Japan's Drinking Culture
Where should I begin? I new about Japan's drinking culture before I came to Japan (that's why it says in my profile that I don't drink but I've been meaning to start), or so I thought. I think that sometimes it is better to have examples of the thing one is trying to explain instead of a direct explanation, so here is my first example. Let us start with universities and move on from there. Since the only comparison I can really make is the comparison between the US and Japan, I will use that as the bar for counter examples. At universities in the United States alcohol is forbidden on campus and even around campus sometimes (my university was in a dry town). In fact, if you are caught intoxicated on campus, not only will you be arrested you will most likely be kicked out of school. If they find alcohol in your dorm or, god forbid, in your hand you will be handed the same punishment (furthermore it is unlikely that you will be able to enter any other universities when you have to explain that, and you will have to explain that, to the other universities) except maybe a community college. HOWEVER, in Japan, drinking is not forbidden on campus. During cherry blossom viewing and festival a lot of people get drunk on campus. 'But where do they get all this beer that they bring to the campus to get drunk with?' one might ask. Well, the answer is very simple. They by it at the university store or at a near by conveniet store or one of the many many public beer vending machines (yes, they are everywhere). You may not believe me when I tell you this next part (that's why I had a friend take a picture and send it to me), but Nagoya University actually encourages the students to drink beer. 'How?' one may ask. Well, when you have your own brand of beer that you sell on campus (between the hours of 8am and 5pm...the perfect drinking time), what else would you call it? Yes, I was surprised too. NAGOYA UNIVERSITY BEER (since 1999). Don't believe, then just look at the picture below:
It comes in Ale or Lager! (Quality of picture isn't that good because it was taken with a cell phone) I also wanted to include a picture of a beer vending machine by the street, but I didn't bring my USB connection for my phone.
Back to the Nagoya University BEER; I wonder if they would kick me out of class if I brought a couple of these bottles into class with me and proceeded to chug them in front of the professor.
Professor: You! What are you doing?!?
Me: Having my morning drink? What are you doing? And stop writing on the board so fuzzy!
Professor: Is that beer?
Me: Yeah, but it's Nagoya University beer and it's only my fourth one, so it's okay. You want one? It will make the class funner.
Actually, I doubt I would suffer any consequences even if I did something like that. Because I have relized that school (at least graduate school) in Japan is just a formality of time. They cannot allow these people to start at high career levels so young and have extremely young people that can climb the career latter so fast...they have to send them to a place of waiting before they can enter. Well, most don't really seem to mind though. Universities in Japan (not just graduate school) are a last step before people enter the ever so harsh business society that is Japan. My respect for Japanese companies is lower than my respect for Japanese universities (almost empty). Knowing that these will be the last free years of their life before they have to conform to society (or as they say, become a valuable member of society) and endore things that have no logic to them at all, they spend their time at the universities having fun and going out to drink often. My Japanese friend in my lab goes out drinking almost every night (weekend or weekday). When their university life comes to an end, the best years of many of their lives will also end.
More about Japan's drinking culture...Alcohol is not really a bad thing, but I do believe their is a responsible way to drink and an irresponsible way. Unfortunately I do not see the first one of those here. I'm tired of stepping over drunk people when I ride the subway from Sakae on a weekend. That's not the half of it. These drunk people are allowed on the subway. I think this is very dangerous. Japanese are not the strongest of drinkers and many of them to something that I so dub the 'drunken pit fall.' It is where a drunk person seems to be perfectly aware for a little while, standing up, looking around, etc... and then just blacks out and falls down. Of course they can hurt themselves falling down, but I'm more worried about them falling onto the tracks as the subway train is coming. Also, they throw-up all inside the subway station and the subway cars! It's not a pretty sight to see a seet, the floor, the stairs or in some cases a window with vomit all over it. Furthermore, Japanese people are not really held that responsible for what they do when they are drunk (there are exceptions). They also pick me out of a crowd much better after they have had a few drinks (and that is kind of awkward for me). In comparison, this is illegal in the US. People go to jail for public intoxication. (Well, it seemed more like I was complaining about the drinking culture than explaining it...Sorry.) I guess I will end with that. I do get some joy out of knowing that Nagoya University has its own brand of beer.
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Things that are recently going on... My internship ends on the 19th, so I will return to Nagoya on the 20th.
The Nobel prizes have been awarded (the Nobel prize in Physics is shared between 2 guys, one from Sweeden and one from Germany, who you can think for the small size of current electronic devices).
