Japan might have one of the lowest crime rates in the world, and also the highest life expectancy, but as you can see from these street photography shots of excessive alcohol consumption, that doesn't mean that the Japanese don't know how to party hard...although maybe a little too much.
The pictures were taken by Lee Chapman, a British photographer from Manchester and founder of the Tokyo Times who arrived in Tokyo in 1998 for "a year or two" and, well, never left. His revealing images shine a light on an element of life in this country that few people think about whenever they think of Japanese culture. We're used to pictures of colorful cosplayers and neon wonderlands. Still, these pictures of drunk Japanese people passed out in the streets in broad daylight or snoozing in potted plants introduce us to a different world of binge drinking entirely.
UPDATE: Although millions of people know how to drink responsibly, Bored Panda doesn't condone getting drunk and encourages everybody to enjoy themselves in moderation.
More info: Lee Chapman | Instagram
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So light compared to every thing we see in France everywhere and every day. Btw, were all these people okay with being photoshot and published on the internet at their worst? I find all this very disrespectful.
Such bony knees. Muscular calves. Big feet. I think I see stubble on the face. Could be a man?
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You are a creep, Lee Chapman. Did you wake her up before you took a picture of her in a vulnerable position? What gives you the right? You haven't seen a drunk person before? What is the point you're trying to make here? Are we, the audience, supposed to feel pity for her, or disgust, or what? What if someone from work recognizes one of your subjects? "shocking pictures of drunken excess"? This are simply drunk and passed out people. Get some new material, buddy...
So being in public so drunk that you pass out is OK and it's anyone who takes a picture of that is a creep? Where do you live? You realise people will film live murder in the streets rights? Do you think being drunk in public should allow some degree of privacy? Are you f*****g dense? You need to grow up and maybe culture yourself a little lest you remain this arrogant forever. Also did anyone make you look at these? Do you control and own all art for everyone? No?! Then f**k off with your "get some new material buddy" you sound like a someone angrily white knighting for a woman who not only didn't ask you to but also isn't even a woman, it's funny you haven't made the same comment on any of the male photos.
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Where are her friends? Did she go out alone? Don't photograph her...help her.
I have to thoroughly examine my feelings to figure out what I think about this. #confused :D
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I think the photographer is unethical and a shame. Without dignity. Mentally more ill than the alcoholists. Also, what about the rights of the modells? I think he is an a*****e looser.
Sorry, the ugly side of drinking is violence and death. I don't see anything like that here. (i.e. drinking and driving, fighting, etc.)
I believe the photographer is legit. I feel bad for her because she has to walk the 'walk of shame to get home.
Are we gonna talk about the lime green velour suit the guy has on? O-o
gotta... get.... that last...dropppppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He was just trying to be there for his sister when the store opened....
at least they marked the area with a cone... lol gotta new best friend
I fell asleep on the Toyoko line because I was drunk once and rode all the way to the end of the line. Instead of the cops arresting me, the station manager woke me up and handed me a card of a capsule hotel nearby to sleep it off till morning.
I think this is sad... but it's true and not only in Japan... We as humans should start changing the world in a good way don't ya'll think?
At least in Japan they won't wake up to find they've been robbed or raped. However, in all the times I've been there, I've never once seen anyone passed out on the street. I'm guessing it's pretty unusual.
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are these photos real? because it is rude and disrespectful if you shoot them and published it. even they are drunk they are human being.
In Finland some of those photos would be illegal to publish. You can´t show someone in dire condition in a way that he/she would be recognised. It´s considered invasion of ones privacy. You can take photos of what ever in public places but there are few restriction when publishing. Say you want to publish pic of child (under 18) you must have permission from parent to do so.
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I live in the country and stay far away from cities (there are people in cities ~cringe~); is passing out drunk on city streets common? I mean, I've seen people passed out drunk in the yard of wherever the party was, but in my area passing out on the street or on public property just is not done. Hell, the town drunk even makes it home, maybe not inside, but on his own property at least.
"That doesn't mean the Japanese don't know how to have a good time"?! These photos do not show people having a good time. They are unwell and probably horribly ashamed when they wake up.
Didn't BP have this exact photoseries a couple of weeks ago, only with a lighthearted title/text?
Not really. When I lived there I learned that they don't put as much "shame" on tying one on and getting drunk. Being drunk means you had a good time. People usually just leave folks who are asleep alone.
