Urban Myth: Sake Bad Luck

There’s a well known Japanese tradition that usually goes by “it’s bad luck to pour yourself a shot of sake. Others should pour for you.” This is actually a respectable tradition, as it encourages drinking as part of a social outing, and as a means to facilitate group bonding. The origins of the common adage date back as far back as 1274, when the Mongols invaded the island of Tsushima.

– “Tejaku” (self pouring) is considered not just asking the fate for misfortune, but also incredibly rude
– this practice allegedly dates to the Japanese guerrila fighters witnessing Mongol camps, where they would slobbishly drink straight from stolen sake bottles, or pour rounds of shots for themselves in a much more rowdy fashion to the more delicate, frivolous approach to Japanese drinking
– self-pouring is most commonly associated with alcoholics/alcoholism, a trait also highly characteristic of Mongol invaders
– the Japanese fighting spirit was centered around the “preservation of culture” at the time, which was reinforced by the more ceremonial drinking style

Obviously, however, the “refined cutilian etiquette” of Japanese nobility would eventually develop their own canon of additional rules

– the more formal the occasion, the more formal (ceremonial) the etiquette
– both hands are to be used when 1) pouring & 2) drinking
– drinking only starts when everyone has a full cup
– & Most Importantly: “Sake” refers to all types of alcohol, ‘nihonshu’ refers specifically to the approximate 24-36 proof (~12-18% abv rice liquor, thanks for the help!) commonly known to the rest of the world as Sake.

Some people even take it to extremes!
– in a fine dining restaurant, sake is to be served with the label facing away from the customer

**The 2-handed rule is speculated to again, coming from eyewitness accounts of invader camps wantons guzzling sake, spilling it down their faces, beards, and torsos. The “full cup” rule supposedly comes from warlords & camp leaders tendency to horde all the sake spoils, and drink without sharing with their troops after the communal spoils stock was depleted

Arigato, Kanpai!