Well, a Japanese izakaya bar recently faced criticism for its unconventional service that involved patrons receiving a slap on their faces before being served their meals.
Shachihoko-ya, located in Nagoya, garnered attention by offering this peculiar experience, administered by its female staff. Surprisingly, this bizarre service not only revitalized the establishment's business but also drew an increasing number of patrons eager to try this rather unusual pre-meal ritual.
Initially, the face slapping was performed by one member of the izakaya staff upon request. However, with growing demand, the management hired additional staff members willing to deliver slaps and even introduced a fee of 100 yen (90 cents) per slap.
A report by Chinese-language media publication Liberty Times Net revealed that the izakaya, at one point, charged patrons up to 500 yen for the privilege of choosing the staff member who would administer the slap. This unique service gained popularity among Japanese men and women, as well as curious foreign tourists.
According to the Liberty Times Net report, patrons seemed to enjoy the experience, with the intensity of the slaps contributing to their excitement. Surprisingly, instead of causing anger, the patrons appeared more relaxed after the slaps, even expressing gratitude to the staff members responsible for the unconventional service.
A video shows beautiful ladies delivering the slaps with intensity, and patrons embraced the unusual concept.
However, at a certain point, Shachihoko-ya decided to discontinue this distinctive offering and refocus on standard izakaya services. In a recent announcement on X, the establishment urged people not to visit with the expectation of receiving slaps.
“Shachihoko-ya currently does not offer slaps. We appreciate the attention it has received today, but we cannot accommodate visits with the intention of receiving slaps. We did not expect old videos to go viral like this, so please understand before coming,” odditycentral.com quotes the restaurant as saying in a statement.
The exact timeline of when the izakaya discontinued the controversial service remains unclear. Nevertheless, the establishment continues to attract significant attention, even after the cessation of its distinctive face-slapping offering.