(かんばんむすめ)

かんばんむすめ
noun
poster girl, the attractive face of a shop
person
1. poster girl, the attractive face of a shop or business
An attractive young woman who works at a shop or restaurant and serves as its public face, drawing in customers with her charm. The term implies that her presence itself is an advertisement for the business.
あの(みせ)看板娘(かんばんむすめ)有名(ゆうめい)だ。
That shop's poster girl is famous.
Some customers come to the shopping arcade's flower shop just to see the poster girl.
She has a lovely smile and is beloved by the regulars as the izakaya's poster girl.

Cultural note

A traditional Japanese concept where an attractive female employee becomes the face of a small business, drawing customers. The term dates back to the Edo period when merchants' daughters would work at the front of shops. While the concept can feel dated, the word is still used today, especially for small shops and restaurants.

Forms

看板(かんばん) (signboard) + (むすめ) (young woman) — literally a "signboard daughter," meaning a woman who is herself the shop's best advertisement.

Common collocations