Japanese Restaurant Recruits Balding Diners

A Japanese restaurant located in the heart of middle-class Tokyo has launched a new stunt to encourage balding men to dine with them. Named Otasuke (Japanese for “huge help”), the restaurant hit mainstream news in Japan after advertising with a sign outside the shop stating their complete support for “hard working fathers losing their hair”.
Diners at Otasuke are entitled to increasing levels of discount depending on how many balding men are in their party; five balding diners are entitled to one free meal, while a party of six gets a “top secret surprise”. The owner of Otasuke, Yoshiko Toyota, is adamant however that the offer is not a gimmick, but that a bald head is actually a “badge of honour” for men who have lost their hair through job-related stress or other factors.
Bald men are also offered a ‘discretionary’ discount on drinks at the bar.

Is baldness prevalent in Japan?

According to residents, Japan is currently awash with advertisements for hair loss treatments and products, leading some to assume that baldness and other hair loss conditions are more prevalent in their country than elsewhere in the world. Ongoing research, however, suggests that Japanese men are not really any more likely to be affected by hair loss than those living elsewhere in the world.
Although environmental factors can play a significant part in the development of hair loss conditions, these tend to be regional, rather than spread across an entire country. People exposed to radiation from the Fukushima nuclear power plant could be expected to experience higher than normal rates of hair loss for instance, but again, this would not manifest across the whole country.

Reversing baldness

As tempting as the idea of discounted food and drink may be, some of Japan’s balding men may be wondering what they can do to regrow their hair. The answer is the same as for UK men with hair loss: they should consult a hair loss expert who can diagnose the cause of the baldness and prescribe a personalised hair loss treatment plan, based on proven medications with on-going monitoring for best results.
Whilst most cases of male hair loss are genetic in origin, certain lifestyle factors can affect the overall health of the hair including diet! Otasuke may do well to examine its menu, to determine whether its food provides the necessary nutrition for healthy hair growth.