The first trip to Japan I took was in the late 80’s. We had a group of 14 Art College administrators and spouses, along with the then Director of the Alliance of Colleges of Art and his wife. We visited the Osaka School of the Arts, a post secondary college for all of the arts. We went as the invited guests of the Osaka College and stayed on for a few days on our own to see the rest of the area. We spent time in Osaka, Itami and Kyoto.
For the moment, I’d like to focus on my night out with the boys.
After a large banquet (as pictured), the tired band of travelers prepared to board our tour bus and head back toward home (the hotel). The Chairman of then Board of the school (standing and making one of many toasts) indicated (through translators) that the women will be going back on the bus, while the men would be going on for an evening out with the boys to a Japanese Hostess Bar.
For the moment, I’d like to focus on my night out with the boys.
After a large banquet (as pictured), the tired band of travelers prepared to board our tour bus and head back toward home (the hotel). The Chairman of then Board of the school (standing and making one of many toasts) indicated (through translators) that the women will be going back on the bus, while the men would be going on for an evening out with the boys to a Japanese Hostess Bar.
Wikipedia says: Hostess clubs are a common feature in the night-time entertainment industry of Japan as well as other east Asian countries and areas outside Asia with a high east Asian population. They are establishments that employ primarily female staff and cater to males seeking drink and attentive conversation. Hostesses are known as kyabajō, literally club girl, and are generally hired for their looks and/or personality. Hostesses light cigarettes, pour drinks, offer flirtatious conversation, and sing karaoke in an effort to keep the customers entertained. Hostesses can be seen as the modern counterpart of geishas, providing entertainment to groups of salarymen after work. The clubs are distinguished from strip clubs in that there is no dancing or nudity. A club will often also employ a female bartender, who is usually well-trained in mixology, and may also be the manager or mamasan. While drinks tend to be more expensive than at regular bars and there is generally a substantial cover charge, many places offer nomihōdai (bottomless refills) for certain drinks - usually just shōchū.
Hostesses need to drink with their customers every night, and it is not uncommon that they develop alcohol problems as a result Most bars run on a commission system in which hostesses receive a percentage of sales.
Patrons are generally greeted warmly 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 touts outside to bring in customers, it may also fall upon a (usually new) hostess to do so.
In addition to their on-site duties, hostesses are generally obliged to engage in paid dates dōhan with patrons outside of the bar and regular working hours. This system generates repeat patronage of a particular bar by developing attachments between particular customers and hostesses. Sometimes sex occurs on these paid dates. Hostesses may be deducted pay for not having enough dōhan dates.
Hostesses need to drink with their customers every night, and it is not uncommon that they develop alcohol problems as a result Most bars run on a commission system in which hostesses receive a percentage of sales.
Patrons are generally greeted warmly 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 touts outside to bring in customers, it may also fall upon a (usually new) hostess to do so.
In addition to their on-site duties, hostesses are generally obliged to engage in paid dates dōhan with patrons outside of the bar and regular working hours. This system generates repeat patronage of a particular bar by developing attachments between particular customers and hostesses. Sometimes sex occurs on these paid dates. Hostesses may be deducted pay for not having enough dōhan dates.
One of the many problems that occurred was that not all of the men were the visiting administrators, some were the spouses. However, in order to look “correct” to our hosts, the men went to the club and the women went to the hotel.
None of us knew the rules of the place, and we all were surprised by the activities.
It was a fun evening of continued drinking of very expensive, watered down booze (we determined) along with eating “treats”, the last thing we needed, which included a big, fried thing fed to me by a very beautiful young lady. She described it, in the little English she knew, as “sea monster”, which I determined was a sea urchin, best left uneaten, but eaten because of proper protocol.
She called me "Jumbo", which we all agreed was very funny, within our own little group of men with a few women. Every now and then, it seemed to be about every ten to fifteen minutes, the girls changed. They were timed by a manager or handler who moved them around so as, as we figured, not to keep them in a “relationship” for too long. Our host, however, was provided with a traditional, kimono clad woman, while we had less traditional “hot chicks”. The traditional woman seemed to spend the evening with the Chairman.
There was some dancing among some of our hosts and the women, and some groping was displayed. Those of us new to this activity were confused about our roles, but with enough drinking, all language barriers and inhibitions broke down quickly.
The ladies accompanied us back to the bus, gave us gifts (boxes of cookies) which must have been provided by our host and we all went back to the hotel on our own bus.
None of us knew the rules of the place, and we all were surprised by the activities.
It was a fun evening of continued drinking of very expensive, watered down booze (we determined) along with eating “treats”, the last thing we needed, which included a big, fried thing fed to me by a very beautiful young lady. She described it, in the little English she knew, as “sea monster”, which I determined was a sea urchin, best left uneaten, but eaten because of proper protocol.
She called me "Jumbo", which we all agreed was very funny, within our own little group of men with a few women. Every now and then, it seemed to be about every ten to fifteen minutes, the girls changed. They were timed by a manager or handler who moved them around so as, as we figured, not to keep them in a “relationship” for too long. Our host, however, was provided with a traditional, kimono clad woman, while we had less traditional “hot chicks”. The traditional woman seemed to spend the evening with the Chairman.
There was some dancing among some of our hosts and the women, and some groping was displayed. Those of us new to this activity were confused about our roles, but with enough drinking, all language barriers and inhibitions broke down quickly.
The ladies accompanied us back to the bus, gave us gifts (boxes of cookies) which must have been provided by our host and we all went back to the hotel on our own bus.
Tired, sweaty and delighted, "Jumbo" returned home and quietly passed out in my bed. My wife understood completely and smiled at me when I came in, and let me collapse.
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