Oktoberfest 2012: Yokohama, Japan

whoop whoop!!!

I know what you are all thinking... Oktoberfest in Japan???  Well, think again... it was a blast! The Japanese know how to do it up! We went on the last day of the festival which had already been going on for a few weeks. Yokohama is about a 30 minute train ride from the base and I went with a group of friends... some beer drinkers... most not! We got there before they even opened the gates and we were wrapped in a very long line... once they opened the gate it was a mad dash to get a seat in the tent near where the band would be... by the time we got in we found a table outside and were quite content. There were sooooooo many beers... how to chose.... hmmm.... the coolest glass... brilliant!!!!! We went to a booth that had these cool looking glasses shaped like a boot with Japanese writing on them... but when we actually go them they only had English- mostly because it was the last day and they ran out... I drank the beer and returned the glass and got money back and I was off to find a cooler glass for a souvenir... the one in my hand is the one I ended up getting... it has the Yokohama ferris wheel on it and says Yokohama Brewery... that's pretty cool! The non-beer drinkers with me also wanted glasses and many of them got glasses filled with beer and then I drank it... this made for a very entertaining afternoon.. to say the least!

Me, Laura, and Lois

The food at any Oktoberfest anywhere in the world is not really catered towards us vegetarians... I knew this going in... I had a big breakfast!!! They did have soft pretzels which were my only option for food. It was the usual German food you would find at any beer festival... lots of sausages and other meats in that shape... don't ask me specifics... I have no clue! It was kind of funny to watch people eating sausages and bratwurst with chopsticks! It's the little things I find entertaining.

My new friends!!!

The band playing was great and the Japanese people really loved it and were getting into it. I wandered inside the tent so I could get closer to the tent and join in the fun! I found a table with an open seat and sat down... I was surrounded by Japanese people and when the band sang.. we sang along... in German... "eins, zwei, drei" and then after that we all clinked glasses and drank... When my friends came in to look for me, this is where they found me... so much fun!!!! The train ride home was fun as we (mostly just me) danced and sang with anyone who would humor me!

I heard they have another Oktoberfest in May up in Yokohama and I am hoping to be able to enjoy this with Damian!

Japanese Word of the Day: (I think I may have used this one before, but it's an important word)
Biru (beer-eww) *say it quickly: Beer

***Arigato gozaimus to Lois for taking pictures!!!! :) Even all these silly ones!!!!