Eating alone in a crowded lunchroom can be an intimidating experience, which is why the Kyoto University introduced the “bocchi seki”—“alone seats”—last spring for students who want a bit of privacy while they eat.
The university specially ordered these seats when it was refurbishing the dining room at the engineering school—the tables feature 50-centimeter dividers down their middles.
Apparently, these seats have been popular with the students, who do not want the people sitting opposite them to watch them while they are grabbing a quick lunch.
While we can understand how we all need some privacy sometimes, we wonder if this sitting arrangement will allow socially-challenged students to avoid mingling more easily.
[via Kotaku]