If I’d seen this anywhere but Japan, I’d think I’d stumbled into Transylvania, but here, nearly everybody posts their blood type on their Facebook profiles alongside their closest train station, and when asked “What’s your type?” by someone they just met at a drinking party, they know the answer isn’t, “Tall, dark and handsome.” The question is right at the top of matchmaking application forms, and can even be asked at job interviews。
Which is not a great thing if you’re cursed with having an Undesirable Type. Such as…B. O is the preferred type (loyal! passionate! generous!), followed by A (calm, sensitive, responsible) and AB (cool, sociable, popular, although occasionally indecisive and critical) but everybody knows that people with B type blood running through their veins DISLIKE CUSTOMS and are SELFISH and UNRELIABLE.
And apparently, they like red wine made from grapes I’ve never heard of. I mean, ‘A’s get to drink cabernet, ‘O’s prefer merlot, even ‘AB’s are alotted a cabernet blend, but ‘B’s are doomed to drinking…GARNATXA?!
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Only In Japan 
garnatxa is most likely garnacha/grenache. lots of it is grown in Spain and Southern France (and is a major factor in Rhone blends, including some of my favorite rosés.) so, not such a bad deal!
Aha, I live and learn! Good to know that unfortunate B-Type people (NOT THAT WE KNOW ANY OF THOSE) at least aren’t getting Night Train!
I do like the grenache grape actually, HMMM.
That makes me feel better, somehow…
Jonelle, I know this is a rather personal question, but are you an A型？
No, I cringe to admit it, but I’m the despised B type. I was always being asked this question in Japan, and I didn’t have any idea what I was, so I ordered a stab your finger yourself kit from Amazon and did the test. Not sure that was such a good idea, since I found out I was the selfish and unreliable type! (>_<)
Is this ok to add this article to my facebook fan page, i think they would love this stuff
Absolutely! I’m so happy when the strange stuff I see here every day gets shared out and makes people laugh and/or shake their heads in amazement. (If you could link or credit, I would really appreciate it, because then I can widen my circle of fellow appreciators of weird Japan stuff too! ^^;;)