A hostess club is a type of
night club
A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music.
Nightclubs gener ...
found primarily in Japan. They employ primarily female staff and cater to men seeking drinks and attentive conversation. The modern host club is a similar type of establishment where primarily male staff attend to women. Host and hostess clubs are considered part of ''
mizu shōbai
, literally the water trade, is the euphemism for jobs that do not provide a contractually fixed salary, but instead rely on the popularity of the performer among their fans or clientele. Broadly, it includes the television, theater and movie ind ...
'' (literally "water trade"), the night-time entertainment business in Japan.
Hostess clubs
Japan
![HostessBars](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/HostessBars.jpg)
In Japan, two types of bars are hostess clubs: , a
portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words[karaoke
Karaoke (; ; , clipped compound of Japanese ''kara'' "empty" and ''ōkesutora'' "orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music i ...](_blank)
to entertain customers. They can be seen as the modern counterpart of
geisha
{{Culture of Japan, Traditions, Geisha
{{nihongo, Geisha, 芸者 ({{IPAc-en, ˈ, ɡ, eɪ, ʃ, ə; {{IPA-ja, ɡeːɕa, lang), also known as {{nihongo, , 芸子, geiko (in Kyoto and Kanazawa) or {{nihongo, , 芸妓, geigi, are a class of female J ...
s, providing entertainment to groups of
salarymen
In Japan, a is a salaried worker. In Japanese popular culture, this is embodied by a white-collar worker who shows overriding loyalty and commitment to the corporation where he works.
Salarymen are expected to work long hours, to put in addit ...
after work. The clubs also often employ a female bartender usually well-trained in
mixology
''Mixology'' is an American sitcom that aired during the 2013–14 television season on ABC. The series was co-created by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who also serve as co-executive producers with Ryan Seacrest and Nina Wass for Ryan Seacrest P ...
, and who may also be the manager or ''
mamasan
A ''mama-san'' or ''mamasan'' is usually a woman in a position of authority, especially one in charge of a geisha house or bar or nightclub in East Asia.
In Southeast Asia a mamasan is a woman who works in a supervisory role in certain establish ...
''. Hostess clubs are distinguished from
strip club
A strip club is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease or other Erotic dancing, erotic or exotic dances. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or Bar (establishment), bar style, and can also ...
s in that there is no dancing, prostitution or nudity.
Hostesses often drink with customers each night, and alcohol problems are fairly common. These problems can be the result of frequent consumption of alcohol, from which many consequences may arise. Most bars use a commission system by which hostesses receive a percentage of sales. For example, a patron purchases a $20 drink for the hostess, these are usually non-alcoholic concoctions like orange juice and ginger ale, and the patron has purchased the hostess's attention for the subsequent 30–45 minutes. The hostess then splits the proceeds of the sale with the bar 50/50. The light or no alcohol content of the drinks maximizes profits and ensures that the hostess does not become intoxicated after only a short time at work.
Businesses may pay for tabs on company expense with the aim of promoting trust among male co-workers or clients. At one establishment, about 90% of all tabs were reportedly paid for by companies.
Patrons are generally greeted comfortably at the door and seated as far away from other customers as possible. In some instances, a customer is able to choose with whom he spends time, while most often that is decided by the house. In either case, the hostess will leave after a certain amount of time or number of drinks, offering the customer a chance to see a fresh face. While most establishments have male
tout
A tout is any person who solicits business or employment in a persistent and annoying manner (generally equivalent to a ''solicitor'' or '' barker'' in American English, or a ''spruiker'' in Australian English).
An example would be a person who ...
s outside to bring in customers, it may also fall upon a (usually new) hostess to do so. While hostess clubs are clearly gendered in the way that women serve men, research has also revealed the complexity of intra-gender dynamics and sometimes tension among hostesses as well, and the ways that male customers often work to mitigate problems among hostesses as well as between hostesses and Mama-san.
Hostess clubs have a strict "no touching" policy, and patrons who try to initiate private or sexual conversation are removed.
However a
red-light district version of the host/hostess club exists, called ''seku-kyabakura'' or ''ichya-kyabakura'', where patrons are permitted to touch their host/hostess above the waist and engage in sexual conversation topics or kissing, although this type of establishment is not common.
