Learning to drink, becoming a social adult. The space of sociality reinvented in work-drinking parties (nomikai) in a post-pandemic Tōkyō

Abstract

Social drinking and alcohol consumption are oftentimes connected with leisure which, by definition, is the time one is not working. However, the culture of leisure activities in Japan is not always opposed to work. For instance, post-work drinking sessions or "drinking parties" (nomikai) have become an incredibly effective way to cultivate successful working relationships, transforming individuals' free time into an extension of their work. A work in which, in addition, it is often mandatory to engage in alcohol consumption. The pandemic of Covid-19 forced many countries of the world to put a stop to social life, giving people a chance to quit drinking. In Japan, the government tried to contain the spread of infections by approving measures that would discourage social gatherings suggesting restaurants and shops to avoid selling alcohol. This affected the well- established nomikai culture greatly, also provoking a drop in the country’s economy. As soon as lockdown measures were starting to become less strict a campaign named "Sake Viva!" was launched by Japan's National Tax Agency. The campaign aimed to reach out to the too-sober youth (20-39 years old) to ask them for ideas on how to encourage people - especially young people - to consume more alcohol. But are young adults drinking less than pre-Covid era? My research aims to try to shed light on Japan’s drinking culture by trying to understand how alcohol consumption is currently considered and faced by Japanese young shakaijin - the social adults - in Tōkyō.