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She probably does, she'll never give up on him from the way she talks. She looks psychotic anyway. =D

Poor Issei =(

It's rare but it is coming more popular now. Typically if they do have a foreigner enter their club, she'll likely go once and then never return.

omg Ichijou Makoto...
he's one really pretty guy!
there's a lot of hot guys!
but i don't really like how they did their hair...
looks kinda weird...

Found it... Quality is crap because of my junk old DoCoMo phone...

me, my friend, Kakeru (old DEEP daihyou), and Ryuzaki Eren at a foreigner bar lol

i was just wondering, taehyunjin, are you japanese? whenever i read your comments, i cant help thinking that you're not. ( ) sorry. . .

reading all these info. . . im taking it all in. haha.

taehyunjin, thanks for all the info..i really want to visit one of the host clubs soon...too bad I can't speak Japanese language..

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ai0no0ff, yeah I guess we can communicate with them in any way we can..Or better learn a little bit of Japanese so I can communicate with Ryouma..better start learning now..lol..

I am a quarter Japanese.

I just read through this thread again I noticed that there is a lot of assumptions as well as confusion about hosts and host clubs...

o1. Do hosts sleep with their customers?
- NO. It is not a job requirement. IF a host wants to sleep with one of his customers then he can, it's not likely to boost his URIAGE (sales). Customers do not walk into host clubs and pick a host and say "I'll drop this much cash if you sleep with me."

o2. RAKKYO is now CLOVER.
- NO. RAKKYO was located in Diamond Building on Soemoncho in Minami Osaka. CLOVER is a completely different club located on Sankyubashi-suji. CLOVER is a lot bigger and was opened by ISSEI after he closed RAKKYO.

o3. All hosts that work at host clubs are over 20 years old.
- Definetly NOT true. In fact, majority of the hosts now days are starting from age 17. Sure the drinking age is 20 in Japan but is not really inforced besides in some various dance clubs.

o4. Hosts pass out flyers for their clubs.
- No they don't. If you see an attractive looking boy that could pass as a host passing out flyers, he probably works for a boys bar or a girls bar and is just their attractive looking flyer boy.

o5. Do hosts approach foreigners in the streets?
- Likely no. Though it does sometimes happen, usually out of desperation in the late hours of the night but don't count on it.

o6. Do they have English speakers at host clubs?
- All Japanese are required to take basic English courses in junior high school so they know simple things like "my name is" or "this is a..." but other than that if you don't know conversational Japanese I suggest you save yourself the time and the money.

o7. Host clubs are dangerous.
- No they aren't. If you go into a host club knowing what you are getting yourself into then there is no danger. If you are foolish and then assume that "Yeah this guy really likes me." Then that is your own stupid problem and your own empty wallet.

o8. You never know how much your bill is until you are finished.
- COMPLETELY not true. If you are in a host club and at any point you are curious about how much your bill currently is or how long you have been there, you can simply ask either your host of one of the workers and they will inform you how much of a bill you have aready racked up as well as how much time you have already spent there. Also typically clubs run by the hour so after your first hour your host will typically inform you that your hour is up and will ask you if you would like to extend that hour, then it is completely up to you.

o9. ACQUA is one of most popular host clubs in Osaka.
- Actually though they are well-known after their music releases, etc. The club that does most buisness in Osaka and has one of the highest reputations is CLUB GENJI (源氏)

1o. Hosts do their own hair.
- You may find this funny, but majority of the hosts cannot set their own hair, instead their co-workers do it or a lot of them go to a セット屋さん, or a salon to get their hair set professionally.

11. I am required to buy the boys and my host drinks.
- Not true, you can say no all you want. You might seem like a complete b**** but it's your money and you can spend it how you want it. Though it is polite to offer your host a drink. If you want to avoid getting constantly asked what you would like to drink (because it's 1000yen a drink) then be wise, drink your drink slowly.


