYCE Sushi here, but I feel like it’s unnecessary.
Meal Sets with VIKING
Another variation of buffets is restaurants with set meals that offer one or two items that’s AYCE. For example, there is a chain pasta restaurant that offers AYCE bread for an extra 300yen.
Another restaurant I know has lunch sets that offer AYCE assortments of appetizers with no extra cost. These lunch sets are often set in stone what they will offer you, so don't expect being able to change anything on these menus. They often contain some type of protein and some pasta or rice. Be sure to look at what they're offering before you walk into these places, especially if you have dietary restrictions.
Salad and soup bars can sometimes be found at western type chain restaurants. They're usually advertised as family-friendly which can be a good option for big groups travelling together.
Sweets Buffet
This is actually quite popular in Japan, and there is a chain restaurant called "Sweets Paradise" that is the most well-known by folks. They offer a huge assortment of mostly desserts, plus some palette cleansers that works to fill you up.
A lot of hotels will open up their buffet portion in the afternoon for "sweets vikings". They're usually really a treat to go to since they are themed based on the season.
The most popular regular sweet vikings are Halloween and Christmas. Other times of the year, they might feature a fruit that's in season or something that represents that season.
Have you tried any buffets here in Japan? What are your experiences and thoughts compared to buffets back in your home country???