Just got back from a "gokon", which is the Japanese word for a pre-arranged party between a group of men and women held at a izakaya (Japanese bar-restaurant.) The goal of the gokon for the participants is to get to know prospects for marriage. However, it was not applied to me for I was the middleman who arranged the party.
The gokon I arranged was between three high-achieving Japanese men (two armed with US MBAs) and three Japanese OL (office ladies) of a reputable foreign company. Most of them are in their 30s. I tried to keep a low profile and observed how everyone mingled with each other. They ended up talking about topics ranging from their favorite Japanese entertainers (a usual topic) to their favorite movies.
In the end I got the feeling that the gokon had ended on a good note, though I wasn't sure (as usual) whether there would be new couples as a result. The guys did hand out their name cards to the girls in the end so I won't be surprised if after a few months I actually find out that someone from the gokon are going out with each other.
1:47:12 AM  comment []
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