In Japan’s baseball stadiums, female beer hawkers, known as “uriko,” remain a popular tradition, although their working conditions raise questions. These young women roam the stands with backpacks of beer on their backs, walking up and down stairs while interacting politely with customers and serving beer using a beer puller.
They are easily recognizable by their flashy uniforms, which often include miniskirts or shorts. Some even wear knee pads to protect themselves from bumps or scrapes, as they often must kneel to serve beer without obstructing the view of fans.
Despite the difficulties, Honoka Hagiwara, a 22-year-old vendor at the Tokyo Dome stadium, says she likes her job and finds it glamorous. Although it was physically exhausting at first to carry a backpack of beer that can weigh as much as 15 kilograms for three hours at a time, she says she enjoys contributing to the spectators’ enjoyment and that the job gives her self-confidence.
Competition among the saleswomen is intense, as their remuneration depends on sales. Mariko Matsumoto, a 25-year-old uriko, confesses that she is constantly thinking about her sales figures and tries to beat them every day. At the Tokyo Dome, around one hundred saleswomen serve around 20,000 glasses per game, changing their kegs of beer between ten and twelve times during their service.
Although in the past most of the vendors were men, nowadays few men are engaged in this strenuous profession. However, there are no male vendors at the Tokyo Dome, although the organizers are not opposed to the idea and simply point out that there are many more women applying for the job.
While the urikos tradition has not generated much debate in Japan, the country has experienced its own #MeToo movement has challenged some local traditions that perpetuate gender inequality. However, Urikos are still accepted and enjoy their interaction with fans. Some bond with regulars and even receive gifts from them.
While the experience in this job is positive for some, others do not have such a favorable perception. In 2019, one ex-uriko described it as sinister, revealing that she often felt sold as an object as customers wanted to take pictures with her and handed her their business cards.