HOST RESOURCES (typically for Osaka
Osaka Host Avenue - Club information, rankings, etc. (Kansai)
Star Guys - Club information, ranking, gravure, etc. (Kansai)
Host-R - Club information, ranking, etc. (Kansai)
Host Host - Club information, event photos, ranking, etc. (All Japan)
Host Club Language Dictionary - What the words they use mean such as "catch" "scout", etc. (Japanese ONLY)
Clear Web - Club information, ranking, event info, etc. (Kansai)
On Stage - List of clubs and information (All Japan)
Charisma Host Interviews by girlsworker - Special individual host interviews (Kansai)
Girls Worker - Various interviews and information about hosts and their clubs (All Japan)

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thanks for the info..definitely it helps clear up things for us..anyway taehyunjin, so Issei owns CLOVER and CLOVELESS?

Host clubs are similar to snack bars?

ai0no0ff i wonder the same thing.. does that chick still go see issei ? and i wonder if she saw the film.. pwauha.

taehyunjin woo thanks for all that goodie info

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Thanks for clearing those up, at least we know hosts are not prostitutes. Rakkyo was the club where they filmed the documentary on, right? It's closed now? Yeah, wonder what happened to that girl who was all over Issei, lol.

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ai0no0ff, yeah it's Loveless that Issei now owns not CLoveless..I am mixing up their club names...lol..so Issei doesn't own Clover anymore, hmm i wonder why?

candydive, i bet that girl still go see Issei..she's creepy..

Issei was the origonal owner of CLOVER. From the looks of it, RAKKYO was a small club so he wanted to go somewhere different and made CLOVER which is a HUGE club in a basement of some building. I don't believe that he was kicked from CLOVER, I assume that he may be more content with smaller businesses. From the looks of it LOVELESS is a very small club and it's located in Kita-Osaka which holds quite a few host clubs bust isn't booming like Minami-Osaka.



Snack bars usually refer to HOSTESS clubs or really small bars with not a large selection of alcohol usually ran by decent looking guys. There is no sit-down fee and the boys will sit and talk with you a little but the drinks are usually still quite pricey. Some of these places offer karaoke as well.



You can check out what I said above.


Same as I mentioned above. RAKKYO was in Diamond Building on Soemoncho (I work in a dance club in the basement of Diamond Building). There are quite a few host clubs there including PRINCE CLUB SHION.

Hosting can still be considered a type of prostitution depending on what your opinion may be...

taehyunjin, thanks for clearing things for us..your info are much appreciated..

Okkay, thanks taehyunjin

I feel like some kinda host guru /)_(\

LOL Miss taehyun, actually are somewhat deserving of the title XD You cleared so many things about hosts than anyone of us can ever know XD. It must be really flattering (and interesting) to be there .

Anyways, sharing another video i found in youtube~ (not mine) -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur52kvHfHMQ

thank you for informing me!!!!!!

thank you taehyunjin! i really enjoy the information you tell us

hahahah the funny host doing all the crazy poses is so cute

ichijou makoto does not look 27 at all O_O he looks younger than the teenagers!

Hi! Just finished a jdrama named Yaoh? Has anyone seen it? It got me hooked for hours

I was wondering if anyone has seen any other movies, series or dramas about Japanese host bars?

I already know about "water" with Oguri Shun and the documentary surrounding former Rakkyo. I know that there are several animes but I'm looking for medias with real people

Thank you!

^ Never heard of that, but I just saw the synopsis and it is about host clubs. I think I'll check it out.

I haven't seen these yet, but I know they have something to do with host clubs:

- Jotei
- Deep Love
- Deep Love ~Host~

YAOH is in no way like a real host club though it was a little amusing to watch... I hate who they casted for the main character. I think the only reason I watched the entire drama was because of Kitamura Kazuki lol.

