At the interstices: Drinking, management, and temporary groups in a local Japanese organization

Eyal Ben-Ari*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

This essay represents an analysis of a b�?nenkai which took place in December of 1982. B�?nenkai, sometimes translated as ‘forgetting-the-hardships-of-the-year parties’, are year-end parties held, for example, in Japanese companies and workgroups, in student clubs or among the a faculty of university departments (for examples see Lebra 1976: 118-9; Matsumoto 1970: 26; Skinner 1978: 463). The b�?nenkai which is to be analysed here was organized by the Joint ‘Sports Promotion Committee’ of two communities in the city of Otsu (population 250,000) which lies just east of Kyoto. Twenty people participated in this gathering which lasted for over four hours, and which - like many drinking occasions in Japan - included a rich array of activities: formal and informal toasting, merrymaking, joking and singing, as well as more ‘practical’ pursuits such as gossiping, exchanging information and politicking.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationJapan at Play
Subtitle of host publicationThe Ludic and the Logic of Power
PublisherTaylor and Francis
Pages129-151
Number of pages23
ISBN (Electronic)0203996569, 9781134609468
ISBN (Print)0415215013, 9780415379373
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2005

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2002 Selection and editorial material, Joy Hendry and Massimo Raveri; individual chapters the contributors.

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