Story By: Sofija Dizdarevik, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
Video Credit: AsiaWire/@bar_hitori
This footage shows the bizarre Tokyo night spot which only allows patrons to enter if they are alone – with no outside friends allowed.
The ‘Hitori’ bar has opened in the district of Shinjuki, which is full of Tokyo’s trendiest hotel bars and upscale karaoke joints.
According to local media, the new venue has a sign that reads “a bar limited to parties of one” and staff will not receive anyone who turns up with their partner or a group of friends.
The bar posted a video on Twitter which shows a single client entering a plush building and going into a lift to the seventh floor before arriving at a bar named ‘Hitori’, which translates to ‘Alone’.
Although the bar has a strict rule of only accepting parties of one, the clientele is said to be social and conversations with strangers take place all the time, according to reports.
It is the venue’s intention that everyone arrives as a stranger, but leaves with new friendships.
Japanese journalist Mariko visited the new establishment for the first time and said she was expecting everyone to be sitting alone in eerie silence, but instead found the opposite to be true.
She added that the bar staff are very sociable and often break the ice with clients, leading to everyone suddenly engaging in conversation and hanging out with each other.
The unnamed bar owner did not want his venue to be like all the others in the bustling Tokyo district and so he created something different with a unique experience, according to local media.
The ‘Hitori’ bar is open from 7pm seven days a week, but closes at different times depending on the day.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, the ‘alone bar’ closes at 2am. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, it stays open until midnight.
On Friday and Saturday nights, however, single punters can remain at the bar until 5am.
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