The Japanese cherry blossom tree, better known as Sakura, holds a special place in the hearts of Japanese. If you do not already know, Sakura bloom in early spring around Japan starting in Okinawa and run north to Hokkaido. In times gone by the short life of the Sakura blossoms symbolically represented the life of the samurai, meaning that life was beautiful however short. The aforementioned symbolism still holds sway in the heart of many Japanese and throughout Japan there are hanami (flower viewing) parties on a massive scale held at locations with high populations of Sakura trees.
Normally quiet Sakura abundant parks around Japan are soon flooded with the masses as those little white flowers begin to bloom. With its name gaining evermore international popularity and fame, people from other countries might be aware of this event in Japan. However, most people will not know that the flower viewing season has two faces: the peaceful and the blurry.
During the mornings and early afternoons of flower viewing one can expect the parks to be so crowded with picnickers that it will be hard to find a place to sit down. Lively chatter among friends and family, children’s laughter, along with a magnificent view brings about cheer and happiness. The smell of barbequed meats waft throughout the air making mouths water. Small games of soccer or catch are a fairly common sight even with the restrictions on space. Elderly couples strolling through the park with a constant smile on their face remembering their childhood can be seen in all directions along the horizontal. Relaxation is usually the word that can sum up this time of day, and this is likely the image most people will have of Japanese when they think of this time of year.
Before I continue, there is one thing I must make you aware of. Unlike many places in the United States, public drinking and public drunkenness in Japan… IS legal.
With the coming of late afternoon, things gradually start to change. The influx of people in their 20s and 30s becomes apparent. Perhaps there were already some of them sitting nearby chatting and laughing and enjoying the occasional beer or fruit flavored alcoholic beverage. As the sun heads further west, the occasional enjoyment of beer or fruit flavored alcoholic beverage becomes more frequent. You may hear chants of “Ikki” which is a Japanese form of peer pressure designed to make one, or usually more, person chug/pound/drink the whole container without breathing. Howls of victory and applause from the audience soon follow the ritual. Not to be outdone, nearby groups frequently start their own “Ikki” rituals. These rituals can often lead to beer chugging battles. At this point in the day short bursts of increased decibel levels are achieved.
Further waning of the sun attracts more partygoers to the parks. The soft sound of snoring comes from some of the weaker drink ritual participants while the less fortunate might be spotted laying dangerously close to small piles of their own vomit; add the scent of human bile to the scene. Loud uncontrollable spouts of laughter are much more prevalent from girls who no longer fear that the burning sphere above will embarrassingly reveal them to their neighbors. Wise parents have departed with their kin a few hours prior. The less wise parents now see their cue to do so.
At this point, those of western descent may easily become as popular as the cherry blossoms themselves. Japanese, a normally timid people, are affected by alcohol similarly to those from the west and in some cases more so. Having consumed enough liquid courage, their wanting to speak to westerners finally overcomes their fear of embarrassment in doing so. CURSE #1: If you do not have black hair and brown eyes you are stereotypically assumed to speak English (Woe to those who come from one of the many many countries who do not have English as its native language). CURSE (or likely BLESSING) #2: If you have a container in your hand containing alcohol goodness when you are approached, be prepared to drink much more.
Due to historical differences which I do not plan on boring you with, Westerners can usually drink more than their Asian counterparts. Being common knowledge among the educated Japanese, they are enamoured with the westerners’ ability to drink amounts that could likely poison them.
The overall technique they use in their approach can be described as cute. Usually only one or two Japanese will approach the group of foreigners leaving their own group behind. Opening remarks will be “Konichiwa” for the shy/less drunk while “Hello” will be heard from the more adventurous/drunk. With reference to the above, “Hello” is more commonly heard. The same is reciprocated from the foreigner party. It is after this greeting and before a fifth sentence is made that the Japanese soloist or duo will ask if we, the foreigners, like to drink alcohol. (You may be asking yourself, “What is cute about this”? The answer: nothing. What is cute though is the remaining group of Japanese that did not make the first approach. Their eyes are glued to their compatriots and their newly acquired foreign friends. Spying from behind the leg of mother night, they are very curious and wanting but still not sure if it safe to approach.) With the affirmative given the party starts kicking into high gear. The brave few who made the first approach wave over their remaining wide eyed friends whom are amazed that the foreign relations committee went over so successfully. The traditional cheers are made and the drinks go down the hatch. Another cute aspect is that you can see the Japanese peering at you from behind their drink as they watch you. After the initial cheers you will hear the inevitable equivalent of “You are a strong drinker”. It does not matter how much you drink. Out of either respect or drunken irrationality you ARE a strong drinker.
