JIS Bar
JIS Bar is a Japanese chain of 10 'aiseki' (paired seating) social bars where women receive free food and drinks and men pay time-based fees, supported by iPad ordering and a proprietary mobile app with real-time seat tracking and loyalty rewards.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersFukuoka, Japan
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What JIS Bar does
JIS Co., Ltd. (株式会社JIS) operates a chain of 10 social bars in Japan under the brand 'JIS 相席BAR' (JIS Paired Seating Bar), an 'aiseki' concept where men and women are seated together at shared tables for casual social interaction. Women receive complimentary food and drinks, while men pay time-based fees (per 10-minute intervals) that shift from a solo rate to a paired-seating rate once matched, with premium drink upcharges (e.g., +¥110 whiskey, +¥6,050 Moet & Chandon) layering additional revenue on top. Founded in Sapporo in 2011 by Konishi Hiroshi (小西 寛史) following the sale of his prior mobile content company, the chain has expanded to Hokkaido, Kanto (Saitama, Tokyo), Kansai (Osaka), Kyushu (Fukuoka, Kumamoto), and Shikoku (Matsuyama), with a Chayamachi (Osaka) location scheduled for August 2025.
The technology stack supporting the chain is operational rather than AI-driven: each table is equipped with an iPad ordering system that lets patrons order without interrupting conversation, and the proprietary JIS Official App (iOS/Android, launched December 2017) provides real-time seat availability, mobile ordering, seating request management, and a loyalty points program (1 point per minute of paired seating, exchangeable for prizes from 500 points). Customer acquisition is largely direct-to-consumer via social media (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), the mobile app, and word-of-mouth. JIS has won the 2017 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards (Asia Bar category) and an A' Design Award for interior design executed by exclusive partner The Wholedesign Inc., and has extended its footprint into daytime F&B via the 'Sapporo Soup Curry Ito' lunch concept inside the Nishi-Shinjuku store. The company is privately held, bootstrapped (¥8M registered capital, no disclosed external funding), and employs 357 staff including part-time workers.
JIS Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- JIS Bar
- Legal name
- JIS Co.,Ltd.
- Website
- https://jis.bar
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- JIS Bar is a Japanese chain of 10 'aiseki' (paired seating) social bars where women receive free food and drinks and men pay time-based fees, supported by iPad ordering and a proprietary mobile app with real-time seat tracking and loyalty rewards.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
JIS Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Bar Services
- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Karaoke Bars & Entertainment Bars (THAFAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD)
Keywords
Where JIS Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fukuoka
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices10 records
Markets served
JIS Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Male Customer Time-Based Charges: Male customers pay time-based fees (typically per 10-minute intervals) for paired seating experiences. The charges transition from a 'solo' rate to a 'paired seating' rate once matched with female customers.
- Premium Drink Upcharges: While standard drinks are included in the seating fee, premium beverages like specialty whiskeys (+110 yen) and Moet & Chandon champagne (+6,050 yen) generate additional revenue.
- Lunch Restaurant Operations: The company operates 'Sapporo Soup Curry Ito' as a lunch business at JIS West Shinjuku location, generating additional restaurant revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Women's single charge with all-you-can-drink |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Men's time-based seating charges |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Private/charter rental packages (Kumamoto) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
JIS Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
JIS Bar operates a chain of social paired-seating bars (相席BAR / aiseki bar) across Japan, where male and female customers are matched at shared tables for casual socializing and dating. Women receive complimentary all-you-can-eat food and unlimited drinks (300+ beverage options), while male customers pay time-based seating fees (per 10-minute intervals) that shift from a solo to paired rate upon matching. The company also operates a proprietary mobile app, iPad ordering systems, and a lunch restaurant business at select locations.
Product overview
JIS Bar operates as a unified chain of social bars (相席BAR) across Japan with a unique business model where women receive complimentary food and drinks while men pay time-based fees. The core product is the paired seating bar experience facilitated by iPad ordering systems and an official mobile app. The product ecosystem includes the JIS Official App for real-time wait times and mobile ordering, a loyalty point system, concierge services at select locations, and private party booking capabilities. The chain has expanded from a single Sapporo location (2011) to 10+ locations nationwide, and also includes a lunch business (soup curry restaurant) operated at the Nishi-Shinjuku location.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- JIS 相席BAR (JIS Paired Seating Bar) Core social bar service where male and female customers are paired at shared tables for casual dating and social interactions. Women receive free all-you-can-eat food and unlimited drinks (300+ beverage options) while men pay time-based seating fees. Operates in 10 locations across Japan.