Normal hostess clubs are classified as food and entertainment establishments and regulated by the
Businesses Affecting Public Morals Regulation Act, prohibiting any form of sexual contact between employees and customers. Normal hostess clubs also need a permit to allow dancing. Clubs are inspected often by the Public Safety Commission. Any club found violating its permitted activities can have its business license suspended, until corrections are made.
Hostessing is a popular employment option among young foreign women in Japan, as demand is high. Most visa types do not allow this type of work (as hostessing falls under the category of ), so many choose to work illegally. The clubs sometimes take advantage of the women's precarious legal situation. The industry and its dangers were highlighted in 1992 when Carita Ridgway, an Australian hostess, was drugged and killed after a paid date, and in 2000 when Lucie Blackman, a British hostess, was abducted, raped and murdered by the
same customer. The government promised to crack down on illegal employment of foreigners in hostess bars, but an undercover operation in 2006 found that several hostess bars were willing to employ a foreign woman illegally.
[Nightclub hostess world still seen as one where profit trumps visas, safety](_blank)
''The Japan Times'', 3 July 2007 In 2007, the Japanese government began taking action against these hostess clubs, causing many to be shut down and many hostesses to be arrested and deported.
In December 2009 the
Kyabakura Union
A hostess club is a type of night club found primarily in Japan. They employ primarily female staff and cater to men seeking drinks and attentive conversation. The modern host club is a similar type of establishment where primarily male staff atte ...
was formed to represent hostess bar workers (see "Kyabakura Union" below).
Snack bars
![Sunakku bā in Sukagawa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Sunakku_b%C4%81_in_Sukagawa.JPG)
A , or "snack" for short, refers to a kind of hostess bar, an alcohol-serving bar that employs female staff who are paid to serve and flirt with male customers. Although they do not charge an entry fee (and often have no set prices on their menus), they usually either have an arbitrary charge or charge a set hourly fee plus a "bottle charge". (Customers purchase a bottle in their own name, and it is kept for future visits.)
Venues outside Japan
Hostess bars are also found in other east Asian countries, and in Hawaii, Guam, California, and Vancouver, Canada. In Hawaii, approximately half of Oahu's 300 bars are licensed as hostess bars.
Some bars in Thailand label themselves as hostess bars; these are loosely related to the East Asian practice, although they are basically a class of the local
go-go bars that do not feature dancing.
Host clubs
![HostBar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/HostBar.jpg)
A is similar to a hostess club, except that female customers pay for male company. Host clubs are typically found in more populated areas of Japan, and are famed for being numerous in
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
districts such as
Kabukichō
Kabukichō ( ja, 歌舞伎町, , ) is an entertainment district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Kabuki-chō is the location of many host and hostess clubs, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, and is often called the "Sleepless Town" (, , ...
, and
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
's
Umeda
is a major commercial, business, shopping and entertainment district in Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, and the city's main northern railway terminus (Ōsaka Station, Umeda Station). The district's name means "plum field".
History
Umeda was historica ...
and
Namba. Customers are typically wives of rich men, or women working as hostesses in hostess clubs.
The first host club was opened in Tokyo in 1966.
In 1996, the number of Tokyo host clubs was estimated to be 200, and a night of non-sexual entertainment could cost US$500–600. Professor Yoko Tajima of Hosei University explained the phenomenon by Japanese men's lack of true listening to the problems of women, and by women's desire to take care of a man and be loved back.
Host
ROLAND has become a mainstream TV personality. In addition to holding various records in regards to his host career, he is also a businessman. Entertainer
Jin Shirosaki
, better known as , is a Japanese entertainer and radio personality who is represented by the talent agency, Sun Music.
Shirosaki worked at a host club.
Biography
Shirosaki served as a host of Host and hostess clubs, host club Club Ai for five ye ...
worked as a host for five years. Comedian
Hiroshi
is a common masculine Japanese given name. It can also be transliterated as Hirosi.
Possible writings
Hiroshi can be written using different kanji characters and can mean:
*浩, "meaning"
*汎
*弘,
*宏,
*寛,
*洋,
*博,
*博一,
*博司,
...
was also once a host. Ryuchalo gained international attention for being styled as a host from the age of 4 throughout elementary school by his blogger mother, Chiimero.
Hosts
Male hosts pour drinks and will often flirt with their clients, more so than their female counterparts. The conversations are generally light-hearted; hosts may have a variety of entertainment skills, be it simple magic tricks or charisma with which to tell a story. Some host clubs have a dedicated stage for a performance, usually a dance, comedy sketch, etc.
