Geisha Japan
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More Great Information on Geisha Japan:
The Business & Social Role of Drinking in Japan!
In Japan , as in most countries, sexual activity and drinking alcoholic beverages are closely related. Drinking for ceremonial as well as pleasurable purposes has been an established custom in Japan since mythological times, with sake (sah-kay), or rice wine, having been sanctified by the gods of Shinto as well as temporal leaders. The Japanese are now among the champion drinkers of the world, imbibing sake, beer, whiskey, vodka and other drinks with equal enthusiasm. Almost everybody in Japan drinks a little now and then, and the majority drink regularly. But somewhat surprisingly, some Japanese are especially sensitive to alcohol, which causes them to flush a deep red after just one or two swallows, and to become drunk (and often sick) after drinking only a modest amount of alcohol. Certainly not all Japanese are susceptible to this odd condition, and many pride themselves on their ability to drink in great volume. Among most men, being a strong drinker is considered a traditional macho badge, and heavy drinking plays a significant role in the lives of most Japanese businessmen and many professionals. Japanese drinking etiquette requires that hosts and other members of drinking parties see that each other's glasses never remain empty or low. This results in a great deal of pressure for people to drink fast and heavily, especially at parties and other celebrations where one of the specific goals is to make sure that everyone gets drunk. (The Japanese have traditionally believed that you could not get to really know a person until the person got drunk and ignored etiquette and role-playing.) It is difficult for visitors to spend very much time in Japan without getting in involved in numerous drinking sessions — or coming up with an acceptable excuse (such as doctor's orders) to refrain. If you do drink but want to control the amount it is a good idea to simulate drunkenness (to whatever degree that is appropriate for the occasion) after only two or three drinks. Sake has traditionally been the social oil of Japan , and while it has been replaced in overall consumption by beer it remains a standard by which the Japanese measure appreciation of their culture. If you do not drink and enjoy sake , at least on ceremonial occasions, you may be described as not a true friend of Japan . THE UBIQUITOUS NOMIYA (NO-MEE-YAH) Nomiya (no-me-yah) means "drinking place." There are several different varieties and classes of drinking establishments in Japan . These include what are typically referred to as bars, lounges, nightclubs, and cabarets, along with beer halls, pubs and shops specializing in sake. There is a great deal of overlapping in the use of these terms but there are basic differences in them, including some that are prescribed by law. One of the most important of these legal differences is that, regardless of what they are called, a nomiya must be licensed as a cabaret to employ hostesses who sit with, dance with, and otherwise personally entertain patrons. Another legal factor is that a place must be licensed as a restaurant to stay open after midnight . Because they are legally allowed to offer the company of young women, cabarets and so-called night clubs and "hostess bars" have been the crowning glory of Japan 's night-time entertainment scene from the early 1950s to the present time. There are some basic differences in cabarets, night clubs, and hostess bars or lounges. Cabarets and night clubs are usually large, and both may feature live entertainment in addition to their complement of hostesses. In cabarets, patrons are automatically assigned hostesses as soon as they come in and are seated, and are charged a hostess fee that is more or less based on time as well as on the class and standards of the individual cabaret. If a patron has a favorite hostess, he may request her for an additional fee. Big spenders may allow more than one hostess per guest to join them at their tables or booths. They may also allow the girls to rotate, giving more girls the opportunity to earn fees. (Some places automatically rotate the hostesses in order to run up the bills of their customers; a ploy that yakuza controlled places routinely use on naive customers, including foreigners.) Night clubs generally allow patrons to choose whether or not they want the company of hostesses — a concept introduced into the mizu shobai by the founders of the first postwar night clubs in the late 1940s, most of whom were foreigners, including some Americans. These clubs also catered to husbands and wives or girl friends, while cabarets were (and most still are) exclusively for men. Other points that have traditionally separated cabarets from all the other forms of nomiya is that they are mostly patronized by middle-aged and other businessmen, and for the most part they