Wordless Wednesday: New Drink in Town

By Nanto Brewery

End of the Year Party: The Family at a Karaoke House

It's Called a Bonenkai in Japan

 

 

A site named Gurunavi says, "Use extreme Caution and Reckless Abandon."

Company workers and students only, attend these things, up in Japan. Not families.

Down in this southern prefecture, we do things differently; families hold them, too.

Going out with the camera on 18 hour days, Friday and Saturday, I decided to take a break.

The family was holding a bonenkai, Sunday night at a karaoke room Ishikawa.

Caution with the camera, sounded like a good idea so, I didn't bring one along. Big mistake !

As soon as, I walked into the place, I wished I had brought along a camera.

Karaoke boxes, I have been in before but, had never experienced a karaoke house.

 Waiting for all the rest of the family to show, I gave myself a tour.

All the rooms in the hallway, looked the same, to me; you could get lost in there.

Once, we got our reserved room, I counted the doors, from the front desk, to my room.

It's important, to know your way to and from the toilet if, you start drinking too much !

The room, we would be in, holds about twenty guests and, there were eighteen of us.

Not pictured, are the two karaoke TV screens and the telephone, for ordering stuff.

This photo was taken, across the isle from our room so, nothing would be moving.

The camera was, my cell phone, which isn't ideal for any type of photography IMHO.

In one of these fine establishments, your shoes are kicked off and left at the door. 

Some people stack theirs up on the shoe shelf, I keep my flip-flops handy.

There would be ten grandkids and eight adults bouncing around in there.

Massive quantities of food and alcohol would be consumed from 6-10PM.

The children do most of the singing and dancing, for the first hour or, so.

After awhile, they get restless and, go out near the front desk to watch movies and play.

 Then, the adults, practically have the whole place to themselves, the reckless Abandon stuff.

It was good, in some respects, not to have to be the cameraman for this event.

But, my eighteen year old granddaughter, seems to be interested in learning the trade.

 

 She nabbed this photo of the daughter-in-law and, I having a tender moment.

We were checking to see if, my Orion Beer Baby has started kicking, yet.

No drastic movements were detected but, it does gurgle and burp, every now and then !

Because I, have always been out shooting events, I had never attended this annual function before.

It was such a blast, I told the wife, to mark my calendar, way in advance next year.

That's because, I never want to miss a bonenkai with the family, again !


More About Bonenkai in Japan:


Japan Guide: Bonenkai and Shinnenkai

Japan Talk: Forget the Year Parties in Japan (Bonenkai)

Japan Times: Bonenkai season a blast for some, drag for others

Wildlife Photo (Bird) Mejiro in Cherryblossoms (桜) and Some Lindsay Lohan Stuff

The Japanese White Eye (Zosterops japonicus) is called a Mejiro, in Japanese. They are fast flying little birds that feed on insects but have a thing for sweet nectar, as well.  I'd have used the term "sweet tooth" but even Lindsay Lohan knows birds don't have teeth, I reckon, anyway.

Back to the birds who fly: The Mejiro really do flit and fly around too fast to catch a good shot with a camera, most of the time. But, when the cherryblossoms (桜) bloom they just can't resist them. And they'll slow down or stop for just enough time to focus on them and you can take a quick portrait.

Once the cherryblossoms are gone, for some reason, you have a hard time catching these birds.  I'm not sure if there's some kind of alcohol or drugs in the blossoms that make the birds act that way. Maybe we should ask Lindsay Lohan, she may know. Anybody seen her lately?

Drinking and Driving in Japan: An Insider's Tips

Don't Drink And Drive. Don't Ride With A Drinker, Either!

If you happen to be out drinking alcoholic beverages with your friends and one of them is driving, grab a taxi for yourself and your friend. One or two drinks is all it takes to get you a ride to the slammer. Recently updated laws now hold passengers in a vehicle responsible for the drinking driver's conduct (or should I say misconduct?). So even if you were not drinking, but were hitching a ride with someone who was, you can be sent to jail for three years and fined about $50,000 as an accomplice to their crime.

Taxi fare is much cheaper. Even better than a cab, there's a service called Daiko, where a team takes your car and drives it home for you. Both you and your automobile are deposited, safely at home and you don’t have to worry about getting arrested or trying to figure out where your ride went the next day.

PHOTO BY JAROD SAMPSON