Raise a glass

I'm not much of a wine drinker.  As a matter of fact, I'm not much of a drinker in general.  I always laugh when filling out a form at the doctor's office when they ask how much I drink.  There's never an option for "rarely pour myself one, but will almost always steal a couple sips from my husband's glass."  Frankly, sharing a glass with my husband is more my style, because left to my own devices, the drink is usually not finished.  But every once in a while, I like to have a nice glass of wine/beer/alcoholic beverage with dinner or out with friends. 

Consuming alcohol in Japan is a cultural norm.  The legal drinking age is 20.  There aren't open container laws like in the US, so you often see people partaking at the park, or even while sitting and waiting for a train.  It is however, considered not polite to walk around with any sort of food or drink, so the consumption is usually while sitting.  Since beer can easily be found in vending machines and convenience stores, obtaining alcohol is also easy.  Going out and drinking with co-workers and friends is very common, even more so than in the US (in my opinion). 

I've seen my fair share of drunk people in Japan over the years.  When I say drunk, I mean like falling over drunk and I'm worried that they are not going to make it home drunk.  But drinking to this excess seems like the exception and not the rule.  While it is "okay" to get drunk with your coworkers, no one is going to be talking about it on Monday.  The common reaction is "so-and-so just needed to let off a little steam." 

I don't particularly care for Japanese beer, which is most often lager.  However, I do like Chu-Hi, a shōchū highball consisting of shōchū (alcohol) and carbonated water flavored with lemon or other flavoring.  I'm also a huge fan of plum wine, better known as umeshu.  Sometimes I want to try something new, especially if it is local or unique in some way.

There is a winery in Oizumigakuen-cho that makes a few different types of wine.  They import their grapes from various areas in Japan (including Nerima) and make the wine in a little shop.  The winery is actually the very first winery in Tokyo!  There is a little (seats 6) tasting room attached to the fermentation room, with little windows to peek into the cold room.  Wine tends to not be as popular in Japan as other drinks, but those that do enjoy it take it very seriously.  I really liked how this particular winery emphasized their uniqueness with domestic grapes. 

My husband and I decided to try a glass of the Tokyo Special, with grapes from the Tokyo region.  When we drink red wine, it is bold and deep.  This wine was light and almost fruity.  It reminded more of a white than a red.  I really enjoyed it.  It would make a great complement to a fruit and cheese plate or a summer picnic.  Maybe when we break open the bottle we bought it will be on a picnic in the park.