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Tiffany Harding .. I really appreciate your comments. I, too, fell asleep on the last train home on the Keio line and arrived at Keio Hachioji where the station master, it was summer, offered me a blanket and the bench on the platform or, an intro to the local biz-hotel. I accepted the blanket and the bench. He woke me at 0405 hours for the first train out. Eternally grateful. Thus, and therefore, I do not find any of Lee Chapman's pictures to be outrageous. These pictures do not show Japanese society in general. One can find similar if not worse examples in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York .. name it. I translate and tour guide for Japanese and on an occasion in San Francisco, in our mini-bus/van, we drove by a kid on the street shooting up while he was defecating. Pretty talented I thought. Anyway, again, Tiffany, thank you.
If you can just fall senseless on the gorund in an urban area and sleep without being abused in any way - that's just great, I think. Not that you would be necessarily robbed and molested where I live... Here most people would just stay away. Again, we don't see a lot of well-dressed people in this condition here... Usually these are homeless guys and people are quite indifferent...
As this is Japan I think in some cases they weren't drunk at all and just exhausted from over-working which is quite common there xD
I'm not disgusted, nor am I judgmental. Sad, if anything. Two things about Japanese culture: 1) high pressure to work late/ work more hours, and give everythgin to the company - then be back at your desk perfectly groomed the next morning. The travel distances can be huge. So people in most forms of employment are constantly sleep-deprived. 2) Drinking culture. HUGE pressure to follow correct socialisation protocol after work. People are effectivel, almost literally required to drink heavily in order to hold their job. Put these two social forces together and you get this. A lot. Some of these people will be far less drunk that just sleeping. Sleep is powerful. Deny it, and it comes and gets you anyway. Even while driving. THESE PEOPLE ARE VICTIMS of J-culture, not immoral booze whores. BTW: This photographer has breached a particular social code of Japan. You do not publish pix without permission, otherwise invading privacy. All faces should be blurred. He's an insensitive voyeur.
I've read articles about how much work is expected of them and still go out at night to drink is part of business
All is useful into the measure. Too much alcohol is the strike onto the liver!
So much pressure to drink and to continue accepting drinks--especially if the evening is work related...not uncommon to see businessmen passed out on the train in the morning.
I think this is kinda lame. Are these people just posed for the photographer and not really drunk ? Even if they are drunk, this article sucks. There are a million cooler things to report on, dude. Smh !!!
Oh, and "doesn't mean that Japanese don't know how to have a good time". ???
Unfortunately, alcoholism is a huge problem all over Japan that nobody wants to admit to. I live in an agricultural prefecture that grows rice that is mostly used to make sake and wheat that is mostly used to make beer, yet the country imports sixty percent of its food.
Been there, done that. Went to AA meetings and took antabuse. Don't go there anymore.
My watching: the drinking prospers in the countries where the society is too kind to the drunk people.
Unless the photographer asked these people's permission to show them in these embarrassing states, this is not acceptable practice.
I do hope these people were checked on. It would be dreadfull if anyone of the were sick or just choking on their womit. If you see a drunk person at least lay them on their side!
The intro sounds written by fifth grader who had recently been dumped by their Japanese girlfriend/boyfriend.
A lot of peoples with "ch" dna are prone to drink alco. We have a many alco addicts in the eastern russia. I thinks that's because "ch" peoples doesn't have correct beauty of own bodies, they can't saturate of inside love to self, to get some right good fillings. So they just doesn't have a simple human happy, and it remains only to get drunk at the end of week.
Feelings (sorry). But ofcourse promlem exist is not only in that things, may be they lonely!?
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I fell asleep on the Toyoko line because I was drunk once and rode all the way to the end of the line. Instead of the cops arresting me, the station manager woke me up and handed me a card of a capsule hotel nearby to sleep it off till morning.
I think this is sad... but it's true and not only in Japan... We as humans should start changing the world in a good way don't ya'll think?
At least in Japan they won't wake up to find they've been robbed or raped. However, in all the times I've been there, I've never once seen anyone passed out on the street. I'm guessing it's pretty unusual.
Load More Replies... are these photos real? because it is rude and disrespectful if you shoot them and published it. even they are drunk they are human being.
In Finland some of those photos would be illegal to publish. You can´t show someone in dire condition in a way that he/she would be recognised. It´s considered invasion of ones privacy. You can take photos of what ever in public places but there are few restriction when publishing. Say you want to publish pic of child (under 18) you must have permission from parent to do so.