- JIS Official App Mobile application available for iOS and Android that enables customers to check real-time store occupancy and wait times, order food and drinks directly from their smartphones, request seating arrangement changes, and earn loyalty points for visits and usage.
- 相席コンシェルジュサービス (Seated Concierge Service) Concierge service available at select locations (Sapporo, Namba, Umeda) to assist customers with seating arrangements and enhance the social matching experience.
- Private Party/Charter Booking Private event booking service available at Kumamoto location offering various course options including all-you-can-drink packages, buffet options, and optional add-ons like champagne towers and flower arrangements. Weekday 2-hour drink-and-food packages from ¥2,200 to ¥4,400 depending on course.
- Sapporo Soup Curry Ito (札幌スープカレー絲) Lunch restaurant operation housed within the JIS Nishi-Shinjuku location, serving Sapporo-style soup curry during daytime hours.
Companies that use JIS Bar
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
JIS Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
JIS Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- The Wholedesign Inc.coreThe Wholedesign Inc., led by representative Atsuhiko Sugiyama, serves as the exclusive interior design partner for all JIS Bar locations. Sugiyama, who previously worked at Plan-Do-See and established The Wholedesign in 2010, has designed award-winning interiors for JIS SAPPORO that won the Asia Bar category at the 2017 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards. The design firm specializes in hotel, bridal, and restaurant interior architecture across Japan and internationally.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves17 records
Expansion highlights6 records
JIS Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Watami Co., Ltd. Watami operates one of Japan's largest izakaya chains alongside broader food-service businesses. Comparable as a Japanese multi-location casual dining and nightlife operator with similar cost structure (rent, part-time labor, late-night service model) to JIS Bar, though focused on izakaya rather than paired-seating.
- Colowide Co., Ltd. Colowide operates the "Karaoke no Tetsujin" karaoke chain alongside entertainment and restaurant concepts. Comparable as a Japanese late-night entertainment venue operator with multi-city physical footprint and similar target demographic (young adults seeking evening social activities).
- Hub Co., Ltd. Hub operates a large chain of British-style sports pubs across Japan and has historically expanded into aiseki-style and paired-seating nightlife formats. Comparable as a Japanese nightlife/hospitality operator with multi-city physical retail scale and late-night customer base overlap with JIS Bar.
- Koshidaka Holdings Co., Ltd. Koshidaka Holdings operates the karaoke chain "Karaoke Manekineko" and other entertainment concepts across Japan. Comparable as a Japanese nightlife entertainment operator with similar demographic (young adults, evening visits), real estate footprint, and physical-store operating model.
Direct peers
- Linkbal Inc. Linkbal operates the "Ideal" (相席居酒屋) aiseki paired-seating bar chain in Japan — the closest direct competitor to JIS Bar, sharing the same female-free / male-time-based fee structure and social-matching concept. Both target single adults in major Japanese cities with similar bar formats.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
JIS Bar social profiles
Digital presenceJIS Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
JIS Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
JIS Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
JIS Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about JIS Bar
What does JIS Bar do?
JIS Bar operates a chain of social paired-seating bars (相席BAR / aiseki bar) across Japan, where male and female customers are matched at shared tables for casual socializing and dating. Women receive complimentary all-you-can-eat food and unlimited drinks (300+ beverage options), while male customers pay time-based seating fees (per 10-minute intervals) that shift from a solo to paired rate upon matching. The company also operates a proprietary mobile app, iPad ordering systems, and a lunch restaurant business at select locations.
Is JIS Bar a public or private company?
JIS Bar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was JIS Bar founded?
JIS Bar was founded in 2011. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is JIS Bar based?
JIS Bar is headquartered in Fukuoka, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does JIS Bar make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Male Customer Time-Based Charges are the primary driver. The others are premium Drink Upcharges and lunch Restaurant Operations.
Who are JIS Bar's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Watami Co., Ltd., Colowide Co., Ltd., Hub Co., Ltd. and Koshidaka Holdings Co., Ltd.. Linkbal Inc. is listed as a direct peer.
Does JIS Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for JIS Bar.
What industry is JIS Bar in?
JIS Bar's product category is Social Bar Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAEAH, Karaoke Bars & Entertainment Bars, with a secondary code of CRANACAD, Cocktail Bars & Lounges. Its NAICS code is 7224 and its SIC code is 5810.