Creating Dreams - Osaka hosts

The Great Happiness Space: Tale of an Osaka Love Thief

Number 2, Owner and Number 1

If you haven't seen The Great Happiness Space: Tale of an Osaka Love Thief, but have an interest in the slightly odd facets of Japanese culture and nightlife I say it's high time you give it a look.

Official synopsis - The Great Happiness Space: Tale of an Osaka Love Thief introduces an extraordinary hidden world of Japanese nightlife in Osaka's Cafe Rakkyo. The denizens of this glamorous demi-monde, dedicated to partying till they drop, are captured by first time documentary producer/director, Jake Clennell with candid and poignant insight. Presided over by the charismatic, enigmatic Issei, the number one "host boy" in town, the club offers a new twist on the ancient geisha tradition. Glamorous host boys make beautiful young women laugh, feel good about their lives -- and pay handsomely for their pleasure. In this secret, outcast society of wealthy young people, money seems to mean easy gratification. But all these stylish players have to pay for their pleasures, and they can cost more than money.

I had a decent idea what hosts are and what they do to make their living, but watching this documentary I feel I was able to understand the motivations of the hosts and their clients. It's hard to watch the hosts lie to get the girls to spend more money, it's hard to watch the girls fall in love with the hosts that can't return their love. But it's so quiet, insightful and honest that you can't help but be drawn into their world. So please check it out!

Girl Bars

So what business is giving Hostess bars a run for their money? Girl Bars of course.

The basic concept of Girl Bars is you pay to talk with the cute girl bartenders. Typically you'll get in on a 1500-2000yen cover and then you'll be forking over 800yen per drink. For this low price you get the opportunity to talk casually with adorable young girls. Better yet, since girl bars are bars they can stay open till 5am, later then your average hostess club. And if you're willing to pay a bit more you might enjoy some extras like mirrored floors and extra sexy costumes.

Now in all honesty, yes Girl Bars are cheaper then hostess clubs and they offer a much different and more relaxed atmosphere. But I thought generally that's what happens in bars, you talk casually with the bartender, enjoy your drinks and stumble home. And you don't have to pay an over-inflated price to do it.

As they are gaining popularity, it's obivous that the sararimen approve, but foriegn opinion seems to vary. Of course you got your schlubby men saying "With mirrored floors I can see their panties! Hell yes!" and on the opposite end spectrum you get "Typical sex-obsessed Japanese".

I guess my opinion falls somewhere in the middle. I feel its sad that these men will pay money just to talk to a young girl, but atleast it seems like a decent job and good pay for the girls. However all in all I feel its just another sex business that contributes to Japan's declining birth-rate and the increasing rate of sexless marriages.