Nyotaimori is japanese for "female body presentation". (It is sometimes called "body sushi".) It is the practice of eating sashimi or sushi from the body of a woman, typically
nude. As a result of being
served on a human body, the temperature of the sushi or sashimi comes closer to body temperature, which some may see as a downside or a benefit.
The practice is, in fact, not in any way common in
Japan and generally associated with prostitution and the yakuza. Western media reporting of the phenomenon severely misrepresents this to the point that it is perceived in
Japan as a European fad.
Before becoming a living sushi
plate, the woman is trained to
lie down for hours without moving. She must also be able to withstand the prolonged exposure to the cold food. Her body hair, including pubic hair, would also be shaved.
Before service, the woman would take a bath using a
special fragrance-free soap and then finish off with a splash of cold water to cool the body down somewhat for the sushi.
In some countries, in order to comply with sanitation laws, there must be a layer of
plastic or other material between the sushi and the body of the woman.