Hosts' ages usually range between 18 and the mid-20s. They will take a stage name, usually taken from a favourite manga, film, or historical figure, that will often describe their character. Men who become hosts are often those who either cannot find a white-collar job, or are enticed by the prospect of high earnings through commission.
While hostess bars in Tokyo often have designated men out on the streets getting clients to come into their clubs, some hosts are often sent out onto the streets to find customers, who are referred to as , but these are usually the younger, less-experienced hosts. A common look for a host is a dark suit, collared shirt, silver jewellery, a dark tan,
[ and bleached hair.
Pay is usually determined by commission on drink sales with hosts often drinking far past a healthy limit, usually while trying to hide their drunkenness. Because the base hourly wage is usually extremely low, almost any man can become a host regardless of looks or charisma (depending on the bar). However, hosts who cannot increase their sales usually drop out very soon, because of the minimal wage. The environment in a host bar is usually very competitive, with tens of thousands of dollars sometimes offered to the host who can achieve the highest sales.
]
Drinks
Many of the clientele who visit host bars are hostesses who finish work at around 1:00 or 2:00 a.m., causing host bars to often begin business at around midnight and finish in the morning or midday, and hosts to work to the point of exhaustion. But business times have changed in recent years by order of the police due to the increased incidence of illegal prostitution by host club customers who could not pay the host club debts they had accumulated. Nowadays most of these clubs open about 4:00 p.m. and have to be closed between midnight and 2:00 a.m. Drinks usually start at about ¥1000 but can reach around ¥6 million (US$60,000) for a bottle of champagne.
Buying bottles of champagne usually means a . All the hosts of the club will gather around the table for a song, talk, or a mic performance of some kind. The champagne will be drunk straight from the bottle by the customer, then her named host, and then the other hosts gathered. Often a wet towel will be held under the chin of the customer and hosts while they drink to prevent spills. The performance differs from club to club, and is believed to have originated at club Ryugujo in Kabukicho by the manager Yoritomo.
Also a can usually be done for special events. Champagne glasses are arranged into a pyramid, and champagne is poured onto the top glass until it trickles down the layers of glasses. Depending on the champagne used, this can cost over 200万円 (US$20,000).
Etiquette
On the first visit to a host club, the customer is presented with a menu of the hosts available, and decide which host to meet first, but over the course of the night, the customer will meet most of the hosts. The customer then decides which host they like most, and can make him their . This can be done by buying a " bottle keep" (a bottle of liquor that can be saved for next time), stating interest in a host. The named host will receive a percentage of the future sales generated by that customer. Most clubs operate on a system: once the named host has been nominated, a customer cannot change hosts at that club.
Sometimes a host will go with a customer for a meal or karaoke after hours. This is called . Staying longer at the host club is considered the proper way to treat a host. It is possible to go on day trips or travel with a host, but a host can only go with their own customer. A host interacting with another host's customer is liable to be fined or fired from the club. Drinks can be purchased on tab, but contact information is taken and the customer must pay later. If the customer does not pay, the host must. It is considered rude to leave a customer alone, called . A customer who is abusive and troublesome is called a and may be expelled from a club.
Business strategy
Usually, hosts try to make the clients feel loved without having sex with them, as it takes up their time and energy. Sometimes, for instance if a customer pays a large amount of money and/or if the host likes them in return, the host can have sex with the client.[Tokyo plays host to sexual shift]
''The Guardian'', 18 September 2005 If the same host meets the same client, they have a higher chance of having sex than the host having sex with another client. The clients attempt to make the individuals very comfortable, thus they will feel compelled to provide for the businessmen in the future by some means. This exchange may be by political or economic means. There are other various methods of business. For example, is the practice of a host emailing his customer regularly to ensure their return. Similarly, a host may call their customer, but this is fading in popularity now with the rise in popularity of mail business. Hosts will usually carry a business phone and a private phone.
Kyabakura Union
The is a trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
for hostess club employees in Japan. It was formed on December 22, 2009 by Rin Sakurai, who formed the union in response to problems hostess-club employees reported with their employers, including harassment and unpaid wages. The union is affiliated with the Part-timer, Arbeiter, Freeter & Foreign Workers Union, often referred to as the "Freeter" Union.
