[RickOShay]

I need to add something to this... now I KNOW that japanese underage drinking rules are a complete joke. I was out with 3 of my buddies, and a random bunch of high school girls just invited themselves over to our table and joined us... not only were they in the izakaya, then had clearly been drinking, and openly talked about that fact that they were in high school in front of the wait staff.. who still readily dished out the alcohol to them. I was like WOW.. its one thing to buy shit at a conbini but to be allowed to be in an izakaya and be served alcohol without even a flinch... that really said something to me about how alcohol is viewed in Japan.