世論 What Japan Thinks

Manga kissa is an abbreviation of manga kissaten, or in English comic cafe, the term I will use from now on. They can be found all over Japan, but I have yet to enter one as I have an image of them being very smokey. However, nearly half of all Japanese have been in one, according to this recent survey by Marsh Inc and reported on by japan.internet.com on the subject of comic cafes.

Demographics

Over the 27th and 28th of April 2009 300 members of the Marsh monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. Exactly 50.0% of the respondents were female, 0.3% in their teens, 19.7% in their twenties, 20.0% in their thirties, 20.0% in their forties, 20.0% in their fifties, and 20.0% aged sixty or older. Don’t ask me why one teenager sneaked in to disrupt the even split!

Searching around I found an interesting concept in comic cafes, Manboo, which, as the name intentionally or unintentionally suggests, appears to be a female-oriented cafe with a suspiciously Yahoo!-like logo yet has Yahoo! search embedded on its home page. I’m confused…

Research results

Q1: Have you ever used an internet cafe, comic cafe? (Sample size=300)

Yes (to SQs)	42.3%
No	52.3%
Don’t know what an internet cafe, comic cafe is	5.3%

Q1SQ1: At what times have you used internet cafes, comic cafes? (Sample size=127, multiple answer)

	Votes	Percentage
When I wanted to fill free time	64	50.4%
When I wanted to use internet, computer	48	37.8%
When I wanted to read comics	43	33.9%
To pass the time before an appointment, etc	32	25.2%
When waiting for the first train	17	13.4%
To spend the night	14	11.0%
When returning from work, school	13	10.2%
Other	6	4.7%

Q1SQ2: What do you mainly do in internet cafes, comic cafes? (Sample size=127, multiple answer)

	Votes	Percentage
Use internet, computer	90	70.9%
Read comics	84	66.1%
Use a shower	31	24.4%
Sleep	27	21.3%
Eat, drink	24	18.9%
Read other books	19	15.0%
Play on home console	7	5.5%
Watch DVD, video	0	0.0%
Other	3	2.4%