Literature and films
Fiction
There are many Japanese fictional works, such as TV dramas, novels, s, manga (and anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
adaptations) which revolve around hostesses or host clubs, such as ''Club 9
''Club 9'', known in Japan as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Kobayashi (artist), Makoto Kobayashi. It was serialized in Kodansha's Seinen manga, ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Mr. Magazine'' from 1991 to 1994, with ...
'', ''Bloodhound
The bloodhound is a large scent hound, originally bred for hunting deer, wild boar and, since the Middle Ages, for tracking people. Believed to be descended from hounds once kept at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert, Belgium, in French it is called, ''l ...
,'' and the more light-hearted ''Ouran High School Host Club
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Bisco Hatori, and serialized in Hakusensha's '' LaLa'' magazine between the September 2002 and November 2010 issues. The series follows Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student at Ouran Ac ...
''. These works reaching a general audience shows how accepted the clubs have become in general society. This even extends to non-Japanese fiction, for example with the crime novel ''Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
'' (2000), by British author Mo Hayder
Beatrice Clare Dunkel (born Clare Damaris Bastin; pen names, Mo Hayder and Theo Clare; 2 January 1962 – 27 July 2021) was a British author. Earlier in her life she worked as an actress and model under the name Candy Davis. She went on to wr ...
, which has as its main character a British hostess starting out in the industry. The episode "Meet Market A meet market (or meat market) is a location or activity in which people are viewed as commodities, or a business like a nightclub where people typically look for a casual sex partner. The term is also used metaphorically, for example, to refer to t ...
" of the American TV drama ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', also referred to as ''CSI'' and ''CSI: Las Vegas'', is an American procedural forensics crime drama television series that ran on CBS from October 6, 2000, to September 27, 2015, spanning 15 seasons. This wa ...
'' featured a version of a host club in Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. In Isaac Adamson
Isaac Adamson, born in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1971, is the American author of a series of mystery novels set in Japan and featuring journalist and amateur detective Billy Chaka.
Biography
After graduating from Rocky Mountain High School in ...
's novel ''Dreaming Pachinko
is a mechanical game originating in Japan that is used as an arcade game, and much more frequently for gambling. Pachinko fills a niche in Japanese gambling comparable to that of the slot machine in the West as a form of low-stakes, low-st ...
'', the character Miyuki worked at an exclusive hostess club in Ginza
Ginza ( ; ja, 銀座 ) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi. It is a popular upscale shopping area of Tokyo, with numerous intern ...
. The adventure video game series ''Yakuza
, also known as , are members of transnational organized crime syndicates originating in Japan. The Japanese police and media, by request of the police, call them , while the ''yakuza'' call themselves . The English equivalent for the term ...
'' allows the player to attend hostess clubs; some entries, such as ''Yakuza 0
''Yakuza 0'' is an action-adventure game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. It is the sixth main entry in the '' Yakuza series'' and a prequel to the original game. It was released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in Ja ...
'' and ''Yakuza Kiwami 2
''Yakuza Kiwami 2'' is an action-adventure video game developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega. It is a remake of the 2006 video game '' Yakuza 2'' for the PlayStation 2, and is the ''Yakuza'' series' second remake title following ...
'', have side-quests that allow the main character to become a host himself or manage a hostess club, gaining dominance in the area and hiring new talent. Japanese 2018 drama ''Todome no Kiss
is a 2018 Japanese television drama, starring Kento Yamazaki, Mugi Kadowaki, Mackenyu, Yuko Araki, Jun Shison and Masaki Suda. It airs on every Sundays at 22:30 ( JST) on NTV from January 7, 2018.
The short series titled is distributed exclusi ...
'' features Kento Yamazaki
is a Japanese actor and model. He is best known for his roles in the films '' L DK'' (2014), ''Heroine Shikkaku'' (2015), ''Orange'' (2015), and ''Kingdom'' (2019), as well as the TV shows ''Death Note'' (2015), '' Kiss That Kills'' (2018), '' ...
playing the role of a popular host under the stage name Eight, who works in a Kabukichō
Kabukichō ( ja, 歌舞伎町, , ) is an entertainment district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. Kabuki-chō is the location of many host and hostess clubs, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, and is often called the "Sleepless Town" (, , ...
nightclub called ''Narcissus''. D3 Publisher
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher founded on February 5, 1992. The company is known for the ''Simple'' series of budget-priced video games. Their games have been released for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Ninten ...
created ''Last Escort
Last Escort is a series of host club-themed otome games by D3 Publisher for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable.