I'm currently reserving a flight home. I came across a really good site to buy plane tickets from and I think I can make it back around the 9th or 11th for around $700 (which is a good deal).
No news about my university applications; I haven't been able to send a transcript from Nagoya University yet (because you have to be there in person to do it, which will be even more difficult when I leave the country, if I need another transcript from NU), so my application is not exactly complete anyways.
Next article will probably be in a couple days about interesting names of drinks and mispellings in Japan (especially on FORMAL documents...they say they are in English and indeed the words are in English, but I cannot understand the meaning when they are put in a really strange order).
I guess that's all. No quote, I can't think of any good ones right now.
Adios and thanks for reading (if you read this far, I hope your not asleep).
-Ben
It comes in Ale or Lager! (Quality of picture isn't that good because it was taken with a cell phone) I also wanted to include a picture of a beer vending machine by the street, but I didn't bring my USB connection for my phone.
Back to the Nagoya University BEER; I wonder if they would kick me out of class if I brought a couple of these bottles into class with me and proceeded to chug them in front of the professor.
Professor: You! What are you doing?!?
Me: Having my morning drink? What are you doing? And stop writing on the board so fuzzy!
Professor: Is that beer?
Me: Yeah, but it's Nagoya University beer and it's only my fourth one, so it's okay. You want one? It will make the class funner.
Actually, I doubt I would suffer any consequences even if I did something like that. Because I have relized that school (at least graduate school) in Japan is just a formality of time. They cannot allow these people to start at high career levels so young and have extremely young people that can climb the career latter so fast...they have to send them to a place of waiting before they can enter. Well, most don't really seem to mind though. Universities in Japan (not just graduate school) are a last step before people enter the ever so harsh business society that is Japan. My respect for Japanese companies is lower than my respect for Japanese universities (almost empty). Knowing that these will be the last free years of their life before they have to conform to society (or as they say, become a valuable member of society) and endore things that have no logic to them at all, they spend their time at the universities having fun and going out to drink often. My Japanese friend in my lab goes out drinking almost every night (weekend or weekday). When their university life comes to an end, the best years of many of their lives will also end.
More about Japan's drinking culture...Alcohol is not really a bad thing, but I do believe their is a responsible way to drink and an irresponsible way. Unfortunately I do not see the first one of those here. I'm tired of stepping over drunk people when I ride the subway from Sakae on a weekend. That's not the half of it. These drunk people are allowed on the subway. I think this is very dangerous. Japanese are not the strongest of drinkers and many of them to something that I so dub the 'drunken pit fall.' It is where a drunk person seems to be perfectly aware for a little while, standing up, looking around, etc... and then just blacks out and falls down. Of course they can hurt themselves falling down, but I'm more worried about them falling onto the tracks as the subway train is coming. Also, they throw-up all inside the subway station and the subway cars! It's not a pretty sight to see a seet, the floor, the stairs or in some cases a window with vomit all over it. Furthermore, Japanese people are not really held that responsible for what they do when they are drunk (there are exceptions). They also pick me out of a crowd much better after they have had a few drinks (and that is kind of awkward for me). In comparison, this is illegal in the US. People go to jail for public intoxication. (Well, it seemed more like I was complaining about the drinking culture than explaining it...Sorry.) I guess I will end with that. I do get some joy out of knowing that Nagoya University has its own brand of beer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Things that are recently going on... My internship ends on the 19th, so I will return to Nagoya on the 20th.
The Nobel prizes have been awarded (the Nobel prize in Physics is shared between 2 guys, one from Sweeden and one from Germany, who you can think for the small size of current electronic devices).
I'm currently reserving a flight home. I came across a really good site to buy plane tickets from and I think I can make it back around the 9th or 11th for around $700 (which is a good deal).
No news about my university applications; I haven't been able to send a transcript from Nagoya University yet (because you have to be there in person to do it, which will be even more difficult when I leave the country, if I need another transcript from NU), so my application is not exactly complete anyways.
Next article will probably be in a couple days about interesting names of drinks and mispellings in Japan (especially on FORMAL documents...they say they are in English and indeed the words are in English, but I cannot understand the meaning when they are put in a really strange order).
I guess that's all. No quote, I can't think of any good ones right now.
Adios and thanks for reading (if you read this far, I hope your not asleep).
-Ben
posted by Ben at 6:39 AM
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