Launching Over Japan

Maybe it’s because spring is here, or maybe it’s because Japanese folk are settling into their new jobs. Whatever the reasons, 合コン(gokon) season has arrived. What exactly I am talking about? 合コン is the Japanese version of the “blind date”, except usually with all things Japanese, it happens in large groups. It is a way for single people meet without all the crazy searching and meeting and talking(and energy that goes into dating.) This is prearranged, usually by people in relationships, to get their pathetic friends hooked up so they no longer have to whine. For a couple of nights this month, I have been that “pathetic friend.” Here is my story.

I get a call from “Joe” on Monday. “Jason, are you free Friday night? My girlfriend “Kokonoko” wants you to come out to dinner on Friday. She is bringing her single friends. Hint, Nudge.” How am I to refuse such an offer. I usually spend my nights tending empty rice fields. I’m in.

So Friday night comes along and I arrive at the target location. The food for the evening is Okinawan and it’s supposedly spicy as hell. When I get up to the table, I sense some commotion. It seems the seating hasn’t been properly arranged yet. Usually, in gokon, the men and women sit across from each other and stare shyly, casting glances, while evil machinations take place to get them to pair up. Tonight was a little different. I was a foreigner, and therefore I needed to be seated in the middle of all the single girl action. This was a little unfair to “Yukitaro”, the other single chap who showed up a little later. I, however, wasn’t in the mood for complaining.

Since Japanese people are prone to work crazy unpaid overtime at the best of times, it took a full hour for everyone to arrive.

It’s hard to describe exactly what happened during this dinner, but I have a few select memories. There was heavy drinking, eating, phone number exchanging, and then Karaoke. I got a lot of time with each single girl, and was quite happen to find out both were college grads with a sunny dispositions. What I didn’t like so much was that they were both friends who participate in a number of clubs together. Oh, I can only imagine the fun should I get friendly with one, leaving the other holding the bag. Breaking up friendships is the best way to live one’s life.[/sarcasm] And what of “Yukitaro?” Wasn’t he getting any love? He did seem to be flirting away later at the karaoke. I discovered this was actually a group of friends. Three of them single, two of them women. I suppose I was a sacrificial lamb. Joy!

All in all, the evening great fun, and I made some new friends. I’m not sure whether or not I’ll be dating anyone from this crew, but you never can say. To be perfectly honest, I would say this was less of a 合コン、and more of a group of friends meeting up. Still, there was intentions for hooking up, so I will include it in 合コン territory.

I have another one of these events scheduled for tonight. We’ll see how it goes. If karma works the way it should, Yukitaro will get to sit next to two hot foreign girls.