Load More Replies... I live in the country and stay far away from cities (there are people in cities ~cringe~); is passing out drunk on city streets common? I mean, I've seen people passed out drunk in the yard of wherever the party was, but in my area passing out on the street or on public property just is not done. Hell, the town drunk even makes it home, maybe not inside, but on his own property at least.
"That doesn't mean the Japanese don't know how to have a good time"?! These photos do not show people having a good time. They are unwell and probably horribly ashamed when they wake up.
Didn't BP have this exact photoseries a couple of weeks ago, only with a lighthearted title/text?
Not really. When I lived there I learned that they don't put as much "shame" on tying one on and getting drunk. Being drunk means you had a good time. People usually just leave folks who are asleep alone.
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Tiffany Harding .. I really appreciate your comments. I, too, fell asleep on the last train home on the Keio line and arrived at Keio Hachioji where the station master, it was summer, offered me a blanket and the bench on the platform or, an intro to the local biz-hotel. I accepted the blanket and the bench. He woke me at 0405 hours for the first train out. Eternally grateful. Thus, and therefore, I do not find any of Lee Chapman's pictures to be outrageous. These pictures do not show Japanese society in general. One can find similar if not worse examples in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York .. name it. I translate and tour guide for Japanese and on an occasion in San Francisco, in our mini-bus/van, we drove by a kid on the street shooting up while he was defecating. Pretty talented I thought. Anyway, again, Tiffany, thank you.
If you can just fall senseless on the gorund in an urban area and sleep without being abused in any way - that's just great, I think. Not that you would be necessarily robbed and molested where I live... Here most people would just stay away. Again, we don't see a lot of well-dressed people in this condition here... Usually these are homeless guys and people are quite indifferent...
As this is Japan I think in some cases they weren't drunk at all and just exhausted from over-working which is quite common there xD
I'm not disgusted, nor am I judgmental. Sad, if anything. Two things about Japanese culture: 1) high pressure to work late/ work more hours, and give everythgin to the company - then be back at your desk perfectly groomed the next morning. The travel distances can be huge. So people in most forms of employment are constantly sleep-deprived. 2) Drinking culture. HUGE pressure to follow correct socialisation protocol after work. People are effectivel, almost literally required to drink heavily in order to hold their job. Put these two social forces together and you get this. A lot. Some of these people will be far less drunk that just sleeping. Sleep is powerful. Deny it, and it comes and gets you anyway. Even while driving. THESE PEOPLE ARE VICTIMS of J-culture, not immoral booze whores. BTW: This photographer has breached a particular social code of Japan. You do not publish pix without permission, otherwise invading privacy. All faces should be blurred. He's an insensitive voyeur.
I've read articles about how much work is expected of them and still go out at night to drink is part of business
All is useful into the measure. Too much alcohol is the strike onto the liver!
So much pressure to drink and to continue accepting drinks--especially if the evening is work related...not uncommon to see businessmen passed out on the train in the morning.
I think this is kinda lame. Are these people just posed for the photographer and not really drunk ? Even if they are drunk, this article sucks. There are a million cooler things to report on, dude. Smh !!!
Oh, and "doesn't mean that Japanese don't know how to have a good time". ???
Unfortunately, alcoholism is a huge problem all over Japan that nobody wants to admit to. I live in an agricultural prefecture that grows rice that is mostly used to make sake and wheat that is mostly used to make beer, yet the country imports sixty percent of its food.
Been there, done that. Went to AA meetings and took antabuse. Don't go there anymore.
My watching: the drinking prospers in the countries where the society is too kind to the drunk people.
Unless the photographer asked these people's permission to show them in these embarrassing states, this is not acceptable practice.
I do hope these people were checked on. It would be dreadfull if anyone of the were sick or just choking on their womit. If you see a drunk person at least lay them on their side!
The intro sounds written by fifth grader who had recently been dumped by their Japanese girlfriend/boyfriend.
A lot of peoples with "ch" dna are prone to drink alco. We have a many alco addicts in the eastern russia. I thinks that's because "ch" peoples doesn't have correct beauty of own bodies, they can't saturate of inside love to self, to get some right good fillings. So they just doesn't have a simple human happy, and it remains only to get drunk at the end of week.
Feelings (sorry). But ofcourse promlem exist is not only in that things, may be they lonely!?
Load More Replies... 