Explore Hostess Clubs: A Guide for Beginners to Learn the Kyabakura Sensation

What is a hostess club?

Hostess clubs are called kyabakura in Japan, where customers sit down with female employees called kyabajo, which translates to hostess in English. Hostesses wear flashy and revealing dresses and serve drinks to customers while conversing with them. Hostess clubs first appeared in Japan in the 1980s, and the term derives from "cabaret" as well as "club."

▶Drinking with hostesses

Hostess clubs allow you to sit next to a girl to drink with, as opposed to interacting across the counter like at girls bars. What also sets hostess clubs apart from girls bars is that you may exchange your contact, which can lead to hanging out with her outside business hours for shopping or heating out. The time spent outside the club is called dohan or "after." The intimacy you feel with a hostess is one of the biggest differences between hostess clubs and girls bars.

 

▶Customer types

The customer base mostly consists of men with jobs, so you will hardly see any female customers. Many company executives spending their time at the clubs, while doctors usually go to high-end locations. Areas like Roppongi and Nishiazabu also welcome celebrities and famous athletes.

 

▶Typically open till midnight

Hostess clubs typically close around 12 a.m., as the hours are regulated by the Act on Control and Improvement of Amusement Businesses. An exception is made in certain regions, closing around 1 a.m.

How much does it cost to have quality time at a hostess club?

The pricing system varies by the club, so be sure to check the details below before you decide to pay a visit.

 

▶Average price

Expect to spend several tens of thousands to ¥100,000. While the price depends on the rank and type of the club, as well as the number of drinks you order, you can also stay longer than the permitted duration for an additional fee. High-end clubs typically charge several tens of thousands to 100,000 yen.

Popular clubs: 10,000 to several tens of thousands of yen

The payment can go up to about 10,000 to several tens of thousands of yen if it's a famous location. The total payment covers the set fee, nomination, and drinks. It is advised to check the club's website or call beforehand to ask the exact price.

High-end clubs: tens of thousands to 100,000 yen

Your check will even be thicker if you're visiting a high-end location, roughly tens of thousands to 100,000 yen, as those types of locations offer top-notch hospitality and special drinks in an luxurious environment. The price may be high, but you will definitely have an excellent experience.

 

▶Common fees

You will most likely pay for the following fees:

• Set fee
• Bottle-keep and food
• Drinks for the hostess
• Service

1. Set fee

The set fee includes the table charge and the first drink you order, as well as the first drink (also called "house bottle"). The first drink you order for the hostess is also included at some locations. The set may also include a house bottle fee, meaning you can drink a specific beverage as much as you want without paying extra.

2. Bottle-keep and food

By paying a bottle-keep fee, you can keep the bottle of drink you order for the next time you visit. Aside from beverages, you can also order food items like light meals and snacks.

3. Drinks for hostesses

You will be expected to pay for the hostess since they will ask you to drink together. Ordering the drink, and you might form a closer bond with her.

4. Service

Ordering food and beverages at hostess clubs is classified as eating out at a restaurant, so you will be charged with a 10% consumption tax. Whether the tax is included in the drinks and food you order or charged separately depends on the club.

 

▶Nomination, dohan (accompany), and after are charged separately

You are definitely allowed to choose, or rather nominate, your favorite hostess to sit with you or spend time outside the hostess club for a separate fee. 

What are nominations, dohan (accompany), and after at a hostess club?

Below are some of the ways you can spend time with your favorite hostess:

• Nomination: A specific hostess sits next to you.
• Dohan (accompany): Meeting up with your favorite hostess to head to the club and sit together
• After: A meet-up with the hostess of your choice after business hours

 

▶Nomination: sitting down with your favorite hostess

By nominating, you are guaranteed to spend time with your favorite girl. There are two types of nomination: on-the-spot nomination and full nomination.

On-the-spot nomination

On-the-spot nomination is when you nominate a hostess upon arriving at the club, and it will cost about 2,000 to 3,000 yen.

Full nomination

Full nomination means you choose a hostess you have spent time with before, and it usually costs 3,000 to 5,000 yen.

 

▶Dohan (accompany): meeting with your favorite hostess to go to the club together

The dohan system, which translates to accompany system, enables you to see your favorite hostess before entering the club. Some ways to spend time together are shopping and eating out like an actual date, to enjoy a different mood than being at the club. Dohan costs about 2,000 to 3,000 yen for 90 minutes.

 

▶After: Hanging out with a nominated hostess after business hours

"After", as you may have guessed, means seeing a hostess after the club closes, and most customers go for another round of drinks. While no additional fee is charged, you will be expected to pay for all the girl's expenses.

Tips on having fun at a hostess club

So what exactly attracts customers to a hostess club? Let's dive into this very topic.

 

▶Characteristics

The following are two of the biggest reasons people go to hostess clubs:

• Enjoy a pseudo-relationship
• Getting an out-of-the-ordinary experience to forget the daily life

Enjoy a pseudo-relationship

Hostess clubs are nightlife establishments with a strong emphasis on providing a pseudo-relationship with a hostess.

Getting an out-of-the-ordinary experience to forget the daily life

Going to a hostess club can be a way to take a break from what you go through every day. High-class hostess clubs are especially known for providing an extraordinary time in an environment with luxurious sofas, lighting, and chandeliers.

 

▶Know how to have fun and follow the rules

While you may be excited to head out to explore the fun at this point, you should be careful with the following:

• Decide your budget beforehand
• Don't be cheap with the hostess's drinks
• Ordering champagnes on special days will make the hostess happy

Decide your budget beforehand

You want to manage your budget well so you won't go over your limit, because you will likely end up paying for a hostess's drinks and tipping her. In fact, it isn't uncommon for customers of high-end places to spend over 100,000 yen.

Don't be cheap with the hostess's drinks

Hostesses won't be earning just by sitting next to you, so you should order the drinks. The girl will expect it anyway.

Ordering champagnes on special days will make the hostess happy

You will have a better chance of getting close to your favorite hostess if you order a bottle of champagne for special occasions. It's up to you to decide which champagne to order, so feel free to drink one that matches your budget. Affordable and popular brands like Moet and Chandon as well as Veuve Clicquot range from 20,000 to 30,000 yen, and the more expensive ones like Armand De Brignac go for about 50,000 to 1,000,000 yen.

Summary

Hostess Clubs are establishments in nightlife districts where you can enjoy drinking and chatting with girls in an intimate manner. You will be paying mainly for the table charge and drinks, as well as nominations if you decide to spend more quality time with the girl of your choice. The price range will depend on the type of club as well as the drinks you order. Be sure to also check out our club details pages at YOASOBi CHOCOLAT to further prepare yourself to go a fun pseudo-relationship.