The Niku joshi Phenomenon

Meat-eating and Gender inside the Contemporary Japanese Workplace

Abstract

Women have been incorporated into the work culture based on patriarchal values as active participants in Japan's labor market. As a result, they are partaking in activities that initially were, and in many ways continue to be, tied to the male domain. These activities include the practice of meat-eating, recognized by researchers as a symbol of masculinity in both Western and non-Western societies. This article explores practices young Japanese working women implement in connection to the newly-emerged culture of niku joshikai––gatherings of female co-workers or friends centered on the consumption of meat. I argue that this culture functions as a means for women to create a sense of belonging to the male-dominant work culture as well as to assert their feminine identities. I propose that through these practices, young Japanese working women are constructing alternative femininities.