Nomikai: Japan's Office Drinking Culture Explained

Updated October 15, 2026 | By Tokyo Paul

Walk into any izakaya in Tokyo after work hours and there is a good chance you will spot a nomikai in full swing, a lively drinking party that brings coworkers together outside the office. Far from a stiff obligation, these gatherings are where some of the warmest connections in Japanese work life take shape.

The custom sits at the heart of Japanese workplace culture, treated as a natural extension of the job rather than something separate from it. Nomikai mark all kinds of occasions, from welcoming a new employee to celebrating a finished project, and attendance is encouraged as a way to build camaraderie rather than strictly required.

The custom even has its own nickname: nominication, a blend of nomu, the Japanese word for drink, and the English communication. The idea of drinking together as a deliberate way to build workplace relationships took hold during Japan's high growth years in the 1960s, and the term itself spread through the media in the 1980s after a widely read newspaper story described a manager who said he learned some of his best feedback from employees after a few rounds of beer. The logic behind it persists today: a round of drinks can loosen the usual hierarchy just enough for people to speak a little more freely than they would across a desk.

Showing up does not mean a big bill at the end of the night. Most nomikai charge a set fee upfront that covers food, drinks, and the venue, so the cost stays the same no matter how much a person actually drinks. Plenty of attendees enjoy the food and conversation while sipping something non-alcoholic, since simply being present is the point.

A few customs make the evening run smoothly. Pouring your own glass is considered a bit of a faux pas, since the custom is to pour for others, especially those senior in the group, and to hold a glass with both hands when receiving a pour. The night almost always opens with the same friendly request, toriaezu biiru, meaning beer for now, a simple way to get everyone a drink before deciding what comes next.

Once glasses are filled, everyone waits for the group toast before taking the first sip, raising their glass together and calling out kanpai. When the main gathering wraps up, a smaller crew often heads to a second spot for the nijikai, or afterparty, keeping the night going at a new izakaya or bar with a more relaxed crowd.

Attitudes toward all this have been shifting. A survey by Nippon Life Insurance found that 56.4 percent of workers considered nominication unnecessary, a share that has crept up year over year, and the gap was sharpest along gender lines, with far more women than men saying they would rather skip it. Companies have taken notice, and turning down an invitation without much explanation has become far more socially acceptable than it once was, even if the old pull toward bonding over a few drinks has not disappeared completely.

Big celebrations like the year end bonenkai and the New Year shinnenkai can bring an entire office together, often closing with a rhythmic group clap called ippon jime to mark the occasion. For visitors curious about Japanese work culture, joining a nomikai even once offers a genuinely fun window into how colleagues become friends over good food and a shared toast.