How to drink sake correctly: features of a Japanese feast

Pour, drink and have a snack - this is not about the Japanese. Every action they take turns into a ritual, surrounded by legends and symbols. So drinking the national rice wine - sake - turned into a strictly regulated ceremony.

Of course, in the Middle Ages the ritual of serving sake was much more complicated; these days the hostess of the reception no longer warms the bottle of sake with her body heat, but there are still a lot of conventions left. If you want to have a real Japanese meal or you are invited to drink a couple of bowls of sake with the Japanese, preparation is necessary.

Sake varieties

First we need to decide what we will drink. Sake is a multifaceted drink, and there are many types of it. Sweetish sake with a fruity, floral aroma; semi-dry sake with a fresh taste; sake with a slight minty smell and a rich, soft taste; Spicy sake of light golden color, nutty taste, with the smell of sherry. The best varieties contain the taste of aged cheese, soy sauce and fresh mushrooms. The most widely used varieties of purified sake are “seishu”. It is colorless and tastes like sherry, but some prefer the more ancient unrefined sake “nigorizake” - yellowish in color and somewhat bitter in taste. There are a lot of sake varieties, and the main criterion for a beginner will probably be how it will be on the table, heated or chilled. Usually, in hot weather, they drink cool, sweet sake, and when there is bad weather outside, they drink warm, spicy sake.

Dictionary of youth slang - kanpai kampai

Fans of anime culture try to study the Japanese language, or, in extreme cases, memorize several dozen of the most commonly used words from there. However, not everyone has the patience for such a “feat”, so many people have a lot of questions about certain expressions and terms. On our website terminy.info we will try to answer many of your questions. I advise you to add us to your bookmarks so that you can visit us more than once. Today we will talk about another interesting word, this is Kampai

from Japanese, which means you can read a little lower. However, before I continue, I would like to recommend that you read a few more informative publications on anime topics. For example, who is Aniki, what does Shojo mean, what is Gomenasai, what does Ururu mean, etc.

So let's continue, what does Kampai mean?

from Japanese?
Kampai
is a universal Japanese toast, which is a wish to “drink to the bottom”

Kampai is the equivalent of "cheers" or "cheers".

The Japanese say that " Kampai

“, this is when they toast with cups or glasses. This word literally means “your glass is empty.”

I would like to note that although the word “kampai” is often used in Russian, it is more correct to use the term “kanpai”, since it is closer to the Japanese version.

Many people ask what the correct spelling for the word "Kampai" is. How to spell it, Kampai or Kanpai

? I would say both options are correct. As long as you put your heart into these words, when you say them with expression, you are doing the right thing!

In » Kampai Sake Box

" decided to use the letter "m" instead of "n" simply to follow the same spelling as the export promotion campaign led by the Japanese National Tax Agency "
Kampai
" to the world.

But remember, never say "KENPAI" instead of "KAMPAI". The word "Kenpai" is used during funerals and memorial services for toasts to respectfully send off the deceased. If you ever attend a Japanese funeral service, just raise your glass and say " Kenpai"

“, without clinking your glass.

Recently, some Japanese words have become part of our everyday language: sayonara, bento, miso, wasabi, tsunami, typhoon, tycoon, etc. One day I hope that “Kampai” will become part of the Russian language, and take its rightful place , next to other toasts, “to your health”, “your health”, “we will”, etc.

After reading this simple article, you will now know Kampai translation from Japanese

, and you will no longer find yourself in a difficult situation the next time you discover this word.

Subtleties of heating

The heating temperature for sake can be varied from 5 to 55 degrees, depending on the type of drink and the desires of the person drinking it. To heat sake, it is poured into a special ceramic vessel - “tokkuri”, a jug with a narrow neck with a capacity of 180 or 360 ml, and placed in a water bath. Some particularly advanced restaurants use a microwave oven for this purpose. The main trick here is not to overheat the drink, otherwise there is a danger that the sake will lose its exquisite taste and aroma.

There are several degrees of heating

  • “hinatakan” (“sunny”) – 30°С
  • “itohadakan” (“human skin”) – 35°C
  • “nurukan” (“slightly warm”) – 40°C
  • “jokan” (“warm”) – 45°С
  • “atsukan” (“hot”) – 50°C
  • “tobikirikan” (“extra”) – 55°C

Nomikai (Japanese: 飲み会)

For the Japanese, drinking is a way to bring people together to increase honesty and unity . On a personal level, it is a way to meet new people and strengthen connections. Drinking parties among work colleagues, known as nomikai, are a way to network and build rapport with colleagues without worrying about hierarchical barriers.

Nomikai (Japanese: 飲み会) is a drinking phenomenon characteristic of Japanese culture. Nomikai is part of the culture for most workplaces, from schools to nightclubs. They are most often held in restaurants or izakayas, usually with everyone sitting at one large table or occupying a separate part of the room.

