Japanese Abstinence Society
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 468
Japanese Abstinence Society
I found this with Google News and thought it might be of interest:
Dealing with addiction: Japan's drinking problem | The Japan Times
We admit we are powerless over alcohol and we need help to break the habit.
We will participate in meetings and speak frankly about ourselves.
We will reflect on our mistakes and accept the damage that alcohol has caused.
We will strive to change and create a new life for ourselves.
We will repent for the trouble we have caused our families and others.
We will help others struggling with alcohol abuse by sharing the joy of abstinence.
Dealing with addiction: Japan's drinking problem | The Japan Times
We admit we are powerless over alcohol and we need help to break the habit.
We will participate in meetings and speak frankly about ourselves.
We will reflect on our mistakes and accept the damage that alcohol has caused.
We will strive to change and create a new life for ourselves.
We will repent for the trouble we have caused our families and others.
We will help others struggling with alcohol abuse by sharing the joy of abstinence.
— “Danshu no Chikai,” or “The Vow of Abstinence”
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Colorado
Posts: 3,474
Drinking Culture
Been there, drank that.
Japan is one hard Drinking Culture. Difficult to convey the permeation of Alcohol there in Society.
Part of the issue is that Housing is so expensive, any number of mid-level 'Salary Men' don't even go Home from their relentless Jobs until Saturday afternoon. A ~2+ hour Train ride each way is too daunting. So, they sleep at 'Capsule Hotels' where you slip into a lil 'Pod' with the essentials. There is tremendous pressure to 'fit in', and go out Drinking/Eating nightly with Office Colleagues. As the saying there goes: 'The Nail that stands up gets hammered down'. After hearing the ominous 'splat' of Alcoholic 'Hurl' on late night Trains, we learned to lift our Feet on curves to avoid 'the flow'. It becomes habit.
Japanese Capsule Hotels
Restaurants and Bars have Bottle Service, with Product held by personal initials in a nice Display Case. Johnny Walker was big. This is a Status Symbol when Groups go out with the Boss, or take out a Customer. At one private Dinner for 4 of us, a ~$300- of Suntory Whisky was brought out for me when I mentioned liking said Spirit. The Dinner was another $1200- on top of that. Karoake. Incredible Sushi. Women refilling your Glass after each sip.
The 'one upmanship' in Vending Machines is amazing. They dispense Beer/Sake/Wine/Whisky right on the Street, uncontrolled. And, in Hotel Hallways. The Beer sizes get large enough to be somewhat humorous.
Japanese Vending Machines
There is notable pressure on Housewives to neatly wrap up and tape even their Household Trash put Curbside. Yes, the unfathomable pressure to conform in that Culture applies even to Household Trash. And Drinking. Part of these Cultural Norms is that it allows ~120 Million Folks to amicably live in an area about the size of Montana [when I traveled to Japan]. 20+ million in Greater Tokyo alone.
In a phenomenon called 'Karoshi', Folks just up and die in Japan from Work Stress. Add Power Drinking to the mix...
'Karoshi' Work Death ~ Wiki
I can't imagine trying to get Sober there. Hats off to those who do.
----
Japan is one hard Drinking Culture. Difficult to convey the permeation of Alcohol there in Society.
Part of the issue is that Housing is so expensive, any number of mid-level 'Salary Men' don't even go Home from their relentless Jobs until Saturday afternoon. A ~2+ hour Train ride each way is too daunting. So, they sleep at 'Capsule Hotels' where you slip into a lil 'Pod' with the essentials. There is tremendous pressure to 'fit in', and go out Drinking/Eating nightly with Office Colleagues. As the saying there goes: 'The Nail that stands up gets hammered down'. After hearing the ominous 'splat' of Alcoholic 'Hurl' on late night Trains, we learned to lift our Feet on curves to avoid 'the flow'. It becomes habit.
Japanese Capsule Hotels
Restaurants and Bars have Bottle Service, with Product held by personal initials in a nice Display Case. Johnny Walker was big. This is a Status Symbol when Groups go out with the Boss, or take out a Customer. At one private Dinner for 4 of us, a ~$300- of Suntory Whisky was brought out for me when I mentioned liking said Spirit. The Dinner was another $1200- on top of that. Karoake. Incredible Sushi. Women refilling your Glass after each sip.
The 'one upmanship' in Vending Machines is amazing. They dispense Beer/Sake/Wine/Whisky right on the Street, uncontrolled. And, in Hotel Hallways. The Beer sizes get large enough to be somewhat humorous.
Japanese Vending Machines
There is notable pressure on Housewives to neatly wrap up and tape even their Household Trash put Curbside. Yes, the unfathomable pressure to conform in that Culture applies even to Household Trash. And Drinking. Part of these Cultural Norms is that it allows ~120 Million Folks to amicably live in an area about the size of Montana [when I traveled to Japan]. 20+ million in Greater Tokyo alone.
In a phenomenon called 'Karoshi', Folks just up and die in Japan from Work Stress. Add Power Drinking to the mix...
'Karoshi' Work Death ~ Wiki
I can't imagine trying to get Sober there. Hats off to those who do.
----
Trudgin
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,348
Originally Posted by ForgetfulKevin 
I found this with Google News and thought it might be of interest:
Dealing with addiction: Japan's drinking problem | The Japan Times
We admit we are powerless over alcohol and we need help to break the habit.
We will participate in meetings and speak frankly about ourselves.
We will reflect on our mistakes and accept the damage that alcohol has caused.
We will strive to change and create a new life for ourselves.
We will repent for the trouble we have caused our families and others.
We will help others struggling with alcohol abuse by sharing the joy of abstinence.
Dealing with addiction: Japan's drinking problem | The Japan Times
We admit we are powerless over alcohol and we need help to break the habit.
We will participate in meetings and speak frankly about ourselves.
We will reflect on our mistakes and accept the damage that alcohol has caused.
We will strive to change and create a new life for ourselves.
We will repent for the trouble we have caused our families and others.
We will help others struggling with alcohol abuse by sharing the joy of abstinence.
— “Danshu no Chikai,” or “The Vow of Abstinence”
Read the story - platform pizza!! Wow, new name for the ancient art of barfing......
Have a friend who nickname is Eljer - google that if you don't know it!!
Peace Kevin,
flynbuy
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
