[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by MMM

I have never heard of an area that had ropes to keep drunks from stumbling in the streets. I think different college towns have different cultures...and some are more extreme than others.

This has been pretty much the norm in every college town I`ve been to. At least along the main streets where the bars are. I`ve seen it in quite a few places. You could probably go through life without ever encountering it if you don`t go out bar hopping.

In general American society (what I have seen) even nodding off at a barstool is enough to get you 86ed. Slight slurring of words is enough or not walking straight is enough. You simply don't see people "passed out" or "sleeping" in public places in at least the parts of the US I have been in.

I`ll agree that you don`t see as many people sleeping out in public - but I still would say that on an average day you will spot a lot more people under the influence of something... And those who are under the influence of alcohol tend to be a LOT more drunk than the average in Japan.

Loud parties of college students or coworkers at izakayas is pretty common, at least in Osaka and other parts of Kansai. Calls of "iki iki" ("bottoms up") would be seen at Japanese bars and bar/restaurants where that would get a group kicked out in the US.

Yeah, but these are special events and chances are the person being egged on is someone who regularly drinks a lot. I took classes at two different universities in the US, and two in Japan. In the US, every weekend, sports event, day after tests, house to yourself, etc - there would be some kind of drinking event. This spilled over into high school, and there were plenty of high school parties of the same vein. There was plenty of chugging, and most of it was centered on getting someone who didn`t want to drink much as drunk as possible.
In Japan, there would be a get together of that sort at an izakaya once every month or two at most. It was more like once every semester (after exams) or if there was a special event like someone moving away.
Casual drinking (ie. a few drinks at a friend`s house or after work) is more common in Japan, but binge drinking seems to be more common in the US.
It seems to me that people drink less frequently in general in the US, but when they DO there is more of a tendency to overdo it. (in the younger set at least - I don`t know about the drinking culture in 35~40+ in the US....)

It`s a bit unfair to say that it would get a group kicked out in the US as I don`t think I`ve ever seen a real izakaya-like establishment in the US. It`s either a restaurant with a bar service to the side, or a bar with a bit of food served. Neither of which would fill the role of an izakaya.

I think you are comparing college town USA culture with all of Japan, and I don't think that is a fair comparison. Even my college town of Eugene, Oregon has a higher drinking "culture" than most non-college towns. However I don't think it is fair to say America has a more alcohol-orientated social cultural than Japan.

I don`t really think it is fair that Japan so often gets the reputation of being a country of drunks, with people passing out left and right. It is this reputation that seems to get linked to the US college town drinking culture - and they are completely different. The OP is going to be attending university in Japan. My guess is that US college town drinking is going to be a bit more familiar than some other examples that might work.