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Nyotaimori |
Nyotaimori, “female body presentation”, is a service allowing restaurant customers to eat from the skin of a naked woman usually a fairly young, attractive woman. Apart from her crotch, which is usually covered with some kind of garnish, the model’s modesty depends on the (temporary) position of the food on her body. Also known as “body sushi”, this phenomenon received a lot of media attention in the West in the 1990s. This coverage massively exaggerated the popularity of
nyotaimori in Japan – these restaurants are actually very rare, and generally associated with organised crime rather than being mainstream.
A similar practice is Nantaimori, which is serving sushi on the body of an attractive young man, mostly in homosexual bars. Some women have protested this practice, not understanding the cultural traditions and artistic value of Nyotaimori. The word itself translates as "Adorned body of a woman." This is an art form that has long been accepted in Japan. Tokyo in particular is famous for this type of art.
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Aside from the obvious attractions of salivating over a nubile body, it is claimed that
nyotaimori warms the food to body temperature. Apparantly, this allows the diner to focus on the texture and taste, rather than its temperature. However, many people fail to see the advantage of sushi being lukewarm and slightly sweaty.
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Jobs in
nyotaimori are not for the ticklish or fidgety. Models are trained to lie still for hours, and they must be able to endure unexpected splashes of cold water and prods with chopsticks. Her body must be completely shaved, and specially washed with fragrance-free soap before the feast. Traditionally, the meal is eaten directly from the skin of the model, but hygiene laws in many countries prevent this – forcing restaurants to wrap their girls in clingfilm to prevent contact between skin and food. According to custom, the model should be a virgin, but this doesn’t seem to be observed any more.
The spread of nyotaimori outside Japan has been limited. Some restaurants started offering human platters, only to withdraw the service months later when faced with the moral backlash. In 2005, China, continuing its valiant crusade for human rights, banned restaurants from providing nyotaimori service, saying the practice “insults people’s moral quality”. For the handful of Western restaurants that still provide body sushi, stiffer rules have been imposed – customers cannot talk to the “plate”, molest her, or say anything offensive to or about her. She’s still naked though.
Restaurants serving this delicacy are rare and rather private about the details. One location that is bold enough to provide the service, but discreet about the details, is Flash Sushi in London. Diners are invited to different locations at different times. You are only informed of the date and location after you have paid for the meal, usually 24 hours before the dinner. Once there, you'll join up to 12 guests at a champagne reception before partaking in your 10-course sushi dinner off the exquisite models. Dinner costs 250 pounds per person, but wine, champagne, and Japanese beers and whiskeys are complimentary. While it can be difficult to locate restaurants.
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Nantaimori |
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http://www.sushinomads.com/sushi-blog/nyotaimori-and-nantaimori-naked-sushi
http://www.japanfortheuninvited.com/articles/body-sushi.html
http://fakta-dan-unik.blogspot.com/2011/01/restaurant-nyotaimori-menyajikan-sushi.html
http://www.nyotaimori-ny.com/menu_list.php?cid=20
http://www.smilorama.com/art-of-nyotaimori/
http://cultura-japon.blogspot.com/2011/11/nantaimori-comer-sushi-sobre-el-cuerpo.html
http://dramatization-blog.blogspot.com/2009/11/had-man-lately.html