History
The first title was announced at Tokyo Game Show 2005 with a list price of 5040 yen, scheduled for a winter 20 ...
'', a series of host club-themed otome
An , is a story-based video game that is targeted towards women. Generally one of the goals, besides the main idea/goal, is to develop a romantic relationship between the female player/main character and one of the second-lead male characters.
His ...
dating sim visual novel
A , often abbreviated as VN, is a form of digital semi-interactive fiction. Visual novels are often associated with and used in the medium of video games, but are not always labeled as such themselves. They combine a textual narrative with sta ...
games.
Rosa Kato
is a Japanese actress and commercial model.
Biography Career
From April 2004 to March 2005, Kato was a regular guest student on ''Italian Conversation'', a 25-minute NHK TV program for beginners of Italian. She subsequently began appearing in ...
starred in TV Asahi
JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as (also known as EX and and stylized as TV asahi), is a television station that is owned and operated by the subsidiary of certified broadcasting holding company , itself controlled by The Asahi Shimbun Compan ...
's Japanese drama called ''Jotei'' in which she played a poor high school drop out who is compelled to succeed in the hostess business and become the number one hostess in Tokyo after her mother passes away to undiagnosed cancer. ''Kyabasuka Gakuen
is a 2016 Japanese television drama series starring Sakura Miyawaki and Jurina Matsui. It is the sequel to Majisuka Gakuen 5, set in an alternate timeline where the events of that season never happened but the Majisuka All-Girls High School goe ...
'', another Japanese drama shown on Nippon TV
JOAX-DTV (channel 4), branded as , is the flagship station of the Nippon News Network and the Nippon Television Network System, owned-and-operated by the which is a subsidiary of the certified broadcasting holding company , itself a listed su ...
and Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
, is about a group of high school girls who open a hostess club to raise funds to prevent their school being shut down due to debt. The 2004 film '' Stratosphere Girl'' follows a young Belgian woman joining a Tokyo hostess club and trying to solve the mystery of a missing Russian hostess. In the Starz
Starz (stylized as STARZ since 2016; pronounced "stars") is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz consist ...
show ''Crash
Crash or CRASH may refer to:
Common meanings
* Collision, an impact between two or more objects
* Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond
* Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating
* Couch su ...
,'' the character Inez works as a hostess in Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. In NTV's 2001 ''Ranma ½
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from August 1987 to March 1996, with the chapters collected into 38 ''tankōbon'' volumes by Shogakukan. The st ...
'' live-action special/movie, Nabiki Tendo is a hostess at the establishment which her father, Ranma's father, and the antagonist frequent. A South Korean live-action film, ''Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Mike D, Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (voca ...
,'' is about two young men, Seung-woo and Jae-hyun, who serve as hosts or male escorts for a discreet private women's club in a posh district of Seoul. Hiro Mashima
is a Japanese manga artist. He gained success with his first serial ''Rave Master'', published in Kodansha's ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from 1999 to 2005. His best-selling work, ''Fairy Tail'', published in the same magazine from 2006 to 2017, ...
's manga ''Fairy Tail
''Fairy Tail'' is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. It was serialized in Kodansha's ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' from August 2006 to July 2017, with the individual chapters collected and published into 63 '' ...
'' features a guild called "Blue Pegasus" which acts as a host club to both male and female patrons, while Hideaki Sorachi
is the pen name of a Japanese manga artist, most well-known for his manga ''Gin Tama,'' which began serialization in 2003 and ended in 2019. He has also written numerous one-shots, including ''Dandelion'', of which he has won the Tenkaichi Hono ...
's manga Gintama
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi. It was serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from December 2003 to September 2018, later in ''Jump Giga'' from December 2 ...
has one of the main characters, Shimura Tae, work at a hostess club named 'Snack Smile', along with several storylines and one-shots being set in host clubs.
Non-fiction
There are several fashion and lifestyle magazines, for example ''Koakuma Ageha
''Koakuma Ageha'' (, lit. "Little-devil Swallowtail ") is a gyaru fashion and lifestyle magazine '', which mainly cater to hostesses and/or hosts, and sometimes also to their recruiters and fans. ''Koakuma Ageha'' was known as an unconventional fashion magazine modeled by real hostesses, and it was one of the highest-selling fashion magazines in Japan.