One Japanese party joining the western party is not an untold limit, heavens no. With the first party making contact it is not at all uncommon for other nearby parties wanting to get in on the foreign action. Eager to watch the foreigners drink more, the Japanese party/ies heads back to their base camp only to return moments later with their stash of alcohol in attempts to appease the mighty drinking westerners’ appetites! The rest as they say is a drunken blur.
Normally quiet Sakura abundant parks around Japan are soon flooded with the masses as those little white flowers begin to bloom. With its name gaining evermore international popularity and fame, people from other countries might be aware of this event in Japan. However, most people will not know that the flower viewing season has two faces: the peaceful and the blurry.
During the mornings and early afternoons of flower viewing one can expect the parks to be so crowded with picnickers that it will be hard to find a place to sit down. Lively chatter among friends and family, children’s laughter, along with a magnificent view brings about cheer and happiness. The smell of barbequed meats waft throughout the air making mouths water. Small games of soccer or catch are a fairly common sight even with the restrictions on space. Elderly couples strolling through the park with a constant smile on their face remembering their childhood can be seen in all directions along the horizontal. Relaxation is usually the word that can sum up this time of day, and this is likely the image most people will have of Japanese when they think of this time of year.
Before I continue, there is one thing I must make you aware of. Unlike many places in the United States, public drinking and public drunkenness in Japan… IS legal.
With the coming of late afternoon, things gradually start to change. The influx of people in their 20s and 30s becomes apparent. Perhaps there were already some of them sitting nearby chatting and laughing and enjoying the occasional beer or fruit flavored alcoholic beverage. As the sun heads further west, the occasional enjoyment of beer or fruit flavored alcoholic beverage becomes more frequent. You may hear chants of “Ikki” which is a Japanese form of peer pressure designed to make one, or usually more, person chug/pound/drink the whole container without breathing. Howls of victory and applause from the audience soon follow the ritual. Not to be outdone, nearby groups frequently start their own “Ikki” rituals. These rituals can often lead to beer chugging battles. At this point in the day short bursts of increased decibel levels are achieved.
Further waning of the sun attracts more partygoers to the parks. The soft sound of snoring comes from some of the weaker drink ritual participants while the less fortunate might be spotted laying dangerously close to small piles of their own vomit; add the scent of human bile to the scene. Loud uncontrollable spouts of laughter are much more prevalent from girls who no longer fear that the burning sphere above will embarrassingly reveal them to their neighbors. Wise parents have departed with their kin a few hours prior. The less wise parents now see their cue to do so.
At this point, those of western descent may easily become as popular as the cherry blossoms themselves. Japanese, a normally timid people, are affected by alcohol similarly to those from the west and in some cases more so. Having consumed enough liquid courage, their wanting to speak to westerners finally overcomes their fear of embarrassment in doing so. CURSE #1: If you do not have black hair and brown eyes you are stereotypically assumed to speak English (Woe to those who come from one of the many many countries who do not have English as its native language). CURSE (or likely BLESSING) #2: If you have a container in your hand containing alcohol goodness when you are approached, be prepared to drink much more.
Due to historical differences which I do not plan on boring you with, Westerners can usually drink more than their Asian counterparts. Being common knowledge among the educated Japanese, they are enamoured with the westerners’ ability to drink amounts that could likely poison them.
The overall technique they use in their approach can be described as cute. Usually only one or two Japanese will approach the group of foreigners leaving their own group behind. Opening remarks will be “Konichiwa” for the shy/less drunk while “Hello” will be heard from the more adventurous/drunk. With reference to the above, “Hello” is more commonly heard. The same is reciprocated from the foreigner party. It is after this greeting and before a fifth sentence is made that the Japanese soloist or duo will ask if we, the foreigners, like to drink alcohol. (You may be asking yourself, “What is cute about this”? The answer: nothing. What is cute though is the remaining group of Japanese that did not make the first approach. Their eyes are glued to their compatriots and their newly acquired foreign friends. Spying from behind the leg of mother night, they are very curious and wanting but still not sure if it safe to approach.) With the affirmative given the party starts kicking into high gear. The brave few who made the first approach wave over their remaining wide eyed friends whom are amazed that the foreign relations committee went over so successfully. The traditional cheers are made and the drinks go down the hatch. Another cute aspect is that you can see the Japanese peering at you from behind their drink as they watch you. After the initial cheers you will hear the inevitable equivalent of “You are a strong drinker”. It does not matter how much you drink. Out of either respect or drunken irrationality you ARE a strong drinker.
One Japanese party joining the western party is not an untold limit, heavens no. With the first party making contact it is not at all uncommon for other nearby parties wanting to get in on the foreign action. Eager to watch the foreigners drink more, the Japanese party/ies heads back to their base camp only to return moments later with their stash of alcohol in attempts to appease the mighty drinking westerners’ appetites! The rest as they say is a drunken blur.
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