All countries have a legal drinking age, and many drinking laws within. Underage drinking is frowned upon, and it often becomes a source of rebellion in teens. Drinking frequently, also, is sometimes frowned upon and these people can be seen as “drunks” by some in society.

Japan, though a very strict and rule-abiding society, is surprisingly loose when it comes to alcohol. Though there are underage drinking laws, this is more of a convention to follow Western societies rather than definite rules. And, though people under 20 – Japanese legal age – cannot buy liquor from stores, they can get it from vending machines, which don’t (yet) have the ability to check IDs. Parents often allow their children to drink sake, or Japanese rice wine, at celebrations (of which there are many) even in public. The interesting side-effect of this, however, is it becomes much less of a source of teenage rebellion than it is in other countries. If your parents have given you something, even if it is technically illegal, from a young age, how is it rebellious?

Similarly, going drinking after work is not just a norm, it’s almost expected. The bar is a place for colleagues to get to know each other without the constraints of the strict Japanese hierarchy. It is where you can air opinions to your superiors, or conduct business in a more relaxed environment. And, when you are in a bar, it is customary to have a drink to relax the atmosphere. This does not mean getting drunk, per se, but rather a physical way of shaking off strict protocol. As the Japanese have an extensive public transportation network of subways and trains as well as taxies, alcohol-related driving collisions are much less of a problem.Strange question, but has anyone ever been drinking at a “business man’s” bar in Japan?

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