bill the companies of their clients for payment rather than collect cash from them on an individual basis. This means that the average cabaret customer must establish his credentials and credit before he can charge his bills. If the individual represents a known company this is usually easy to do. He introduces himself in advance, sometimes with an introduction from someone who is already a regular customer, presents his name card to the cabaret manager, and is thereafter a customer with a credit rating. The individual's position in the company (title) and the size of the company are fairly clear indications of how much he is authorized to spend on each visit to the cabaret, and this is understood by the cabaret and generally not abused (prices are often more or less understood rather than being set). THE IZAKAYA (EE-ZAH-KAH-YAH) PUBS One type of drinking establishment that originated during the Edo period (1603-1868), but was modernized in the 1970s, is known as izakaya (ee-zah-kah-yah), which were working men's taverns in the old days but are now popularly referred to as pubs, and cater especially to the young who have modest entertainment budgets. Today's izakaya mix the traditional Japanese tavern and the fast-food restaurant concept in a combination that attracts the young in droves. There are many izakaya chains, with Yoro no Taki (Yoe-roe no Tah-kee) being the largest (and rapidly spreading to the American West Coast). Yoro no Taki has some 1,800 branches in Japan , most of which are franchises. The big attraction of the izakaya are the low prices for the basic alcoholic beverages (sake, beer and shochu), good solid food and the fact that they cater to women as well as men. The main food items at Toro no Taki are sashimi, yakitori, pot dishes, salads, melted cheese on tofu or shrimp, turkey nuggets, and ravioli. "SINGING BARS" One of the most popular types of bar in Japan today is, of course, the karaoke (kah-rah-oh-kay) bar, or bars that provide microphones, sound equipment and tape-decks for patrons who want to sing to the company of orchestra-like music. Karaoke means "empty orchestra," and refers to the illusion that the singer is performing with a live orchestra. There are thousands of such bars in Japan , and it is a matter of personal pride that everyone who goes into such a place try his or her hand at singing in public. Most Japanese practice singing several songs in private (often for years) so they won't be embarrassed when they are called on to perform in public. Singing in a karaoke bar means more to most Japanese businessmen than just having a good time. Besides relieving stress and providing personal satisfaction, such performances are seen by many as important to one's overall character and personality — as an accomplishment that is similar to such traditional but now rare arts of calligraphy, and composing haiku poetry, which were marks of cultural attainment. In explaining the importance of the karaoke bars to foreign guests, the Japanese businessman will often say that you must understand karaoke in order to understand the Japanese, and that if you truly want to communicate with them you must learn how to sing along with them as well as perform on your own. There is a great deal of validity to this firmly held and often expressed belief which obviously accounts for the number and popularity of such bars. The fact that very few Westerners, particularly Americans, can carry a tune much less sing decently, is a social handicap when they are in Japan visiting or on business. My advice is to learn at least one song, even if it is as simple as "Old Grey Mare" or "I've Been Working on the Railroad." Notwithstanding all of the new and different kinds of drinking and carousing establishments Japan , cabarets remain the favorite of middle-aged and older men who can afford the cost because they combine drinking with the attention of very attractive young women who are either available or work very hard to give that impression. Even though cabaret customers may not end up trysting with their favorite hostesses, they go back time and again for the sexual lift they get— and end up drinking an awful lot of alcohol. For nowhere in the world have the purveyors of male-oriented "recreation" become more skilled at "selling sex in a glass" than the operators of Japan 's cabarets and their cadre of hostesses __________________________________ Copyright © 2009 by Boyé Lafayette De Mente The author was the first to write about Japan ’s nighttime entertainment trades, in a book entitled Bachelor’s Japan, first published in 1961. A Japanese language edition of the book resulted in controversial coverage in weekly magazines and on television, with many writers and talk show hosts and their guests deploring the fact that the author had revealed to foreigner readers how the nighttime trades worked. De Mente later published Mistress-Keeping in Japan , now available on the Internet as an ebook.