What Is a "Nombee Shukujo" (Drinking Lady)?

Hello! I'm Yuka, a Nombee Shukujo (飲兵衛淑女, "drinking lady").

Today I'd like to talk about the "Nombee Shukujo."

In 2017, thanks to sake, I changed jobs to a company in Aichi Prefecture.

That I can now live happily in this place, where I had no ties at all,

is thanks to everyone I've newly met here.

I changed jobs because of sake, so of course I love to drink!

So the new people I meet are often sake lovers too.

At bien's 5th anniversary event, not only the organizer Ayako-chan,

but I actually met another wonderful woman too ♪ The sake-loving women I meet

at first glance seem far removed from words like "drinker" or "heavy drinker,"

but every last one of them drinks quite a lot.

Their drinking is impressive, but above all, the way they drink is beautiful ♪

I want to be like that too,

so before I knew it, I started calling my drinking friends "Nombee Shukujo."

I like combining "nombee" (drinker) and "shukujo" (lady), two words at opposite poles.

With my Nombee Shukujo friends, we attend bien events together,

(April 2020 online event "Oku-Hida Kura," hosted by Ayako-chan of bien)

While dining out was discouraged, in May, when the fresh greenery was beautiful, we'd tilt back sake from midday in an open-air spot,

and spend happy times together.

Even in this time of COVID, when we can't see family and friends who live far away,

it's a blessing to have people to spend time with like this.

Going forward, I want to keep drinking beautifully and enjoying sake in a way that lives up to the name "lady."

You don't have to be a "nombee" or a "heavy drinker" to be a Nombee Shukujo—

anyone who enjoys sake deliciously is most welcome.

Let's spread Japan's beautiful culture together ♪

Thank you for reading to the end today.