Host and hostess clubs

Hostess clubs are a common feature in the night-time entertainment industry of Japan, East Asian countries and other areas with a high Japanese population. They employ primarily female staff and cater to males seeking drinks and attentive conversation. The more recent host clubs are similar establishments where primarily male staff cater to females. Host and hostess clubs are considered part of mizu shobai (水商売, literally "water trade"), the night-time entertainment business in Japan.

Hostess clubs

Japan

In Japan, two types of bars are hostess clubs and kyabakura (キャバクラ), a portmanteau of kyabarē (キャバレー, lit. "cabaret") and kurabu (クラブ, lit. "club"). Hostesses who work at kyabakura are known as kyabajō (キャバ嬢), literally cabaret girl, and many of them use professional names called "genji name" (源氏名, genji-na). Hostesses light cigarettes, pour drinks, offer flirtatious conversation, and sing karaoke to entertain customers. Hostesses can be seen as the modern counterpart of geishas, providing entertainment to the likes of groups of salarymen after work. A club will often also employ a female bartender, who is usually well-trained in mixology, and may also be the manager or mamasan. Hostess clubs are distinguished from strip clubs in that there is no dancing or nudity.