Japan’s Kayabukiya Tavern
This week I present to you yet another (yes there are quite a few) crazy-themed Japanese restaurant. This one does not gain its bizarre status due to the decorations on the walls or the world it tries to imitate, but for the uniqueness of the waiters. For at the Kayabukiya Tavern in
As the story goes, the owners of the restaurant have two pet monkeys, Yat-chan and Fuku-chan. While the owners were busy slaving away to make their restaurant a success, the monkeys were busy watching them. Eventually, they would begin to imitate them. One of the pair saw the owners taking hot towels to customers and decided he wanted in on the action. Now, the two help out around the place and have become the restaurant’s main attraction.
When eating at Kayabukiya Tavern, your monkey waiters will not only bring you hot towels before the meal, but will also bring you your drinks, present you with the bill and even return your change for you. The food, however, is still served by humans (probably something to do with a health code). They even wear uniforms while they undertake their labors. In return, customers can tip the monkeys with boiled soy beans - much better than a paycheck they can’t cash.
Unfortunately, the monkeys are only allowed to work a maximum of two hours a day each, so you’ll have to make some careful planning if you want to be there while they’re working (early evening is said to be the best time). To remedy this problem, the owners are also training up the monkey pair’s three children to eventually assist their parents in helping customers. So it will be a regular zoo in there soon enough. For more information, you can head to the restaurant’s official web site, though it’s in Japanese (prepare for some bad Google-translation).
Monkey waiter courtesy of komarixwaz.com