Sorry people... my photos from yesterday did not load... I've inserted them INTO the story, so please feel free to take a look at yesterdays blog for some nice pics of my sake bottle and cup collection. CHEERS.
Now on with today's blog entry...
One of the cool things about living in a relatively small city like Ohtawara-shi, in Tochigi-ken Japan is that it's small enough to be cozy while still being large enough to offer all of the amenities.
Now on with today's blog entry...
One of the cool things about living in a relatively small city like Ohtawara-shi, in Tochigi-ken Japan is that it's small enough to be cozy while still being large enough to offer all of the amenities.
Near my apartment complex - Zuiko Haitsu, a seven-story building that, back in 1990, was the tallest building in the city - I was within a five minute bicycle ride of a couple of grocery stores, a video shop, umpteen restaurants (one was located on the main floor of my apartment), and bars... which were conveniently located maybe a good four minute stagger from my apartment.
Unlike here in Canada, if you are four minutes away from a bar, you're going to hear a lot of raucous music and drunken behaviour. In Japan, that sort of behaviour is done relatively quietly, and probably only gets out of hand when the gaijin (foreigners) are involved. I'm looking at you, Matthew. Just kidding of course. Both Matthew, myself (and Ashley), we may have had one too many often enough, but we tended to keep our vocal adrenalin out of the limelight - afterall, being on the JET (Japan Exchange & Teaching) Programme, we weren't just visitors to Japan, we were representatives of our respective countries.
Still... that didn't stop us from going out and tying one or four on while off duty.
Y'see... we were just doing what the Japanese do.
As mentioned ad nauseum in these blogs - and you've probably already heard of it before visiting here, the Japanese tend to work long hours. It is disrespectful to the company you work for to finish work and leave before the boss does. If the boss can stay and work late, so too can you.
I know, I know... it makes me want to vomit up my beer just thinking about that. And I'm not even drinking a beer.
Of course... there's always the possibility of the boss catching a nap in his or her (sorry, that's funny... a female boss in Japan!) office... and the employees waiting patiently outside for their hard-working boss to leave so they can leave too.
Tricky bosses aside, there's also karoshi - which means, death from overwork - and as bizarre as it sounds to most of us, this is a a concern in Japan. But that's not what we're here to talk about.
After work, let's go have a drink.
This is not just a once in a blue-moon thing, or even once a week-thing... it's something workers do everyday after work. Of course, at the OBOE (Ohtawara Board of Education), if they did, I wasn't invited, probably because I didn't stick around long enough to go drinking... working my standard 9-5 routine because that's what gaijin are used to - and we are.
Going to a nomiya (an old-style Japanese tavern - as opposed to a western-style meat market or pub) is something Japanese workers (and gaijin) look forward to - as kind of a reward for their days efforts (okay, maybe not the gaijin).
I asked Kanemaru-san (one of my OBOE bosses who was responsible for my overall well-being while in Japan) what's up with that.
Apparently, forget about going home to the wife and kids, having a drink or two helps the Japanese relax, get some co-worker bonding in and really, not have to go home to the wife and kids.
If you are in Japan and looking for a nomiya... look for the red lantern (aka chochin) hanging out front in the doorway. Now, I always though the red light was used to show that there was a prostitute available (see the POLICE) but I see that in Japan it means you can come in and have an inexpensive drink.
Somewhere looking for the red light special,
Andrew Joseph
Today's blog title is song by Semisonic: CLOSING TIME
PS - that's two blogs in a row about drinking. I don't really drink anymore, but thanks for asking.
