Everybody has the first experience for anything, i'd like to talk about that with Japanese Sake.
It was back in 1991, flying to see my boyfriend-my hubby, now- in Tokyo from Korea.
Very dark Izakaya -Japnase sake bar/restaurant in the center of Shinjuku,
it was very crowded at that time, since it was spring time there were many groups who were celebrating their new enployees at their companies.
It is one of social tradition in Japan to have a drinking party for the newcomers
during the spring time, even to the universities.Usually it goes like this, people sit around a large table where lots of Japanese pupus and herecomes the sake!
You got to drink up whatever sake masu-wooden square sake cup-comes to you.
If you are the new comer, you can't say, " no." to any of those sake masu rushing towards you.
The place was very packed and very loud, everyone was singing loudly,- oh, Yes!, they got to sing, too. We sat a corner table-my husband and his friends and he asked me if i like to try some sake, let me tell you, my stomach was literally empty at that moment; i didn't eat anything for the whole day, but only some liquid in the airplane. I had to get up early in the morning and didn't have time to eat until i see my husband in the late evening.
I still remember the name of sake, my first sake-Bishonen (Handsome man),
drank it without any food. I was tired and hungry, kept drinking.
All of sudden, i felt 'Ouch!' on my forehead.
When i woke up? i was surrounded by lots of faces, looking very worried about me,
"Julie, are you OK?" adds my husband's face there, too.
My poor forhead still bears the scar of the evening.
What happened? I just passed out.
I never tried Bishonen ever since, but got to love Japanese Sake so much.