By now most of us have had one of those afternoons where we wake up after a long night out with our buddies only to discover when we check our Facebook updates that we have done some pretty interesting things last night that we don’t remember.
Despite the negativity we might face if we have a cold one every now and then, would you believe me if I said that drinking in Japan is not only for fun but sometimes actually necessary?
Let me backtrack a little first. When I first went to Japan three or fours years ago, I was still pretty new to drinking as a college student; sure I had one or two with my roommates before, but I never had much to drink, nor had I ever even been to a bar before.
One of the things I quickly learned from my new Japanese friends, besides how surprisingly good my Japanese suddenly became, was that in Japanese culture, drinking was what they used to bond with people and bring each other closer as a more tightly-nit group.
Japan has a very group-oriented culture, and daily life has developed to accommodate this by ensuring the group’s continued integrity. When I go out with friends to the Japanese bar, or Izakaya, I often find other friends, school clubs and even coworkers who go out and share drinks with one another.
In Japan, drinking is often considered a way to break down strict social barriers and allow people to become closer to one another. Companies or other organizations will often go to the bar with each other as part of this social obligation, as they see it as a way to celebrate their shared connection as coworkers, seeing drinking as a way to further strengthen it.
Let me elaborate a little with a story; just humor me for a minute.
I was so nervous when I met my girlfriend’s dad for the first time last December. I was literally trembling as we got off the plane back to Fukuoka, not knowing how he would react to finally meeting the American his only daughter was dating. Despite hearing that he was really “looking forward to meeting me.”
It was only after I realized that Yuka’s dad not only loved beer as much as I did, but we both had the same taste in malts. We instantly bonded after that and, throughout the time I stayed there, we shared many a beer together, admittedly embarrassing our respective loved ones every night in the process with our jolly laughter.
Admittedly, there was a big age difference between us, and we both worried about how the other would react. However, after we shared that first drink, Yuka’s dad and I instantly became close after we learned that the other was genuinely interested in learning more about the other and truly wanted to become friends. I still talk about my experiences with him to Yuka to this day.
That being said, what is the American side of the story? Well I don’t know about you, but even before SOAR orientation five years ago, it was drilled into my head that you should never drink, ever.
Think about it. As opposed to Japan’s more relaxed attitude, we are taught from a young age not to drink. Then when we see a drunken person out on the streets, we automatically assume the worst about that individual. We think that he or she has no shame in what he or she is doing when we literally don’t know the first thing about him or her.
In Japan, this isn’t usually the case when someone meets a drunken individual. The Japanese will usually ignore drunks entirely or forgive anything the inebriated person might do so long as it’s not harmful or truly mean spirited. It’s just another part of life to them.
Which brings me to final my thought: maybe what we’re actually dealing with here is not a problem at all, but a cultural difference of opinion. While normally the Japanese see it as a way to bond with one another and celebrate, the stigma that potentially comes when Americans might do the same thing is reflected negatively on the individual and the group. It’s definitely food for thought for the future.
Anyway, be safe the next time you drink that “cola” of yours and try to enjoy it with someone you may not know. It’ll definitely be an interesting experience.
