[steven]

Nyororin I am completely baffled at your knowledge of that stuff... 0_0. It seems to explain a lot of things so I believe you.

I can honestly say that I've seen a LOT of drunk Japanese people. In California, I know my city has started adding more laws to stop drunks in public (around the bars), but I left before that happened, and I've never seen as many drunks as I have in Japan. That's just my small experience talking though.

In Japan I've seen people barfing and barely able to walk and completely slurring their speech... you name it. I've seen drunken boob grabbage and all kinds of stuff like that. I'm sure plenty of that goes on with college students in America still, but I can't imagine adults doing much of that stuff (especially like 40+ year olds). I've seen people falling off their stools, too... and all kinds of that stuff. I saw a drunk guy climb a tree and swing around in it once (like bear huggign the trunk and making it move around). The beauty of it all is that these people get rides home in taxis or in daiko taxis. The places where these people drink are also held responsible for any drunk driving, so they have to call the companies to take the drunken people home. Maybe it's just easier to get trashed with the comfort in knowing the people around you will take care of you so you (to an extent). On the weekends that I've gone out, I see at least one person drunkenly asleep in our small station (which is nuts in the winter). Most of the drinking I've seen people do here is something I'd classify as excessive (including myself). I've never really seen people drink in moderation (as in one or two and then it's over... even if that's the case, it's because they're plastered after one or two).

I have no idea about college life in Japan, but the study abroad students that I met in America never really binge drank. I only saw it on birthdays and going away parties (for the birthday person or going away-ee).