Host culture in Japan is so big now that apparently even pre-teens aspire to look like the hirsute Kabukicho drinkers-for-hire. Ryuchalo is the son of a beauty blogger called Chiimelo (yes, the names are pretty wacky), and apparently he wanted to celebrate his 8th birthday as a host. In fact, he even celebrated his birthday at a host club in Kabukicho, a notorious red-light district if you discount the recent partial gentrification (or should that be Godzillafication?). Ryuchalo spent his big day in August at Superstar club, which is owned by Jin, a famous host. He even got to ...

Staged Seduction: Selling Dreams in a Tokyo Host Club is a new book by Akiko Takeyama, published by Stanford University Press. It is an ethnographic study of the men and women who produce and consume love in Japan's host clubs, examining not only the "fixed times and formal spaces" like the late-night sessions in the clubs themselves, but also beyond. Why it is very easy to find media reports and articles about hostesses, male hosts are less famous outside of Japan. And yet arguably, this is the more interesting phenomenon, since there are bars and clubs where you pay to hang out ...

We know that rich Japanese politicians, businessmen and celebrities have a penchant for hostesses. But feminism happened, don't you know. It's not just the men having all the fun. According to the tabloids, there are plenty of prominent female celebrities who are addicted to male hosts, a habit which costs them dearly. Josei 7 magazine recently published a report claiming that actress Yoko Maki had once spent ¥20 million in a single night at a host club! The 33-year-old divorcee, known for her stunning breasts, clearly liked the services she was given. Maki's not ...

We spend a lot of time indulging in images of hot girls and the like here on Tokyo Kinky. What about the guys? Well, if you've ever wondered about the life of the male host and his world of wining and dining female clients, now is your chance to find out more. Vice Japan have produced another short documentary looking at Naoki, a top Japanese host at Club Fantasy in Kabukicho. Naoki is so good at entertaining and getting his guests to drink (more overpriced beverages) that he has been awarded the top prize among hosts for his sales. He is now a manager as well, despite being in ...