There used to be a documentary on youtube about two hosts challenging each other at on of the CLUB TOP DANDY's. It was actually a similar situation like YAOH. A guy challenges the no.1 guy to take his spot within a month and if it doesn't happen then he promises to quit.

[edit] Couple interesting videos...

video 01 - An American girl visiting CLUB AIR
video 02 - Foreign document about host clubs in tokyo
videos - search result for ホストクラブ on youtube. Too lazy to go through them to pick out good ones. Most are just promotional videos from various host sites.

thanks taehyunjin for sharing those videos, you're really a big help:)

NO wonder hosts are gettin more popular these days..
becuz they can become singers!!!
omoshiroiii...
im not insulting...
im just surprised....."AcQua" - they have good voice...!
and just like those famous group in Japan !
Ganbatte AcQua !!

acqua ep is <33333 ill post some pics later

Hosts have horrible voices... Then again like most groups in Japan lol... Try being in a host club when a customer requests her host to sing karaoke, you ears hurt!!!

^ LOL!! ahem* hehehe but thanks for all that info. It's all pretty fascinating. But what's the clientèle that go to host clubs like? That's another part that interests me.

Eh depends I guess... I always got weird stares because I am foreign, and sometimes if I was sat close to another customer she would make comments about me to her host (not bad comments, more so like "she is cute, etc.) some have spoken to me or asked me to join in drinking games with them. Some on the other hand are complete b----es like they honestly think that they are princesses. The REALLY drunk ones are always amusing, though they tend to end up falling asleep a lot...

^ haha well I guess drunks are the same everywhere you go. They are really amusing.

Decided to post some pictures...

Please DO NOT take these out of there and post them elsewhere, etc.

The owner of ARAKURE and I in a foreign bar


I mentioned before that I was very good friends with the Daihyou (face of the club) of DEEP (Mikami Kakeru) as well as Ryuzaku Eren (now works at GENJI) . My friend was coming to visit me and had seen pictures of Eren and really wanted to meet him. So a month before her arrival I contacted Kakeru and informed him that it was her b-day etc. So he was like "Bring her by!" Lets just saying that "booking" the number 1 host, especially Eren is quite impossible since he is so busy, but he was with us the entire time, even bought a rose for my friend.

Eren, Boku Gyaru Otoko, Atsushi, Kakeru


Eren




Eren & Atsushi


Kakeru, Eren, and I


Eren, Kakeru, and my friend


Other friend with Eren at a foreign bar


Takuya


Ren, Takuya, Suzaku


Other friends b-day. Her request was to be surrounded by hot Japanese boys, so I hooked her up. Free champagne too!


Suzaku & Takuya




Rikki & Ren


Rin covering his *goods*


Suzaku & I


Suzaku and I wandering around Dotonbori (he is wearing my glasses...)


RENKA boys Takuro & Ginya (bf/ex-bf??? confusing situation now)


Ginya & Takuro


At RENKA, my co-worker is really good friends with the owner so he wanted to go there for his birthday. We were there for hours and were served so much champagne all for free.

Ginya


co-worker


A drawing that Suzaku (DEEP) and I did of Ryuzaki Eren... lol


Rin, Suzaku, and Hiro on Halloween


Onitsuka Yoshiki, owner of RENKA and ANTI. He has a band and frequently does live performances at livehouses around Osaka.


Towa (from ANTI) at his other job, bartending.


Teru & Ginya on Halloween

taehyunjin, thanks for sharing your pictures..your friend must be really happy on her birthday..

thanks for the pictures!!

oooh thanks for the pics. Looks like a blast...cute guys and booze....if only my friends could hook me up like that haha.

well, if any of you ever come to Japan (Osaka) and want to sample a host club, you know who to look up lol. Though I refuse to play translator...

I just finished watching the great happiness space.
It really opens your eyes.
They all looked sooo tired in the morning after work. I would die >.>
I wanted to give them hugs when they were saying how they didn't know
how to fall in love again.

