Japan has launched a new type of bar unlike any other, aimed at people considering quitting or changing jobs. Located near Yokohama Station, it is called "Tenshoku Sodan Bar" or "Career Change Consultation Bar," offering a space for visitors to discuss career paths in a friendly atmosphere with complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Around Japan's major train stations, izakayas and sake bars are common, but near Yokohama Station, there's a bar named "Tenshoku Sodan Bar" (転職相談Bar) or "Career Change Consultation Bar." Unlike typical bars that encourage drinking to attract workers, this bar aims to create a safe space for people caught in the "in-between" state of loving their current job yet wanting to quit.
The bar recognizes that consulting friends or family can lead to biased advice influenced by personal concern, and visiting formal recruitment agencies can be stressful due to the need to prepare resumes, dress formally, and answer clear questions about salary and future goals—burdensome if you're simply "unsure" about your current job.
A key feature of this bar is that everything is free, including alcoholic and soft drinks and the consultations. The rules are relaxed: no suits required, customers can dress comfortably, no resume or lists of achievements or weaknesses need to be presented. Moreover, bartenders who serve as advisors from LIA do not immediately push job openings but focus on listening and engaging deeply with the customer's current situation.
Surveys show that over 60% of customers have not yet decisively decided to quit but just want a space to vent and discuss abstractly about their life direction without worrying that advisors will pressure them to submit job applications.
Since the bar emphasizes one-on-one conversations, interested individuals must book in advance via the Line app. Typically, discussions last about 60 to 90 minutes, although the bar does not strictly limit the time.
Thus, this bar has become a new oasis for Japanese salaried workers feeling lost, offering a place to sip cold drinks, share troubles, and seek answers about their careers in a relaxed environment.