Is the answer Japan?

Good day all,
i have a quick question or two regarding my (+ 6 friends') trip to japan next january.

Firstly, and most importantly, i was just wondering aboot drinking laws. We only recently found out it was 20 yrs and 3 of us will be (just) below that. Im not worried so much as to buying alchohol, but as to gaining entry into nightclubs/bars/etc; as participating in the nightlife will be a very big part of our trip. Were i come from (Australia) if u are underage, then u will have a very very hard time getting into a club (I also look young ^_^'). So how hard will it be in Japan (seven guys lining up is never good in the first place)? Is the strictness varying? Will it cause frustration? Are there ways around it (if need be)? etc.?
From what ive read so far maybe it will not be as much of a problem as i first thought, but, again, we hope to go out alot, so just making sure.

Number two, the basic plan for our trip is,
-arrive (Jan 17th)
-boarding at niseko for a week
-stay in tokyo for 2-3 nights
-14 days of goin around japan (JR pass)
-4 or so more nights in tokyo
-back home ._.
Were still deciding what to do for those 14 days. The main idea is to hang around osaka/kyoto for a bit then train it to sopparo/Hokkaido. We were just curious as to see if this would be 'worth it' considering we only have 14 days (especially cos we would have already been to hokkaido(thou just niseko)). How long will the rides take? It seems that doin this -may- limit certain possiblilities. We may miss out on much of the west part of japan(does that really matter)? How good is that ice festival thing in Sapporo? How good are shikoku and Kyushu regions? etc. etc.?

Also I read it gets a bit warmer in the southern parts of Japan (the more tropical regions)? Is this even noticeable? We are goin in winter so a bit of heat wouldnt be bad.

That�fs it for now and thanyou, much appreciated for us first time overseas/Japan travelers.

-Colonal Burton

arrive and depart from where? is the main thing
it will be cold up north and a little warmer south
drinking , clubbing why not take your money with you . they will welcome you

Niseko is located in Hokkaido. So, you better combine your visit to Sapporo and other places in Hokkaido with your one week stay in Niseko.

For the rest, much depends on your personal interests. See here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e623a.html

we arrive and leave at tokyo sorry, and we travel to niseko by plane at first. then after 7-8 days of boarding (we have hired gear and lift passes only for these days, so we wont have a chance to travel around hokkaido) we get a plane trip back to tokyo. then the trip continues on like i explained. (so tossing up if its worth it to go back to see more of hokkaido with our 14 day JR pass)

but yeh the main issue is will clubs/bars/etcs cause troublesome times for us underage people.

thanks for the replies

I'm not a regular club-goer but the few times I've gone, there seemed to be no 'carding' going on.

Restaurants and Izakaya that serve alcohol are not restricted to adults only, and I doubt you'd have any trouble getting in at all. Whether or not they have some system for actually checking before serving drinks is doubtful as well. This is a country, after all, that has beer in vending machines on the street. It seems to be more 'honor system' than checking.

Oh, and I live on a military base here, and I know for a fact that some high school students are known to frequent bars in Roppongi and Yokohama.

I say don't worry about it.

ah k, thats good to know, hopefully no troubles arise. has anyone else been in a situation involving underage clubbing? it would be good to hear.

thanks 4 the help

-General Burton

I've been carded at all the clubs I've been to in Japan. Also, they tend to get really crowded from around 11.

However I've never been carded at an izakaya. Just don't get out of hand and you won't have any problems.

yer there seems to be a mixed response to this problem. some say i will have no trouble, others say they have become increasingly strict on its. maybe varying locations have different strictness. hopefully when i go no troubles shalt arise

thank you sirs,
-burtus