The other day I came across a great link that I'll share at the bottom of this post. It is all about Japan's drinking culture, giving and defining terms, unspoken rules, just a really great overview. I've been in Japan quite a while, and I didn't know everything here. But drinking parties are funny that way. You learn a little, but then become too drunk to care and don't remember anything later.

You've probably all seen photos from Japan or drunk salarymen passed out in all kinds of strange positions on the trains. It is a thing. The last train, especially the last train in a big city, gets all the people scrambling from the drinking party, and more often than not they are really really drunk.

Drinking parties are a part of Japan, like them or no. While they may be slightly less important than they were in the past, they are still really important. Basically you have to go if you want to have a chance at forming relationships with upper management and moving up in a company. Anyone who doesn't drink or who routinely skips drinking parties is seen as untrustworthy and not really very dedicated to the company. That might not be fair, but it is as it is.

I'll leave you to go to the site and read the details, but I thought I'll pull out a few points that might be of interest.

Seating

While there isn't an explicit seating chart, there is an unspoken one that everyone knows about. Basically the seat furthest from the door is the best one and the seat closest to the door or the seat closest with its back to the door is the worst one.

This is the same in meetings, so I am well aware of this. What I wasn't aware of what what the site lists is the best/worst seat for taxis and elevators too.

Second, Third, Forth Parties and Beyond

When I was at university, we sometimes went bar-hopping. You drink a little at each bar, go to another, drink more, until you pass out somewhere. I think this is pretty common at universities, at least in America. But beyond university, it isn't as common. Usually you pick a bar and stay there.

In Japan, however, bar-hopping is a very common thing in the corporate world. They usually refer to each hop as a party. There will almost always be first and second party. The first is the main thing and then you move to second party which is just more drinking.

My experience ends at third party, which for the drinking parties I've attended has always been a karaoke place. The night can keep going from there, but that is the latest I've ever gotten.

Anyway, interesting stuff. If you want to read more, go check out the site.

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David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku. He blogs here and at laspina.org. Write him on Twitter or Mastodon.