A Good Time For Monkey Business?

“It all started when one day I gave him a hot towel out of curiosity and he brought the towel to the customer,” says Kaoru Otsuka. The owner of The Kayabukiya tavern, Otsuka originally kept Yat-chan and Fuku-chan, two Japanese macaque as pets until he discovered what they could do for him. Now the monkeys serve guests drinks and hot towels, receiving soya beans as tips for their services. They’re quite a hit among regulars and new customers alike, but animal rights activists shouldn’t be too concerned. The animals only work 2 hour shifts a day, with a half hour for banana breaks if their shift lasts any longer than that. Otsuka is quite pleased with the positive reception his new servers have received, and is already training three baby monkeys to join the staff in the future.