Dinner Parties

In Japan, people don’t seem to go for social gatherings at a typical bar as they would at home. Instead, Izakayas, where everybody goes, pays a flat rate, and is served a set menu for dinner and can drink as much as they want, are more popular. Drinks usually include soft drinks, beer, and sake.

Also unlike home, many teachers here, spend time celebrating together at work parties. In the English department, I know that the regular teachers (not so much the ALT) gives 3000 yen (about $35) to a sort of “party fund” that goes to paying for all of the social events throughout the year. So far, the end of summer vacation, winter vacation, and the end of the year in spring, seem to big hotspots for work celebrations.

Many of these enkais have been of the best experiences that I’ve had in Japan. They are great for getting to know my co-workers – especially the ones that aren’t English teachers and who I don’t see too often. Alcohol seems to relieve inhibitions on both sides of the language barrier.

In the last few weeks, we’ve had a couple of enkais. The first was a graduation celebration – mostly for the third year teachers who have been working extremely hard over the last few months to get students through their university entrance exams. I know one teacher, when I saw her one day and she looked terrible, said that she had been at the school until 1am the night before, only to be back at the school by 7 the next morning.

This was largest celebration that I’ve been to as I think every member of the school’s staff attended. It took place in a large tatami-mat hall – I think it’s called a “ryokan”, where we were all seated in groups at large round tables. Throughout the night, there were copious amounts of food served, including grilled fish, sashimi, nabe, salad, oysters, chicken, and plenty more food that I didn’t recognize. The food came out in separate courses – and kept coming; I barely ate any of the later courses because I was so full.

At this event, there was also a lot of ceremony involved, which was also something new to these celebrations. There were the usual toasts and speeches given by the administration staff, but this time, all of the third year teachers stood at the front of the hall and gave speeches (which I unfortunately could not understand). After each third year teacher had spoken, other teachers from the room went to the front to say something about each of the third year teachers. What was most impressive however, was after each speech, the presenter would raise his or her hands in the air and yell “Fleii” several times before everyone applauded. After the speeches were finished for each teacher, we all – maybe 70 or so teachers, got in a big circle, put our arms around each other’s shoulders and sang a song. At this point in the night, it was difficult to get any clear explanation of anything, and so, unfortunately, I still don’t really understand any of what happened.


I didn’t have my camera, but I did have the camera in my phone, which I used to take some videos. Click the links to see the videos.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtdszVL7V-c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9W5Ei-aQfA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJd3--yz0JU

The second event that was held recently was held between the English teachers at our school. There were eleven of us including me. The dinner was similar to the one before, except the place was also a hotel where we stayed the night. The rooms where we ate and slept were both tatami, and we both ate and slept on the floor. Again, great times.

There are usually certain points in each night however, where I, and the people that I’ve been speaking with throughout the night, need a break from communicating in our respective foreign languages. This break involves me sitting alone observing the Japanese people being Japanese – and I’m cool with this.

I’ve neglected to bring my camera these last few times, but at the last enkai, I did have my notebook in my backpack. I decided, during one of these “language breaks,” to sketch a bit of what was going on. You might think it odd for me to take out paper and pen, and begin sketching in the middle of a party, but I feel that in Japan, I am only one among many absurdities.

In this scene, the women teachers have all gone home and us men, are in our hotel room, sitting on the floor around a table, eating salty snacks and drinking booze, which the department’s party fund helped pay for.