I’m a male member. Why do beer gardens have such a bad reputation for first dates? Is it because they’re crowded and noisy, making it hard to talk, or because the wind messes up people’s hair?

I’m Fuu, a column writer. For a first meeting, I feel a regular beer garden would be a little unfair to the woman. As you said, it would probably be noisy and full of office workers, with people sitting close by, and you’d have to worry about being seen. A lot of women see the kind of place they’re taken to as a reflection of their own value, so I think you should be careful when choosing the venue. Unless she’s someone you’re already very close with and seeing regularly, says, “I love beer,” and specifically asks to try a beer garden, I probably wouldn’t suggest it. If someone asked me to go to a beer garden, I’d look for somewhere with a beautiful night view, like Odaiba or a rooftop high above the city, or perhaps a hotel with a nice view that isn’t too noisy. No one has ever asked me to go to a beer garden before. In all my years, I’ve only had one favorite regular who really liked beer. They’re rare. It’s fun when you click with someone over saying, “Let’s start with a beer,” though.

I’m Aya, a female member. More and more people don’t like beer these days. I don’t like it either because I find it unpleasant. Apparently, beer used to be the standard choice for a toast at drinking parties, but nowadays everyone orders whatever they like. If you want to go to a beer garden, I think it would be better to wait until you’ve gotten to know each other a little.

It feels more like the kind of place you’d go to have a lively time with friends or coworkers. I think papas are looking for something a little more relaxed and reasonably upscale. That said, some pretty nice hotels do host them too. I mention in my profile that I don’t drink much, so I’ve never been invited to a beer hall—but even if I could drink, I wouldn’t be thrilled about it. Also, I don’t like being outside because I get bitten by mosquitoes. Marika

I’m Kazu, a male member. I’m not really interested in going to beer gardens, so I’m not sure how helpful this is, but I think it’s because they’re not private, feel cheap and not particularly pampering, and don’t have the kind of atmosphere where couples who look like they have complicated circumstances would go. Also, it can be hot and humid, and as Marika mentioned, mosquitoes can be an issue. Besides, I think young women who enjoy beer are in the minority. By the way, do beer gardens these days serve non-alcoholic beer?