Image via YouTube
Nomihoudai is an all-you-can-drink experience in Japan, making it our new favorite word and potential pastime. In all fairness, it's our new favorite everything.
Digg spotted a wonderfully fun video from YouTube's Stu in Tokyo, a channel that chronicles the life of a Tokyo local "who enjoys making silly videos."
In the latest romp through the city, Stu joins forces with YouTube's JHillLife to introduce the world to a practice we are just hearing about.
According to the video, there is an option at some bars called nomihoudai, which allows patrons to imbibe as much alcohol as they would like over the course of two hours, although the two note that this is more like an hour and a half.
The grand total of money you need to part with might differ from place to place. But these two proclaim it costs all of 1,000 yen, or about $8.40.
Here is how it all went down according to a slightly NSFW video:
If you are in the market for a gluttonous experience that may or may not lead to sudden onset forgetfulness, this is your place.
Of course, this one trip to the bar might very well lead to ignoring any and all grand plans you may have had for the rest of the day. But sometimes you just need to unwind in the quickest and most fiscally efficient manner possible.
This would just about do it.
The dynamic duo illustrates all stages of inebriation in the brief video. From the initial small talk to the courage both finally garner for ordering, this video has it all.
There are funny faces, gibberish and a handy drunk meter to follow along in the shenanigans.
If that weren't enough, we get to see all the wonderfully weird items that were ordered, giving us an immediate fit of jealousy that we aren't also in a town that offers such an experience.
Japan Talk has a bit more on the practice and what you can expect as far as time constraints: "Nomihoudai are usually limited to either 90 or 120 minutes. Izakaya can be quite aggressive in their assessments of this time. It may begin the second you enter the door before you even order. You'll be asked for your last order about 20 minutes before the end."
We have to echo the article, which states that time tends to fly when you are imbibing mass quantities.
Now we haven't enjoyed what is essentially a figurative keg stand of Japanese cocktails, but we have thoughts on how you might survive.
• Eat well so that you can at least give your stomach some measure of armament against the onslaught of alcohol.
• Know your usual limits. Like eating a huge meal in record time, it will take a moment for your body to catch up and realize what you just drank. If you are a six-drink kind of person, this is not the moment to suddenly become a 10-drink giant.
• Record your adventure and share the debacle so that we might laugh with you.
For the rest of us, we are staring bitterly across the pond to a brilliant country that understands the value in affordable binge drinking.
Japan, you get us.
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