The Shōhei Imamura
was a Japanese film director. His main interest as a filmmaker lay in the depiction of the lower strata of Japanese society. A key figure in the Japanese New Wave, who continued working into the 21st century, Imamura is the only director from J ...
documentary (1970) tells the story of a hostess/prostitute in postwar Yokosuka, Kanagawa
is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
, the city has a population of 409,478, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region.
The city ...
.
In the 1994 book '' Nightwork: Sexuality, Pleasure, and Corporate Masculinity in a Tokyo Hostess Club'', anthropologist Anne Allison, informed by her own work in the mid-1980s as a hostess in a Japanese bar, describes hostess bars as providing an atmosphere where masculinity is "collectively realized and ritualized."
The 1995 documentary ''Shinjuku Boys
''Shinjuku Boys'' is a 1995 film by Kim Longinotto and Jano Williams. It explores the lives of three trans man, transgender men who work at the New Marilyn Club in Tokyo, Japan.
Reception
In 1995, ''Shinjuku Boys'' won Outstanding Documentary a ...
'' by Kim Longinotto
Kim Longinotto ( Sally Anne Longinotto-Landseer; born 8 February 1948, London) is a British documentary film maker, well-known for making films that highlight the plight of female victims of oppression or discrimination. Longinotto has made mo ...
describes a Tokyo host club in Shinjuku
is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative centre, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world (Shinjuku Station) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration ...
staffed by trans men
A trans man is a man who was assigned female at birth. The label of transgender man is not always interchangeable with that of transsexual man, although the two labels are often used in this way. ''Transgender'' is an umbrella term that incl ...
.
''Tokyo Girls'' is a 2000 documentary in which four Canadian women share their experiences working as hostesses in Japan.
'' The Great Happiness Space: Tale of an Osaka Love Thief'' is a 2006 documentary about a host club in Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...
.
Japanese host, TV personality, and entrepreneur Roland
Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...
released an autobiography titled ''Ore ka, Ore Igai ka. Roland Toiu Ikikata''. (Kadokawa, March 11, 2019)
China
KTV/hostess bar in China
KTVs are a source of interactive musical entertainment through the utilization of a karaoke bar by which words appear on a large interactive television. It is important to distinguish the difference in desirable environments for individuals of different age groups within the KTV. Individuals within their early thirties to late forties typically prefer the exclusive, private realms of rented rooms rather than the stereotypical open dance floor disco environment. KTVs are usually found in East Asian
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea a ...
nations and are a principal location for Chinese business meetings.
Hostesses within the KTV
Chinese businessmen use various hostesses as a means of persuading the businessmen and as an outlet to earn favors in the future. This mentality is carried with many Chinese businessmen and has become the common perception on business for many of the Chinese men. These hostesses serve to please the client and allow the client to feel satisfied and trustworthy while present at the KTV.
Hostesses are expected to pressure businessmen to drink, sing and gain as much attention as possible.
The Chinese businessmen that visit the KTV maintain a main and sentimental priority of establishing connections within their respective companies. Hostesses internally degrade their personal and " moral appearance" in order to satisfy a sentiment of masculine pleasure. These implications directly integrate into the creation of hegemonic masculinity
In gender studies, hegemonic masculinity is part of R. W. Connell's gender order theory, which recognizes multiple masculinities that vary across time, society, culture, and the individual. Hegemonic masculinity is defined as a practice that leg ...
for the business
Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...
world. This correlates to the value of male dominance throughout the business world and enhances the principle of hyper-masculinity which decreases diversity for Chinese ethics. This also leads to gender inequality for women not only in the KTVs, but more generally throughout many realms of life in China.
This may entail the loss of moral code and ethics for the women in the KTV. These bars and clubs proclaim that they are not a front for prostitution, yet it appears that these acts are the mere start of something much more serious, which may include aspects of prostitution
Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...
as it is traditionally thought of in Western culture. These values also relate to the foundations of Guanxi
''Guanxi'' () is a term used in Chinese culture to describe an individual's social network of mutually beneficial personal and business relationships. The character ''guan'', 关, means “closed” while the character ''xi'' 系 means “system ...
, by which there is created a hierarchical system of social order because men clearly possess more power in the KTV than do the hostesses. Hierarchy systems of power
Power most often refers to:
* Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work"
** Engine power, the power put out by an engine
** Electric power
* Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events
** Abusive power
Power may a ...
generally will lead to gender discrimination throughout the future and add to the already existing gap of gender implications in China. Guanxi also maintains the business order for the owners of the KTV by creating a workplace that is managed by a hierarchical power system where again hyper-masculinity is fully engaged in the men's favor.
