Kayabukiya Tavern
The Kayabukiya Tavern is a traditional Japanese izakaya in Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo. It was owned by Kaoru Otsuka, who kept two pet macaque monkeys to help out in the restaurant. The older monkey, Yat-chan, wears a shirt and shorts and takes customers’ drink orders, delivering them to the tables. The younger monkey, Fuku-chan, about four years old, brings hot towels to guests to clean their hands before ordering drinks. The monkeys received boiled soybeans from customers as tips. Their work hours are limited to two hours a day to follow Japanese animal welfare rules. The tavern was featured on I Survived a Japanese Game Show as a reward for the winning team in Season Two, Episode 3. It closed on October 15, 2020. As of 2025, the whereabouts of the monkeys are unknown.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 13:45 (CET).