Ang Dabawenyo

A Japanese client invited me and a friend to a Christmas party last night, at Zakoya. I’ve never been to Japan, but I think I have enough Japanese friends to know that last night was a very Japanese get-together. My friend, Alex of Global Wings Travel, remarked that the party-goers didn’t behave in the ‘usual Japanese manner.’

The Japanese character is commonly known to be reserved and disciplined — some even term it Vulcan-like (from Star Trek). At work, yes, they’re pretty much like that. But when they’re relaxing and having a good time, they can be the total opposite.

Most of the Japanese nationals at the party were retirees, with a smattering of younger ones who’re in business in Davao. But just by looking at them you couldn’t see any distinction: they were all enjoying themselves to the max. Our host, Mr. Yokoya of Zakoya Japanese Restaurant, kept telling us, “Takusan nonde ne” — “Drink more.”

And so we did. San Miguel Draft — which the Japanese love — was free-flowing, and it washed down the wasabi-coated nuts and sushi and sashimi that we were having. It couldn’t have been a more Japanese event. (Well, maybe if we had geishas serving us…)

As far as I know, it was the first time that such a party was held in Davao, and it was attended by about 50 people, including a handful of Filipinos. The band was very entertaining, too. Mr. Yokoya, whom everyone calls “Buchou,” said that they used to perform in Japan. Aside from the fact that they had really awesome voices, they were very engaging and were able to work the crowd really well.

When the party broke up at around 10 PM, Alex and I proceeded to Studio Onnie. It’s Davao’s longest-running comeday bar, located just across the street from Zakoya. It’s where another friend, Ahbet Padilla, regularly performs. He’s practically the main attraction there.

Ahbet does hosting gigs in weddings, company parties and other events. In fact, we got him to entertain the bloggers during our party after the 1st Mindanao Bloggers Summit.

What I like about Studio Onnie is its laid-back and comfortable atmosphere. It’s where you can let your hair down and have fun with the company of the people around you. Sometimes I go there alone, because I know it’s easy to strike up a conversation with people there. It can sometimes get a bit nerve-wracking, though, when Ahbet and his fellow hosts grill you in front of everybody.

Last night was a Sunday but it sure felt like a Saturday night!