Attending does not necessarily mean that a person will drink any alcohol, and participants usually pay a set amount for food, drinks and venue regardless of consumption. Any remaining money is usually used to organize the next nomikai

Japanese companies consider nomikai an important part of team building. Although attendance is not strictly required, missing a team nomikai can be perceived as a problem and is generally viewed negatively.

COVID-19 fears. A Tokyo company encourages employees to drink online.

Nomikai are held to commemorate a wide range of events, including the completion of major projects, the achievement of established goals, founding anniversaries, school sporting events, the arrival of new employees, and the retirement of senior employees. There is always at least one organizer (幹事) responsible for preparing the venue. This is not usually the person or people in whose honor the nomikai is held.

Many organizations use any excuse to schedule nomikai, such as milestones, welcome parties, and farewell parties. There are also annual nomikai such as bonenkai or hanami team parties.

With the exception of year-end bōnenkai (忘年会), most nomikai are made up of workers from a single section or department. In the case of bonenkai, all members of the entire company may be present. In large companies, however, separate bōnenkais are often the norm for each department. Additionally, there may be both types of bonenkai on different dates. For example, one day a math bōnenkai might be created, and the next week a school-wide bōnenkai for all teachers.

Cups under a microscope

They drink sake from small special bowls - “sakazuki”, made of clay, glass or wood. Some extreme drinkers prefer to drink from small wooden tubs; they are made from cryptomeria, an evergreen Japanese coniferous tree. It is believed that the pine needles will favorably emphasize the taste and aroma of sake. But drinking from these tubs is extremely difficult; it takes years of training to do it gracefully and slowly. There is a third type of glassware for sake, the most familiar to Europeans - small glass glasses, from which sake began to be drunk only in the 20th century. All the dishes are small, for example the most popular - Sakazuki - with a capacity of 30-40 ml. And the container is not filled completely - only 2-3 small sips.

[LEXICA] naming

The first sushi bars in Russia, namely in the capital, appeared in the mid-90s. Of course, back then sushi was an exotic product and cost a lot of money.

But in the early 2000s, the first democratic sushi bar “Yakitoriya” appeared (by now, however, it had switched to a wealthier target audience), from which the active development of Japanese cuisine restaurants in the middle price segment, especially its chain representatives, began.

And if at first Japanese cuisine seemed unusual and truly exotic to us, today it has become almost everyday. The number of sushi bars is huge, but their popularity is not decreasing. Therefore, it is not surprising that more and more new sushi bars are appearing, for which it is necessary to come up with a name that can stand out from the long list of existing ones.

In the naming of restaurants and cafes specializing in Japanese cuisine, certain trends can be traced. Obviously, the name must be somehow connected with Japan, but the connection with the Land of the Rising Sun can be conveyed in different ways. If we analyze the restaurants and sushi bars presented on the Russian market today, we can classify their names as follows:

  • Gastronomic names. Namely, all sorts of attempts to play on the word sushi: Planet Sushi; Sushi City; Moscow-sushi; Sushi Shop; Sushistore, Sushi bar; Sushi Time; Sea of ​​land; Sushi paddles; Give me some sushi; Sushi-chka; Dryer…
  • Japanese names, that is, the use of words and phrases in Japanese: Gin no Taki; Yakitoria; Kampai; Tanuki; Wasabi; Netsuke; Take; Yoshi; Wabi Sabi; Onigiri; Murakame; Niyama...
  • Associated names:
  • Japosha, Jap, Little Japan; Sakura; Sakura blossom; Two sticks; Rice Ninja; Rice; Haiku; Geisha; Cheerful Buddha; Two samurai; Yellow Sea…

How to pour

So, the sake is heated, the dishes are on the table. We can begin. But before that you need to pour the sake into bowls. Two people are required to participate in this process. One pours, and the second lifts his cup and places it under a thin stream of sake. Filling your own glass is considered indecent.

You must hold the bottle with both hands, you cannot grab it by the neck, but you cannot grab it from the bottom either. Tokkuri usually have small indentations on the sides, so use them as a guide.

Under no circumstances should a drop be spilled during bottling. And you need to pour it in a thin stream, slowly, slowly, then a little faster, and at the end slowly again. And one more thing: after you pour the sake into the cup, lower the bottle correctly. You need to lower the bottom of the bottle without lifting the neck up. And at the same time rotate it, bringing it to a vertical position. Then there will be no drops from the neck.

Drinking with management is common

Sake is a Japanese vodka. Kinds.

There is such a saying in Japan. If you want to move up the corporate ladder, you need to be able to drink. Drinking with colleagues is an integral part of Japanese tradition. It's quite common for Japanese bosses to invite co-workers over for drinks after work because it allows people to show their true selves outside of the workplace.

