Nyotaimori

In Nyotaimori, a nude woman's body serves as a food plate

Nyotaimori (女体盛り, "serve (foods) on the female body"), often referred to as "body sushi", is the Japanese practice of serving sashimi or sushi from the naked body of a woman.^[1] Nantaimori (男体盛り) is the male equivalent.^[2]

History[]

The origin of nyotaimori can be traced back to the food play of wakamezake performed in Yūkaku during the Edo period, where sake would be poured into sex worker's pubic region for drinking purposes. Fuelled by Japan's economic growth in the 1960s, this practice was further evolved by the onsen industry in the Ishikawa Prefecture where the erotic nature of nyotaimori was used as a advertising tactic by the hot spring resorts to attract male customers who were on company trips to the region. The nyotaimori practice dwindled as family and private trips to the onsen destinations became increasingly popular in the 1980s and it was subsequently adopted by catering and sex establishments as an exotic attraction.^[3][4]

Due to the lack of primary sources, the misconceptions of nyotaimori's origin persisted when the practice became internationally known through popular culture.^[5][6]

Procedures[]

In traditional nyotaimori, the model is generally expected to lie still at all times and not talk with guests. The sushi is placed on sanitized leaves on the model's body to prevent skin-to-fish contact and on sufficiently flat areas of the body off which the sushi will not roll. Nyotaimori is considered an art form.^{[5][failed verification][7]}

Usually champagne and sake are served in naked sushi restaurants. Guests must be respectful and observe the strictest decorum. Talking with the models is highly discouraged. Inappropriate gestures or comments are not tolerated and diners can only pick up sushi with chopsticks, although rules in some restaurants are less strict. For example, in some restaurants guests can nibble nori rolls off nipples if they choose.^{[5][8][better source needed]}

Reception outside Japan[]

Guest eating sushi directly from a model's body at Burning Flipside event, USA, 2007

The practice has been described as decadent,^[9] humiliating,^[10] degrading,^[11] cruel,^[10] antiquated,^[11] and objectifying.^[10][11] Guardian columnist Julie Bindel notes that the woman being used to serve the food, on at least one occasion in London, looked "as if in a morgue, awaiting a postmortem".^[1]

Worldwide reception varies as several countries have banned the practice.^[9] In 2005, China outlawed nyotaimori on naked bodies, condemning it due to public health reasons and moral issues.^[12][13] In Hong Kong, organizers of a brunch event with nyotaimori met with backlash from the public and were accused of sexism under the pretence of art, after which the nyotaimori was cancelled for the event.^[13]

The birthday party of South African entrepreneur Kenny Kunene on 21 October 2010, which hosted African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema and featured nyotaimori,^[14] was criticised by Congress of South African Trade Unions secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi, leading to a political row.^[15][16] The ANC Women's League condemned nyotaimori at Kunene's party as an attack on the bodily integrity and dignity of women in South Africa.^[17]

See also[]

• Breastaurant
• Food play
• Forniphilia
• Playboy Club
• Sushi Girl

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nyotaimori.

• Nyotaimori video
• "What is Nyotaimori?"