We all know that Japan has the most delightfully bizarre cultural elements of Manga, Cosplay, food innovations, cutting-edge technology, and offers some of the most unusual yet unbelievable once in a lifetime experiences. In Japan, even something as simple as dining can make your whole visit worthwhile and we’re sharing with you some of the most unusually themed eateries available in the Land of the Rising Sun. Enjoy!
1. Buddhist bar
The place is called ‘Vowz Bar’, but no, nobody’s getting married at the venue. This bar is really popular for the array of alcoholic drinks that they serve, and the bartenders preparing your drinks will be Buddhist priests, dressed in their conventional monk robes. Apparently, these professional mixologists hail from various sects of Buddhism, so you can also discuss religion with them while you’re getting woozy.
2. Maid cafe
Everyone knows about the infamous maid cafes which have sprung up in the past couple years. In the cafe, young women dressed up in maid costumes, similar to anime characters, attend to the patrons, either by being affectionate, submissive or acting tough on the outside. In addition to regular waitress duties, these maids also call the customers master, play games, give manicures, head massages and get this – they also cry when the patron leaves.
3. Prison hospital restaurant
Maybe you’d fancy eating in a prison hospital from hell. Alcatraz ER is styled in an eerie setting and it is one of Tokyo’s oldest themed nightspots. Your waiters and waitresses would be dressed in doctors’ and nurses’ uniforms. There are also handcuffs, chainsaws, giant syringes and plenty of body part themed food and drinks served on the menu. For instance, “Brain Buster” is a vodka-based cocktail that’s served in a life-sized mannequin head. Hmm… Classy.
4. Cuddle cafe
‘Soineya’ is Japan’s latest cafe trend and offers a variety of ‘cuddles’ to customers. You can have a female employee pat you on the back, sleep in her arms, you can lay your head on her butt cheeks or you can let an employee lay her head on your lap, all for a price of course. Although it seems pretty dodgy, hanky-panky sexual acts are strictly prohibited at the cafe. The minimum duration of a cuddle is 20 minutes and it can go up to a maximum of 10 hours, provided you have a wallet full of cash. Don’t be surprised though, as there is an extremely high demand for ‘cuddles’ in Japan.
5. Vampire restaurant
Not surprisingly, it’s all that you could ever imagine. This restaurant bleeds red and it is decorated with fancy furniture, broken mirrors, skulls, coffins and candelabras. Patrons sit in private booths lined with thick velvet drapes and listen to baroque music while dining. Your food will also be served with edible crucifixes, fake blood and coffin shaped bowls.
6. Mom cafe
Here, you can enjoy all the services available in a maid cafe, except you would be served by older, middle-aged women. This may be a little weird for some people, but it is comforting for others who seek a motherly figure in their lives, even if these women aren’t actually their real moms. They are also instructed to nag you, to make your whole experience worthwhile. Who knows? Maybe some find these women more appealing compared to the more youthful ones.
7. Prison cafe
If you’ve always wondered how it feels like to be a prisoner, maybe this prison cell themed cafe might appeal to you. Upon entering, you’d be handcuffed and led to a prison cell, where you will be served by prison wardens. To add to the atmosphere, the food will be presented on chemical lab equipment. There are also secret doors, hideouts and other ‘prisoners’ walking about. If suddenly you hear commotion going on, that’s probably a staged jailbreak and you might have to hide another ‘prisoner’ in your cell. Cool huh?
8. Catholic cafe
This sort of creeps us out, but if it fits your fancy, why not? Christon Cafe is an European church meets trendy nightclub and it has everything a regular Catholic church would have – stained glass windows, religious icons, paintings of Mary and Joseph, burning candles, and large religious statues. There’s even a confession booth and communion wine at the venue. We’ve heard that this place serves up pretty good cocktails!
9. Ninja restaurant
Who wouldn’t want to visit a ninja-themed restaurant?! Just reading about it makes us all excited. ‘Ninja Akasaka’ is a ‘fortress’ designed to look like a ninja hideout, complete with a secret bridge and treasure chests. Your ninja of a waiter will also employ his ninja skills when bringing in your order, and perform magic tricks for your entertainment.
