Enkai: Work and Business Dinners in Japan 2
In a recent post I gave you a little walk through the first party at an enkai, nomikai or business dinner in Japan. In this post I will set out what happens subsequent to the first stage.
At the end of the first party (ichiji-kai) senior managers and leaders, as well as women normally go home. For the rest, the evening rolls on. The second party (niji-kai) is usually held at a karaoke bar in the countryside, or in a karaoke box in the main centers.
People will continue drinking at the second party; either beer, whiskey, shochu or sake. The same rules as at the first party apply here – always make sure everyone has a full glass. Moving around pouring drinks for people is a good way to build up relationships. Never pour your own drink – in Japan doing this means you are drinking alone and thus, have no friends.
You will most certainly be asked, encouraged and cajooled to sing. Don’t worry too much if you can’t sing – giving it a go will give you far more kudos than sparing the audience the pain of your singing. Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra go down well and are easy to sing. The choice of songs is pretty naff anyway so ham it up and have some fun. If you are in Japan for a while learning a Japanese song is something that will pay off well in the long run.
Again, after 2 hours have passed, the second stage of the evening will be over. The third stage is for the young unmarried guys (although the more dedicated, hard drinkers from middle management may grace the third party with their presence) and often takes place at a hostess club. Despite the name, a hostess club is quite an innocuous place. It isn’t a whorehouse and you will get in trouble if you harass the hostesses. Traditionally in Japan contact between the sexes was extremely limited and places like hostess bars fill the gap. The hostesses pour drinks, listen enthusiastically to the most inane stories, and console Japan’s corporate warriors.
The third stage runs for another 2 hours and so wraps up at midnight. It can be perplexing to discover everyone is leaving just when things are starting to be fun but the strict timetable means that even the most inebriated participant can be on deck at 8:30 the next morning ready for anything.
Occasionally there will be a fourth party – a trip to a ramen (noodle) shop/ restaurant. These filling noodles are a good way to soak up the alcohol and stave off any hunger pangs, but the stock which normally contains pork or other meat is not at all vegetarian friendly. In the countryside a daikou or car pick up service is a good way to get home as Japanese law is quite unforgiving towards drink-driving. In the cities taxis are a reliable, if expensive option. Us mere mortals have to rush to make the last train or it can be a very long walk home.
Who pays for what is depends on who did the inviting in the case of an external dinner. If it is a teachers dinner the costs are divided, and can strike people new to Japan as being exorbitant but as an investment in good workplace relations it is well worth it. You either pay as you arrive – one of the junior staff members will collect the money, or a list will be passed around the office or teachers room in the following few days. If you are counting the pennies leaving after the second party is perfectly acceptable. If you have been invited out, offering to pay twice is good manners – you should be politely refused.
Terry Lloyd at daijob.com has a couple of articles on his experiences with business nomikais here and here. Youngfook has a darker look here and Tin Ear has a slightly more humours take here.
Have you had any interesting experiences at business dinners in Asia? Let us know in the comments!
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