A Japanese social worker opened an unconventional daytime bar nicknamed “It is OK to be useless” to offer comfort to those experiencing significant social pressure.
Operating about five days a month from 2pm to 6pm, the snack bar Hirusuna Nakasu, located in Fukuoka City, Western Japan, has attracted a diverse clientele.
Visitors gather at the bar to share their troubles and support one another. The bartender expertly facilitates conversations with each customer.
A snack bar is a unique type of Japanese bar that is typically small and intimate, where the bartender – referred to as “mama” for females and “master” for males – serves and engages with each patron, sometimes enjoying karaoke and games with them.
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Unlike traditional snack bars that operate in the evening, Hirusuna Nakasu operates solely during the day. The bartender, affectionately known by her nickname, Fish Akiko, also holds a qualification as a social worker.
Fish Akiko aims for the establishment to help alleviate the pressure visitors feel from the prevailing belief that “one can only live when being useful to others.”
In a recent report by Fuji News Network, a customer confided in Fish Akiko that she has held this belief since childhood, equating “being useful” with her purpose in life.
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