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?

Binge-drinking. Not alcoholism. Huge difference.

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.

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.

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.

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.

All is useful into the measure. Too much alcohol is the strike onto the liver!

Literally 'hole-in-the -wall' bars. Wow.

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 did't see any person altering the public order or totally naked, they are quite different from the North Americans, in education, tastes and class, even in an ethyl state

Oh, and "doesn't mean that Japanese don't know how to have a good time". ???

Been there, done that. Went to AA meetings and took antabuse. Don't go there anymore.

Unless the photographer asked these people's permission to show them in these embarrassing states, this is not acceptable practice.

The intro sounds written by fifth grader who had recently been dumped by their Japanese girlfriend/boyfriend.

Funny, yet so sad

That is just rude to alcoholics. Drinking heavily occasionally does not automatically mean alcoholism.