Since last October, chubby comedian Kanako Yanagihara has starred as the fiance of a rookie detective, as portrayed by popular actor Tomohisa Yamashita, in “Monsters,” a drama appearing each Sunday on TBS. This, plus the two consecutive beauty titles won by rotund singer Azusa Babazono (@babazonoazusa) in an annual reader poll conducted by a monthly magazine issued by agency Yoshimoto Kogyo, has Weekly Playboy (Feb. 25) wondering why larger ladies are experiencing a surge in popularity.
In search of answers, the magazine takes a trip to hostess club Buta Ni Shinju (Pearls For A Pig). Located in the Kabukicho red-light district, the club requires that staff members working behind the bar weigh over 80 kilograms.
Hostess Rui Biton, a play on the name of brand label Louis Vuitton, is sporting a red bikini top with white polka dots. Biton, who keeps the bar lively with a steady stream of fat jokes, tells the tabloid that she used to date several handsome men at the same time.
“They would say that the time they spent with me was enjoyable. When they saw me happily eating they’d say that I make everything look delicious. So for guys looking for a good time, feed me,” she giggles.
Also behind the counter at Pearls For A Pig is the chubby Miss Tanaka. Sporting a blue track suit, she is described by the tabloid as looking 10 years younger than her age (which is not revealed). She recently ended a long-term relationship with a man, only to have him try to win her back.
“I am a type of person is very good to guys, and they become spoiled,” she says.
Each night, the pub is jammed with male customers, but a few women can also be spotted.
“At a pub like this, you’ll find that the service is full of real vigor,” says an employee at a big-name hotel. “If a drunken customer says something terrible, the girls behind the bar will immediately turn it around for laughs.”
The hotel worker says he brings his colleagues to Pearls For A Pig.
“My younger colleagues find that they are able to build self-confidence in talking to the women here,” he says. (K.N.)
Source: “‘Pocchari joshi’ ga ima, dansei ni otonage?” Weekly Playboy (Feb. 25, pages 130-132)