In Japanese offices, personal conversations are usually kept to a minimum, meaning that social events are the only opportunity for co-workers to get to know each other on a more intimate level. If you're in Japan on business or trying to land a Japanese client, you'll probably be invited to have a drink or two (or a lot more) with them.

Whether you are an employee or a potential partner, you need to politely agree if the boss (client) asks you out (some might say attendance is mandatory), it shows your dedication to the work relationship.

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Everything is very slow

The ceremony of drinking sake is characterized by everything slow, viscous, unhurried. Slow small sips from the cup, smooth movements, leisurely filling of bowls... The Japanese can sip sake for hours while snacking on seafood. Usually these are dried squid, dishes made from eel, tuna, caviar and sea urchins. An absolutely necessary attribute is small Japanese sushi sandwiches.

The reasons for a leisurely feast can be things that are not entirely clear to a European, for example, admiring the moon, flowers blooming in spring, the first snow that has fallen...

Nomihodai

Nomihodai offers everything you can drink!

Hodai means 'all you can' and Nomi means 'drink'. Put them together and you get “as much as you can drink”, i.e. The holy grail of drunkenness.

Nomihodai is another unique phenomenon in Japan. Like tabehodai, nomihodai is an unlimited drink offered by some bars, restaurants and izakayas.

Like the all-you-can-eat plan, you are given a certain time limit and can try as many different alcoholic drinks as you like. Menus often come in different tiers, meaning you may end up paying more for access to more expensive drinks. Basic tiers will typically offer beer, wine, sake, and a selection of cocktails, while higher prices will offer whiskey, cognac, vodka, and stronger spirits.

The dumbest cafe robbery in 2021. Japan

If that weren't incentive enough, nomihodai plans can be incredibly cheap! They start around 800 yen and usually peak at around 2000 yen (about $7-$18). A good deal for those who want to have a good time without going into debt.

Whoever is older pays.

In keeping with Japan's obsession with hierarchy, the senpai usually pays the bill for food and drink.

This is due to the Japanese custom that a high position is synonymous with seniority in the company. Salaries also typically increase the longer a person works for a company, so it is considered a virtue when the person with the highest position and the largest salary pays the bill. Sometimes, you may see senior colleagues fighting with each other to pay the bill!

But with that said, you should at least offer to pay your share. This is seen as a sign of respect and will prevent you from looking like a freeloader. In most cases, however, senpai will usually pay before you have a chance to pull out your wallet. Just be sure to say thank you and bow a couple of times!

Thank you very much.

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Japanese people can be very loud

45 Amazing Facts About Japan

The Japanese have a reputation for being polite, quiet and reserved, but if you're invited to a real Japanese drinking session, you'll see a completely different side of them.

Japanese culture focuses on the work ethic. I think many of you have heard that the Japanese work very hard and have little rest. In Japan, there was even a special term Karoshi (過労死) , which means “death by overwork.” To relieve tension, they learned to relax after work. The Japanese talk, laugh and drink all night long, usually loudly and noisily. Walk past any karaoke pub at night and you'll see the "hired men" belting out tunes while everyone in the bar cheers them on.

Photo illustration, drunk

Drinking sessions can sometimes last all night, and it is not uncommon to see drunks passing out late at night, sleeping on park benches or in cafes.

Bureiko. What happens in an Izakaya stays in an Izakaya

In the Japanese workplace, hierarchy and organizational structure are of great importance. It is very rare for kohai to communicate directly with senpai; instead, information usually passes through a long chain of managers.

However, these rules go out the window during a party ( nomikai) when the drinks are flowing. In Japanese culture, drinking together is considered acceptable and even necessary so that the kohai and senpai can interact in a more relaxed atmosphere. This is what is known as Bureiko , and this is one of the few times when young people freely communicate with bosses in higher positions.

Bureiko is a Japanese term for minor rule breaking that usually occurs at work parties, known as nomikai. After a few drinks, everyone starts to relax, like a pot of melted cheese. They will not shy away from discussing anything or everything under the sun.

Bureiko can sometimes go a little further, when some employees use a random situation to criticize the company's strategy or actions, and can openly discuss their own and others' personal lives in indiscreet detail. Fortunately, employees usually receive complete forgiveness in such situations, and all criticism is usually forgotten by the time the next work day arrives! It is forgotten, but the subtext is not.

Buteyko is widely seen as a valuable alternative reality from the rigid rules that traditionally govern Japanese business situations. This allows ideas to flow more freely and teams to come together

Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. The obsession with vending machines is well known, you can even find hotels and restaurants run entirely by robots.

When drinking in Japan, many places, especially in tourist areas, offer an automated touch screen service for ordering your drinks (like McDonald's). There is usually an English language option for tourists.

Alcoholic drinks can be purchased from vending machines, but if you are under 20 years old, you will need ID to prove you are of legal age before you can make a purchase!

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