私はお酒が好きです、というわけで今回はお酒のはなしです。お酒というのは、種類のみならず、飲むスタイルや肴に至るまで地域によってずいぶんと違いがあるものなのです。ご多分に漏れず私が学生時代を過ごした札幌も大阪とはかなり違った文化がありました。そもそも母校である北海道大学がススキノ圏内にあること自体が勉学に励むという学生の本分からすれば非常に望ましくないです。とはいえ、そんな環境を我々が喜んで享受しないわけがありません。今の学生たちとは違い、我々の時代は飲んでばかりでありました。堅苦しいコンプライアンス的なものなどなかった時代ですから一気飲みは当たり前、というか周りは強制されずとも自らそれに飛び込んでいく変態ぞろいでありました。誰も頼んでいないのに自ら一気のコールをかけて自爆していくのですから手に負えたものではありません。医局時代にしても、私の医局は夕方５時を回るやいなや飲みに出撃していくのです。ほかの医局が５時からが仕事だなどと殊勝なことをのたまうのを尻目に次々飲みに出かけてしまうものですから、用事でやってきた他科の医員が呆然と空の医局の前で立ち尽くすのは日常茶飯事でありました。北海道というところは食べ物は美味しいのですが、酒についてはビールやウイスキーを除くとイマイチでした。そもそも道産子は酒を味わうよりも酔っぱらうことに主題を置いているフシがあるので、リカーコーナーでは巨大で安価なホワイトリカーが酒の主力として並んでいるイカれた土地なのです。初めて飲んだホワイトリカーはサッ〇ロソフトなる全然ソフトではない消毒用アルコールそのものの代物で、正しい人が飲んでよいものではないなという強烈な記憶があります。それを道産子たちは適当な割り材でごまかして飲むのです。北海道のどこの飲み屋にでもある番茶割りなるものは、割り材がなぜか番茶ではなくほうじ茶という時点でいろいろおかしいのです。そして道産子たちは花見だ観楓だと理由をつけては大阪のタコ焼き器以上に保有率の高い七輪を持ち出しては、あちらこちらでジンギスカンを肴に酒に興じるのです。少なくとも私の周りでは花など愛でている風流な人間などはおらず、ひたすらコップを空にすることに全集中しておりました。酒にまみれた学生時代でありましたが、歯学部の部活などで泊まりがけで宴会を行うことがちょくちょくありました。べろべろに酔っぱらい潰れている学生たちが、宴会がお開きになりさあ寝ようとなると、なぜか背筋が伸びていっせいに歯を磨きだすのです。そして磨き終わると元の酔っぱらいに戻り潰れなおすという何とも器用な習性がありました。歯学部あるあるではありますが、皆様におかれましても、酔っぱらっても寝る前にはきちんと歯を磨くことをお勧めします。
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I like alcohol. So, this time, I’d like to talk about drinking. Alcohol culture varies not just by type of drink, but also in the style of drinking and the food that accompanies it, depending on the region. Sapporo, where I spent my university years, was no exception?it had a very different drinking culture compared to Osaka.
To begin with, it was already quite problematic from a student’s perspective that my alma mater, Hokkaido University, was located within walking distance of Susukino, the city’s main entertainment district. But of course, we were more than happy to indulge in such an environment. Unlike students today, our generation did nothing but drink. It was a time when strict compliance rules didn’t exist. Downing drinks in one go was the norm?or rather, we were surrounded by maniacs who would willingly jump into such antics without needing to be pressured. People would shout out their own drinking chants and self-destruct, without anyone asking them to?completely out of control.
Even during my time in the medical department, as soon as the clock struck five in the evening, our department would head out drinking. While other departments claimed that their real work started at 5 p.m., we’d already be out the door. It was a common sight for doctors from other departments, who came by for some business, to find our office completely deserted and just stand there in confusion.
Hokkaido is known for its delicious food, but when it comes to alcohol?aside from beer and whisky?it’s a bit lacking. To begin with, people from Hokkaido seem more interested in getting drunk than savoring alcohol. The liquor shelves are lined with massive, cheap bottles of white liquor, making it a rather crazy place. The first white liquor I ever drank was something called “SappXro Soft,” which was anything but soft?it was practically rubbing alcohol. I vividly remember thinking, “This is not something a normal person should be drinking.” Yet the locals would mix it with whatever they had to make it palatable.
One popular drink you’ll find in any bar in Hokkaido is “bancha-wari,” which literally means “bancha tea mixed drink,” except it’s usually made with roasted green tea (hojicha), not bancha?strange, isn’t it?
The people of Hokkaido will find any excuse?like cherry blossom or autumn leaf viewing?to whip out their shichirin (portable grills), which are even more common there than takoyaki makers are in Osaka. They’ll throw on some Genghis Khan (grilled lamb) and drink the day away. At least in my circle, no one was admiring the flowers?we were fully focused on emptying our cups.
Those student years were drenched in alcohol. Our dental school club activities often included overnight drinking parties. At the end of these parties, when everyone was completely wasted and it was time to sleep, something curious would happen. All the drunken students would suddenly straighten up and begin brushing their teeth in perfect unison. And once they finished, they’d go right back to collapsing in their drunken stupor. It was a strangely skillful habit. I suppose it’s a common thing among dental students, but even for everyone else, I highly recommend brushing your teeth before bed?even if you’re drunk.
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