Sanjikai (三次会) means “third party”: the place a group goes after the nijikai, which is itself the stop after the first gathering. If you hear “sanjikai?” late in the evening, someone is asking whether the night continues.

Where the word comes from

San means three, ji means order or round, and kai means party. The sequence is ichijikai (first, usually dinner), nijikai (second) and sanjikai (third). Some groups go further, but by then the word is usually a joke.

Where groups usually go

• Karaoke, often in a private room.
• A small bar or a quieter lounge.
• Ramen or another late snack, the classic way to end a night, called the shime (the closer).
• A club or hostess venue, sometimes, in business entertaining. Our guide to settai and nijikai explains how those evenings work.

Who comes

Fewer people than the nijikai. It is usually the people who are enjoying themselves most, or who live nearby. Leaving before the sanjikai is completely normal, and nobody expects everyone to come.

How paying usually works

The same as the nijikai: splitting the bill (warikan) among friends and colleagues, or the senior person paying in some work settings. If the third stop is a bar or club priced by time, check the price before you sit down: see how the bill works.

Getting home

The sanjikai often runs past the last train, which in big cities is usually around midnight. Check the time of your last train before you agree, or plan on a taxi. Taxis are easy to find in nightlife districts, and late-night fares are higher than daytime ones.

In short

Sanjikai is the third stop of a night out, usually karaoke, a bar or ramen. It is optional, smaller than the nijikai, and often ends after the last train, so plan your way home.

Also written as: sanjikai / 三次会 / 3次会 / 三次會