Implications of mass alcohol consumption
KTVs are a typical location for Chinese business practices by which the businessmen attempt to formulate connections and loyalty amongst other various businessmen. The businessmen will try to establish a comfortable setting by providing fruit plates, women, or alcoholic drink
An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The c ...
s. Chinese businessmen can be potentially seen consuming ''baijiu
''Baijiu'' (), also known as ''shaojiu'' (/), is a colorless Chinese liquor typically coming in between 35% and 60% alcohol by volume (ABV). Each type of baijiu uses its own type of '' qū'' for fermentation to create a distinct and chara ...
'' up to six or seven days per week solely to portray their loyalty to the businessmen principles and fulfill the pleasurable environment of the KTV. Mass alcohol consumption has negative effects on the bodies of the individuals that frequently visit KTVs. These consequences may include mental, physical, ethical, or even moral issues for the men.
Alcohol is a very prominent factor of KTVs and suitable with the overall culture of East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea and ...
n nations. Extreme consumption methods are usually used by the Chinese businessmen in exchange for personal health and moral conduct similar to the hostesses sacrificing their moral ethics to please the male consumer.
Guanxi connection with the KTV
KTVs are used as a way to network within the business world through alcohol influenced cultivation of relationships with both "state officials and other entrepreneurs",[Osburg, John. Anxious Wealth: Money and Morality among China's New Rich. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.] which positively affects their "business ventures" . This idea of networking is known as building "guanxi
''Guanxi'' () is a term used in Chinese culture to describe an individual's social network of mutually beneficial personal and business relationships. The character ''guan'', 关, means “closed” while the character ''xi'' 系 means “system ...
". "Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value. With this definition, entrepreneurship is viewed as change, generally entailing risk beyond what is normally encountered in starting a business, which may include other values th ...
" pursue prestige in their realm of business and the idea of prestige is overwhelmingly influenced by the strength of one's network to a point where entertaining clientele becomes a second job. By entertaining a client, these businessmen are essentially building network
Network, networking and networked may refer to:
Science and technology
* Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects
* Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks
Mathematics
...
s that are usually more developed and enhanced than building networks through actual relatable work. Guanxi is not based upon the actual credibility of the worker or the specific work he or she does, but is actually based on the fundamental of deriving connections. This world of guanxi is based upon social network
A social network is a social structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations), sets of dyadic ties, and other social interactions between actors. The social network perspective provides a set of methods for an ...
ing with other businessmen rather than having a more efficient and diligent work ethic. Guanxi is an extremely powerful sentiment when it comes to connections and ranking up in a company or simply establishing yourself in the business world.[International, US-Pacific Rim. "The Most Misunderstood Business Concept In China." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.]
See also
*Bargirl
A bargirl is a woman who is paid to entertain patrons in a bar, either individually or, in some cases, as a performer. The exact nature of the entertainment varies widely from place to place; depending on the venue this can be individual enterta ...
*List of public house topics
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*Prostitution in Japan
Prostitution in Japan has existed throughout the country's history. While the Prostitution Prevention Law of 1956 states that "No person may either do prostitution or become the customer of it", loopholes, liberal interpretations and a loose ...
*Maid cafe
A maid, or housemaid or maidservant, is a female domestic worker. In the Victorian era domestic service was the second largest category of employment in England and Wales, after agricultural work. In developed Western nations, full-time maids ...
*Long-term effects of alcohol consumption
The long-term heavy consumption of alcohol (alcohol use disorder) can cause severe detrimental effects. Health effects associated with alcohol intake in large amounts include an increased risk of developing an alcohol use disorder, malnutrition, ...
*Karaoke box
A is a type of karaoke establishment commonly found in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the United States and Canada. It originated in Japan, and is now popular worldwide, particularly in Asia. Karaoke boxes consist of multiple rooms contai ...
*Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied ...
References
External links
The Great Happiness Space: Documentary of Host Bar
*
Salon.com
My month as a poor man's geisha
''The Standard'', 22 April 2006
Ken Tanaka interviews hosts and hostesses in Tokyo's Kabukichoo red light district
YouTube video.
{{Authority control
Entertainment venues in Japan