Intimate Labor of Hostess: Japanese Snack Bar in Hsinchu

• Main Authors: Chen, Hong-Yu, 陳虹羽
• Other Authors: Fang, I-Chieh
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/6z7sv9

碩士 === 國立清華大學 === 人類學研究所 === 106 === Under the policy of developing high-tech industry, Taiwan initiated its first science park—Hsinchu Science Park (HSP) in 1980. HSP attracts lots of foreign investment, including Japanese enterprises. Intimate needs of Japanese expatriates bring about Japanese drinking place in Hsinchu’s Historic Downtown. The hometown environment of snack bar making Japanese expatriates to release their stresses after intense work time. Taiwanese hostesses also service intimate desire, personal care and company to Japanese male immigrants in their daily life. These hostesses as intimate labor, playing the role of housewives to provide the reproduction function. It’s hard to estimate hostesses’ work scope. Hostesses seem to give their kindness as friends, but in most of exchange, customer needs to repay by visiting snack bar. Therefore, the exchange of hostess and customer is not a simply economic transaction. It’s not buying and selling but gift exchanges, that having the obligation depends on the relationship to giving, receiving and reciprocating.