I went on the hunger strike yesterday for the Darfur genocide, and broke the fast at my Kocho sensei’s (school principal) BBQ. The sun went down, and the food went on the grill, and then: a feast! The Japanese style of BBQing is ‘always be grilling something’. They make small amounts of food all the time, so you get time to enjoy each dish. We started with skipjack and bonito sashimi (that students at my school caught using the school’s fishing ship), and moved onto grilled beef, chicken, and squid. The yakisoba came out last, and the beer flowed constantly.
Afterward, two teachers asked me if I wanted to go to a bar. I said sure and we went to a place around the corner. It turned out to be a hostess bar, which was a new experience for me. I had a gin and tonic and the two fellas ordered other drinks. Then, two women sat with our table and made conversation. I don’t know what to think about it. I felt a little uncomfortable in the situation, but it the custom has a long history in Japan.
I guess it’s what your enviroment exposes you to. I read a story from another ALT that said her students LOVED the smell of fresh fish (and she didn’t), but HATED the smell of pine (which she saw as pleasant). So, having a long history of something makes its people more accustomed to it.