Konpa
It is often suggested that this word originally came from German: Kompanie, English: company, or French: compagnie, although the exact root is unknown.
[1] These gatherings are intended for developing friendships or deepening relationships with members of the same affiliated group or with the opposite sex that benefit Japanese socially in their careers and in their lives.
When Japanese university culture was first established during the Meiji period (1868–1912),[2] the custom of members of the same class or dormitory drinking together to deepen their bond of friendship began.
In recent years, young professionals continue to hold konpa even after graduation from a university, often to find a potential spouse, but the definition of konpa (as opposed to the all encompassing nomikai) restricts it to young people and is very rarely participated in after marriage.
Konpa are heavily planned, and an appointed organizer (termed kanji in Japanese) often seeks out the location, determines a time, and sets the price for each attendee.
The participants in the parties are pre-determined, and it is not typically accepted to attend or join in a konpa if one is not invited by the kanji.
As typical of Japanese drinking gatherings (see: nomikai), konpa often begin with an opening speech from a senior member or organizer and a toast.
[4] Drinks are brought in by a wait staff along with various types of snacks thought to go along with alcohol (termed tsumami in Japanese).
It is typical to have a time-restricted "all you can drink" period termed nomihōdai (or nomihō for short) that is paid for by a set fee.
This system is conducive to the heavy drinking prevalent among Japanese university students, which is viewed as a way of relaxing to permit more uninhibited conversation between attendees.
[6] It is an opportunity for incoming freshmen to meet members of various organizations in a socially risk-free environment that provides the aforementioned free drinks for the first few rounds of the shinkan konpa.
The cost of the freshmen’s drinks is typically spread evenly among group members, or is paid for through either organization funding or alumni.
It is common for the upperclassmen to test the tolerance limits of the attending freshmen by encouraging heavy drinking or chugging.
Japanese: zemi konpa (ゼミコンパ) The Japanese seminar course or zemi is a small focus group of students who, with a supervising professor, study a similar topic together in a course setting for two years and write a graduation thesis upon completion of the course.
Female participants in konpa behave in ways seen as feminine by modern Japanese university students, such as acting as caregivers and emphasizing manners.
[12] Likewise, male participants in konpa have a clear tendency to assume roles seen as masculine to Japanese university students, such as showing their bravery and physical strength.
Male students tend to take on the task of planning, deciding where to hold the konpa, and making the decisions during the parties.
It is improper for any participant to fill her or his own beer glass: this act is the responsibility of one’s neighbors, which can lead to everyone drinking more than they would otherwise.
