(Tokyo) They stroll the stands, beer taps on their backs: In Japan, these baseball stadium street vendors represent a tradition that remains hugely popular, even if their working conditions raise questions.
Called “yoriko” (“saleswomen”), these young women relentlessly climb up and down mid-bay staircases, slipping a few kind words to their customers as they fill their mugs with a pint of beer.
They are easy to spot in their neon outfit, which always consists of a miniskirt or shorts. Some also wear knee pads to protect against injury and dirt, as they often have to kneel when beer is served – so as not to obstruct the view of supporters.
Despite everything, Honoka Hagiwara, a 22-year-old saleswoman at the Tokyo Dome, makes it clear that she loves her job, even seeing a “glamorous” side in it.
“I’ve been doing this job for a little over a year and I’m used to it,” she says of having to carry a 15-kilogram keg of beer for three hours straight.
The young woman admits that it was “very hard physically” at first. But she says she enjoys helping supporters have a good time, and maintains that this work gives her “confidence” in her.
pit stop
Competition among these street vendors is fierce, as they are paid on commission.
Yuriko’s 25-year-old Mariko Matsumoto says she is “always thinking” about her sales numbers. “We pay attention to other people’s sales and think about our own, trying to sell more than the day before.”
One hundred Tokyo Dome vendors serve about 20,000 cups per night on average.
They change their drums ten to twelve times during their service, with speed and efficiency that are unenviable at pit stops in Formula 1.
Barely time to sip a cup of water or cold tea standing while helpers replace the keg on its back, and the ‘uriko’ sets off again in search of thirsty customers.
Few men today do this difficult task, while until the eighties they were the majority.
There are only female vendors at the Tokyo Dome, but a spokeswoman for the site says organizers are not opposed to the idea of hiring male vendors. Simply put, “There are 100 times more women who apply than men.”
“Glock”
The archipelago has had its own #metoo movement, although it is less strong than other countries, and in recent years, Japanese women have questioned many local traditions, such as wearing heels in the office or having to serve tea to their male colleagues.
However, the “urikos” tradition is almost unquestionable, as is the tradition of fans performing somersaults on the field between game times.
Perhaps part of the explanation lies in the fact that the atmosphere at baseball stadiums in Japan is generally peaceful, with a disciplined, mixed, and family-oriented audience. Security guards intervene if drunk spectators cross the line.
Like her classmate Honoka Hagiwara, Mariko Matsumoto explains that she loves interacting with fans: she has bonded with some of the regulars and has even received gifts from them from time to time.
MI Matsumoto believes it’s important to keep smiling even when it’s hard: “I like to watch baseball games myself, and when I see a salesperson smiling, it makes me want to buy a drink.”
But the experience of this profession is not positive for everyone. In 2019, a former “yuriko” called her “scary” on a blog site hosted by the newspaper. Asahi.
“It didn’t take long for me to realize I wasn’t just selling beer and snacks — I was selling myself,” writes the former Yuriko, who complained about clients wanting to take pictures of her or give them away. business cards.
“Music guru. Incurable web practitioner. Thinker. Lifelong zombie junkie. Tv buff. Typical organizer. Evil beer scholar.”
