On December 11, 2022, we held the 1st Snack Soudanbako, known as "Snack Nukosama-chan."
Snack Soudanbako is an offline meetup where we rent out an actual snack bar, inviting a guest to serve as the "1-day mama" and interact with fans through consultations.
For the 1st edition featuring manga artist Nukosama-chan, we welcomed 20 lucky attendees selected by lottery from over 320 applicants!
Here is our report from this one-of-a-kind offline event!
【Date & Time】
Session 1: 12/11 (Sun) 13:00-14:30 (Doors open 12:45)
Session 2: 12/11 (Sun) 15:00-16:30 (Doors open 14:45)
【Venue】
A snack bar 2 minutes' walk from Meguro Station
【Price】
90-minute all-you-can-drink charge: ¥4,000 per session
(All-you-can-drink last order at 60 min)
Snacks included, outside food welcome
This was the first offline event for Soudanbako Inc.
We normally run the web service "Soudanbako," which provides an online space where people can communicate centered around "consultations."
But we wondered: if we stepped outside and enabled consultation-based interactions offline as well…
Could we connect more deeply and more mutually? That idea is what led to this event.
"Why a 'snack bar'?"
We asked ourselves: where do people go to seek advice about their worries? Of course — a snack bar! And so the concept was decided.
· Organizer
Soudanbako Inc.
The company behind "Soudanbako," a completely free, monetizable Q&A web service.
Through "Super Letters" (tipping to boost posts) and "THANKS" (tip-based gratitude for responses), influencers, cultural figures, singers, actors, and many others can generate income through communication with their fans.
We aim to create a service where "Soudanbako" helps resolve the worries and anxieties of many, and enables the sharing of interesting and useful knowledge with a wide audience.
· 1-Day Mama
Nukosama-chan
Manga artist. Major commercially published works include "Hitomishiri Senmon Katei Kyoshi Saka-mocchan" and "Senmon Gakko JK," among others. Currently primarily active on Twitter drawing illustrated diary manga, releasing each series as free books through Kindle Indies Manga.
With over 380,000 Twitter followers, daily illustrated diary posts have received a wide range of responses.
Nukosama-chan, a.k.a. "Nuko-Mama," sat at the counter, with a "consultation space" set up across from her.
Each guest spent about five minutes in that space for a one-on-one consultation with Nuko-Mama,
and (where possible) the conversation was broadcast through a microphone around the bar, so other guests could listen in and join the consultation.
Guests could also chat with one another, and by the end of each session, everyone had grown quite friendly.
Some even organized an impromptu after-party…
【Consultations submitted via the application form】
I want to start something new beyond just working a normal job, but I don't know what to start, what goals to set, or what I'm capable of. I'd like to hear Nukosama-chan's thoughts on these vague questions.
I'm planning to confess my feelings to a girl at a girls' bar that day — I'd love to get the courage to do it.
I want to write BL novels again after a long time, but I'm worried about my family (my daughter) finding out.
I'm an executive at multiple companies, and I occasionally encounter monster subordinates like the ones in Ushijima-kun, which I'm somehow supposed to manage — it's driving me close to depression.
After Snack Soudanbako ended, many event report manga and reaction tweets spread widely, and we received numerous comments from people envying the winners and requesting a second event!
【Report Manga】
Fukufuku Chie
JaRIN!
Yohayohajam
MI_NOtaur
Chiiyuka
【Reaction Tweets】
And many more!
We conducted an interview with Nukosama-chan before and after the snack event!
~~~Before the Snack~~~
Q: You accepted this unusual "snack bar" concept rather readily, didn't you?
A: I thought to myself, "This is probably my only chance in life to be a '1-day mama,'" and jumped at the opportunity.
It had been several years since I last held an offline meetup, and I'd thought I wouldn't be organizing one on my own again — but since Soudanbako was offering to host it, I agreed to hold one after a long hiatus.
I also wanted it to be a purely fan-focused event with no merchandise sales or profit motive, keeping the numbers small to maximize each participant's satisfaction.
Q: What should we call you — "Nukosama-chan-san"?
Since this is an offline event, we'll be calling your name out loud, and we weren't quite sure how much of your name to use (laughs).
A: As long as "Nuko" is in there, anything works (laughs).
"Nukosama" or "Nukosama-chan" are both fine.
Actually, since I'm the 1-day mama today, "Nuko-Mama" is also very welcome.
Q: What's your spirit going into today?
A: Bring it on — whatever the consultation!
I intentionally haven't looked at the consultation submissions at all.
If I knew in advance, I'd overthink everything.
Today I'm going to embrace the role of "1-day mama," almost as if piloting myself from the outside — keeping an objective perspective and giving it my all!
~~~After the Snack~~~
Q: How was it, now that it's over?
A: It was incredibly fun!
Almost 4 hours of non-stop talking and drinking, and I loved every moment of it.
Honestly, I'm not even tired. I feel like I could do 4 more sessions (laughs).
Q: Was there any moment that particularly stood out to you?
A: Both in Session 1 and 2, there were many consultations that needed to be kept off the record — and that's exactly why listening face-to-face was so special.
It had that "only possible offline" quality to it.
Session 1 folks had intense personalities; Session 2 folks had intense conversations — that's my impression (laughs).
Q: Some guests touched your pectoral muscles.
A: I honestly can't remember who at this point (laughs).
Q: Are there any events you'd like to try in the future?
A: I'd love to do a snack bar event again.
Among the feedback, there were quite a few requests for events in the Kansai region, so I'd like to try somewhere like Osaka.
Also, this is purely something I personally want to do…
I love ZWIFT (a virtual cycling app), so I'd love to collaborate with the company behind it.
I want to gather creators, talents, and comedians to hold a kind of martial arts tournament (laughs).
Also, I'm really terrible at video games.
So I'd love to get some coaching from professional gamers.
Q: What do you think about "Soudanbako"?
A: There are many creators with large fanbases who struggle financially, and I think Soudanbako is a great service that can genuinely help them.
One of the reasons I accepted the snack bar offer was also because I personally want to support Soudanbako.
"Snack Soudanbako" will continue to welcome a variety of creators — starting with Nukosama-chan — going forward.
Whether you're thinking "I want to hold an offline meetup but organizing one myself is a lot of work," or "I want to do a meetup but I'm not sure what to talk about" —
"Snack Soudanbako" is here to meet a wide range of needs.
If you're interested, feel free to reach out to Soudanbako!
soudanbako.info@gmail.com
Soudanbako also operates under the name "Oshigoto Soudanbako" (Work Consultation Box), where we help connect various individuals and companies regardless of industry to create new work opportunities.
This Snack Soudanbako was the first step for Oshigoto Soudanbako.
Whether you'd like to have a dialogue with a specific person, plan a fun event, or hold a gaming tournament — bring us your ideas and we'll help turn them into reality.
If you're interested, please check the link below.
We operate and develop "Soudanbako," a completely free, monetizable Q&A web service.
Soudanbako is available immediately to anyone with 10,000 or more Twitter followers as a respondent.
Through "Super Letters" (tipping to boost posts) and "THANKS" (tip-based gratitude for responses), influencers, cultural figures, singers, actors, and many others can generate income through communication with their fans.
Click here for the web service "Soudanbako"!
We are constantly working to improve the service and add new features to make it as user-friendly as possible.
If you're interested in our development progress, we have a community Discord server available.
Respondents currently using Soudanbako are also members. Anyone is welcome to join — come help us build Soudanbako together!
