Following on the success of the joshikai trend, which saw pubs and hotels offering discounts to all-female groups, the service industry has been setting its sights on repeating the same thing for men with their promotion of danshikai — all-male get-togethers. According to Money Zine, a number of hotels and izakaya (pubs) are now offering special danshikai deals.
Currently on restaurant database site Guru Navi, there are 117 establishments offering special packages to men-only groups. A closer look, though, reveals that the danshikai offers, which are often all-you-can-drink deals, are simply repackaged joshikai campaigns. Seeing as all-male groups have been frequenting izakaya since time immemorial, it's hard to see danshikai as being anything other than the standard lad’s night out ... only cheaper.
But what about a weekend away with the guys? Will the joshikai-vacation formula work for men? Is the average Japanese male keen to bunk up with his buddies? Well, if he is, there are 40 offers from hotels and ryokan available on trip-planning site Rakuten Travel.