In Japan the loneliest day to be single isn’t Valentine’s Day but Christmas Eve. And the staff at this restaurant doesn’t want to see any happy couples!
If you’re feeling lonely because you don’t have a date for Christmas Eve, you could always try heading to the Philippines to see if you can catch the eye of one Maria Ozawa. Or, if you’re stuck in Tokyo, you could just resign yourself to a lonely night eating spaghetti, which, actually, doesn’t sound all that bad!
Why spaghetti? One restaurant will (once again) be refusing entry to all those happy, shiny couples on December 24.
Long-time readers will probably remember Spaghetti Pia Pia from when they exploded online with the above tweet last year. As you may already know, Christmas Eve in Japan is basically Valentine’s Day, but with more lights and cake. While in some countries, this is the season of gathering with family, in Japan, it is the season of love.
Which is probably annoying if you’re single and you have to work at a popular restaurant on Christmas Eve! How would you like if we came to your work and reminded you of how miserable and alone you are?
Whether it’s a marketing stunt or simply genuine concern for the mental health of their staff, Spaghetti Pia Pia has posted a sign stating that they will be refusing to serve couples on Christmas Eve this year too. A cynic might assume they’re just in it for the viral marketing (and, hey, it worked!), but we have to admit that we respect them for considering the well-being of their staff.
And plenty of commenters agreed!
“They did it again!” “Best of luck to the entire staff!” “It seems like there would be a lot of couples here in Japan who would take this seriously and just stay away.” “I bet they won’t have any customers.” “My wife is inside my computer, so is it okay if I bring her in with me?”
We’re pretty they’ll make an exception for you, computer guy. You seem like you could really use a lonely plate of spaghetti on Christmas Eve…
So, if you’re feeling lonely this week and you need some carbohydrates, it looks like Spaghetti Pia Pia is the place to be. Just try not to fall in love between now and the 24 or you’ll have to let your reservation go to waste!
Restaurant Information Spaghetti Pia Pia Address: 2F DC Building, 1-1 Azuma-cho, Hachiouji, Tokyo 東京都八王子市東町1-1 DCビル2F Phone number: 042-648-1925 Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. (Monday – Saturday) / 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Sunday) Website
Sources: Hamusoku, Twitter/@Kazahane, Twitter/@kdjtr
Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- You won’t believe what’s at the end of this 4-hour line -- Valentine’s Day is coming in Japan! If you’re lucky, you just might get some blood and hair -- The “doya-gao” phenomenon and where you’re most likely to see it
© Japan Today
39 Comments
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Alphaape
I never understood how people complain of being lonely in Japan, and then we will see a poll later that couples spend less time doing things together in long term relationships.
I wonder if the workers in the restaurant have families or someone outside of work. If so, then they should understand that work is work. If you don't like to see people together on certain dates, then maybe you either need to find someone for yourself, or get a different job.
zones2surf
Sounds like a publicity/marketing ploy to me. How many couples would actually go to a place like this for their Christmas Eve dinner? Just saying.
kaynide
oh FFS, yet another example of people (not necessarily Japanese- this happens everywhere to some degree) who need to grow up.
Moonraker
I feel like it must be pretty lonely to be Japanese. This despite the ideology of "kizuna" that was everywhere after the Tohoku quake and the exhortations from childhood to find a "Tomodachi." Even if you have friends or partners it seems like the relationships are superficial with so much that cannot be discussed. And now there seems to be evidence of the loneliness everywhere, from shut-ins and those uninterested in human relationships, to people dying alone to having to be conscious of and sympathetic to the loneliness of others. There feels like something so deeply wrong.
savethegaijin
This is getting pathetic. Other people's happiness is offensive to the lonely? What a bunch of big babies.
SweetPretzels15
First world problems.
Wc626
I EMPHATICALLY second savethegaijin's post !! "This is getting pathetic."
stormcrow
Sounds like an excellent idea for a romantic Christmas comedy.
philly1
You're only lonely if you choose to be.
Kuribo1
Sounds like I found the perfect restaurant to take my wife to.
Gaijin Desi
Its not clear what their staff will do to couple if they enter the Spaghetti Pia Pia (Myau Myau) !!!
lucabrasi
Is "lonely" really a problem?
I can go weeks talking only to my wife, kids or students. I don't feel "bad", as such. Just a little bit aware of my littleness in the universe...,.
Wc626
Right. I don't like it when same sex couple are dining at the same restaurant as I am, but I still "deal with it."
Agreed.
smithinjapan
Have a lonely singles' night, fine, but the idea of turning people away because they are happy is silly, and smacks of loserdom. Does keeping out couples, happy or not, make them any less lonely? Does denying reality help? I say admit you're lonely and try doing something about it besides trying to hide the fact -- since that clearly hasn't helped the people of this restaurant.
Nobody's going to do it for you, peeps.
ebisen
Isn't this illegal?
some14some
Just hang the sign up : we are closed (!)
Yubaru
It's crap like this that reinforces an individuals belief that "being alone" is not right on Christmas Eve.
Too many people in Japan are overly influenced by the media and take it too heart and believe it's true. roughly half the population of the world do no celebrate Christmas so those folks that are "lonely" can take solace in that!
