Smoking rooms in restaurants: types and rules to know

Under Japan’s revised Health Promotion Act, smoking in a restaurant means using a designated room appropriate to the venue’s classification. This article explains the differences and offers tips for choosing a place to dine.

Smoking-only room (no eating or drinking)

Both cigarettes and heated tobacco are allowed, but eating and drinking are not. People under 20 are barred. Most restaurants and izakaya use this type of room.

Heated-tobacco-only room (eating and drinking allowed)

Only heated tobacco is allowed, but eating and drinking are permitted — convenient for working lunches or meals where you also want to smoke.

Smokable room (transitional measure for small existing restaurants)

A transitional measure permits whole-venue or partial smoking only at restaurants operating as of April 2020 with seating area under 100 m² and capital under 50 million yen. Display at the entrance is required, so look for the signage.

Tips for choosing

• Check the entrance for signs such as “smoking-only room available” or “heated-tobacco-only room available”
• Under-20s cannot enter smoking rooms, so plan ahead with family
• The Mottosuitai map focuses on smoking spots, but can also be a starting point for finding nearby restaurants