IV Drip Cafes

We've all heard of oxygen bars springing up designed to increase your health, but Japan has once again upped the ante on such trends by introducing IV drip cafes.

Hard-working people suffer daily from exhaustion, insomnia, backaches and other minor ailments. Perhaps all they need is a dose of preventive medicine in the form of vitamins and other nutritional supplements.

On April 1, a private service, called Tenteki10, opened in Ebisu Garden Place, to provide “pick-me-ups” through IV drips. People can drop by without a reservation and take the 10-minute instillation right away.

Tenteki10, which is located on the 4th floor of Ebisu Garden Place Tower, operates as a subsidiary of a medical clinic. Because it is a medical practice, the drip is given by nurses and doctors. However, it is not covered by National Health Insurance.

Ten options with different effects and five courses consisting of these options are available. The basic price is 2,000 yen, and customers can request an option or course menu, for an additional charge.

“Many people daily suffer from exhaustion, insomnia and backaches on a daily basis because they don’t take proper care of themselves,” says a doctor at Tenteki10. “They try supplements, home remedies or cheap energy injections. Some of these ailments cannot be healed that way and could possibly develop into more serious illnesses, including depression.”

But the service at Tenteki10 is not “cosmetic,” the doctor adds. “It’s ‘preventive medicine.’ Also, we don’t publicize this service like a business, nor do we suggest it to anyone. We just leave leaflets at the clinic. We think of it as an option for people to raise their awareness of daily health management on their own.”

A spokesperson for Tenteki10 says, “We don’t want our customers to believe that the drip service will bring them perfect health. Although it has strong and quick effects, it is more important that customers be more aware of how to take responsibility for their daily health. Our service is just one option for them.”

According to Tenteki10, about 30 male and female customers a day currently make use of the drip service as remedies for exhaustion as well as for skin care and anti-aging purposes. Some of them come with their husband, wife or family.

Credits: Japan Today