Conspiracy Theories
The owner must have been in that anti-christmas march a few days ago.
zones2surf
As a side note, did anyone else find the Maria Ozawa line just a little random in this article?
Nerakai
I can go weeks talking only to my wife, kids or students. I don't feel "bad", as such. Just a little bit aware of my littleness in the universe...,.
It seems you haven't been there yet. I guess being able to talk to your wife, kids already make you unqualified for it.
lostrune2
This is getting spaghettic!!!
shallots
@philly1
Wow. You're either very young or incredibly lucky never to have experienced loneliness or heartbreak. In case of the latter, you could still gain attractiveness by acquiring some compassion. Believe me, It might help you keep your good fortune.
Well this is rocket news so the style is always cloying. I always feel a bit yucky reading their stuff.
HonestDictator
I swear, there are times I look at some headlines on JT, that I just can't help but burst out laughing my butt off!
Fadamor
I'm reminded of that Woody Allen movie, "Sleeper", where everyone had to wear weight belts containing just enough weight so that everyone weighed exactly the same. This article describes the same kind of absurdity as was portrayed in "Sleeper". The idea that everyone must be equally miserable... how did that ever become a "thing"?!
I can't speak for Japan's laws, but here in the U.S. a business owner has the right to refuse service to anyone. A refused customer might SUE, but no crime was committed.
On the face of it the comment seemed random, but if you click on the link you see it actually did relate to this article in the sense that the former A/V actress is looking for a date for Christmas so she won't be spending it alone.
Wc626
LoL . . . its hard to find a vacant "Love Hotel" room on Christmas eve. Especially in Tokyo. But still, banning "couples" from some restaurants regardless is wrong. Why aren't they taking such measures on "White Day" or Valentine's Day?
danalawton1@yahoo.com
An obvious Marketing Ploy and done well too.
Robert Dykes
IMHO the only redeeming quality about Christmas at all anymore is that it brings families together. It is family time!
Its bad enough Japan has this nonsense nama cream and strawberry Christmas cake and this nonsense fried chicken on Christmas. What ever... New traditions for a new country. I can get past that stuff. But this is my point for all the money grubbing ideas and capitalism that has created and drives so many aspects about Christmas... I can get past all that. What I can't really get past is that they adopted Christmas and took away the ONE thing that was actually important about it: FAMILY. The WHOLE family. Not just a boy and a girl renting a hotel room. That is called friday night. Or monday night. Or any night your feel like it. When is your night to get the FAMILY together. No type of thanksgiving day. No independence day. no family oriented Christmas day. I beg you Japan, if you are going to appropriate these western holidays then take the best of them, not the worst.
shallots
@Robert Dykes Um...it's Japan doing what it does best: sucking the meaning out of things.
sourpuss
Interesting how many posters here, as well as commenters in the article, take this seriously.
Flipz180
People need to be more constructive in their thinking. Like instead of thinking its sad lonely or pathetic just see the silver-lining is two fold.
A. You can go and pick out the cutest single girl guy and pretty much have zero competition. B. Someone there has a chance if they realize their situation.
Lets be positive guys! Merry Christmas and happy hunting!
Lovespam
Wasn't there the exact same article last year ?
Zenpun
Although Pinoy girls may be prettier than cosmetic surgery addicted Japanese girls, they have sent many Japanese businessmen to the heaven with one way tickets. Kidnapping, black mailing and murdering are daily routines for Japanese sugar daddies over there. Philippines is still in wild west era of USA for ripping off the lonely Japanese men.
Maria Ozawa is half Japanese and AV actress erotic adult movies. Besides that she prefer Pinoy man over Japanese man. Therefore Philippines is not the dating paradise for Japanese men.
Lonely, older and boring Japanese men have to learn for getting decent level of English and travel to Myanmar, Thai and Laos and Cambodia for getting younger, decent, sincere and committed girlfriends.
Without the decent communication skills, getting decent girlfriend is the distant dream.
gaijin6000
There are adults who have families, and yet are still lonely. Loneliness is a choice.
Citizen2012
I supposed done in totally illegality in the face of everybody but who cares since there is no consumer protection here or it seems resulting of open doors for concert management refusing female customers, scanning your face for their database, restaurant refusing booking foreigners and now restaurants refusing couple.
shonanbb
Couples should go in separately then make believe they are making eye contact, and hit on each other and suck face right in the middle of the restaurant, pay their seperate bills and leave joyously!
TrevorPeace
This gimmick happens every year. I'm surprised it's still printed.
Frederic Bastiat
No problem. I'll never darken the doors of that establishment.
Patrick Kimura-Macke
Re Philly: "You are only lonely if you choose to be" Wrong.
Staff at a restaurant may be painfully reminded of their own partner-less situation by serving happy partners but believe me missing your children is far worse than missing your girl friend or boy friend. I'm lonely, and it's not my choice. My wife took my children away and wont let me see them, not even at Christmas. Yes, I could choose to be with some other people but I'd still be lonely. I presume I'm not alone in this situation if the family courts in Japan are consistent.
nath
You can be lonely in the middle of the livest crowd(happens to most of us at times).
Big difference between being alone and lonely, I was very lonely after my wife died even though I was surrounded by loving and caring family and friends.
This place is a bit OTT as they could ask which staff wants those shifts. In the end a stunt to get noticed.