Thank you for the links but I have seen them all already..except from browsing through the last link...

But I am interested to know what about Yaoh that was ehhh..fake? (Not that I am offended or anything just that I would like to know to get the idea ) Kiriya Kazuki is the one playing Seija? That creepy dude with no sense of fashion?

Do you know of any more documentaries? I would like to see the one about Club Top Dandy

Thank you so much for sharing pictures! I love these kind of pictures^^ It shows how they look like without being all dolled up like on the professional ones^^

And once you said Club Genji was the biggest club in Osaka right? But I was on one of the links you gave me and there were several "Club Genji" clubs :S

And I'm sorry..it is very sad but once I read an article and this famous club owner said that he know's too much about women to fall in love again..it is sad but still a bit funny.... are we (women) that terrible? Or are the customers they get that terrible? I thought they had very many different kinds of costumers?

Oh thank you Hosteru Guru

^ i think its the customers they get i mean besides the everyday people who might want to go in just once to see what its like they get prostitutes and of course those girls play their own game to get what they want and it just ends up a big game

wow, thanks for the vids. I'd love to hang out with those half-man-half-woman hosts.

what is the life span for being a host?
for as long as they want ?
or just before they reach 30???
or????

Well YAOH is fake because it's a fictional story about hosts in general, especially with the fighting between the workers, etc. As well as the main character going out of his way to help customers (that will likely NEVER happen). The story was cute but VERY fictional. My mistake Kitamura Kazuki played Seiya, perhaps it's just me but I find him to be extremely sexy in that drama.

I don't know any other documentaries, the best thing for you to do is to search youtube. In fact host clubs weren't very popular until recently after clubs started releasing music, etc.

I did not say that CLUB GENJI is the biggest club in Osaka, it is one if not THE most popular club in Osaka. There is in fact only ONE Club Genji in the Kansai area. I am aware that there are other in Tokyo, etc. but they are in no way affiliated.

About hosts being "not able to fall in love again" due to their jobs. Put yourself in their situation. Their job is not easy, they likely get one day off a week where they are stilll technically working, catching customers, scouting for their club, constantly e-mailing and calling their customers. When I was with my boyfriend, every morning he woke up he would call all of his main "big spender" customers to wish them good luck on their work today and invite them to come see him after work. A girl might think that having her host call her every morning makes her special, but after he finished one call he would call the next girl and say the exact same things. Their customers are actually quite demanding, as a host they basically cannot say no to their customers. I have seen situations where customers were yell and force theirs hosts to dance or to sing a certain song or to down and entire bottle of some disgusting alcohol. It's physically and mentally draining.



It depends. There are clubs that cater to older women as well that have attracted hosts in their 30's and above. But I was also told by my friend that's a host that these clubs are really expensive because the men are likely very skilled in one they do. A typical host club for dancing they will do some ridiculous para-para dance, in these other clubs for the elder, the men are skilled in actually dance as well as intellectual conversation. It's also quite often that guys that have been hosts for so long, they decide to open their own clubs, hire a bunch of young boys and just work behind the scenes.

wow!! thank you very much for the information !
you really makes us really clear of what host is all about...
thank you!

i guess in Japan is very competitive in every job that they do...
imagining how many populations in Japan ! esp in big cities like Tokyo and Osaka..
it's not easy to survive esp when you are staying away from your families....
to be independent!! T_T

Last year i was in Shinjuku walking passed kabukicho....and i was amazed by those host billboards...
at first i have no idea what's that all about...
and then i was like "OH look, Johnny's JUnior!!" .......
cuz i saw one of them looks like Arashi member...
My friend was like burst out laughing...."Nooooooo!!! they are not Johnny's Junior...They are hosts!"
then i was like "OHHHH i see...!"

haha...that was hilarious moment....for me...!
a bit embarassed as well...haha
a little misunderstanding in japanese world...

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Makoto looks so different in that picture...