Secret Lives Of Japanese Host Men (Gigolos)

[Davey]

A video about the live of Japanese host men. I haven't seen it myself yet, because I am at the wrong place to watch it now. But I know it's an interesting thing so I wanted to share it with you guys.

Tell me what you think of it.

There are about 100 host clubs in Osaka, Japan where good looking guys would be hosts to girls who are willing to spend money on them. These Japanese host men spend time drinking, chatting and providing fake love relationships to their customers and could earn up to 50k a month. Peering into the lives of host club owner Issei, this documentary takes a look into his host club employees and how they actually do their work.

Here is the link:
http://bungabunga.tistory.com/entry/Secret-Lives-Of-Japanese-Host-Men-Gigolos

 

[Ma Cherie]

Interesting, it seems these gigolos provide their female costumers with "love." They did mention sex, but didn't seem to go into detail about it. What I found disturbing is that one of the young women left her boyfriend for Issei. I was also surprised at how much money they made.


Thanks for sharing this, Dutch.

 

[maushan3]

Interesting topic here. If "money can buy love", then I wonder what the definition of love is for these girls. All I see is girls coming to a host club, then choosing the cutest guy from a menu and pick him. Much like a restaurant.

I already saw some time ago a video about a girl dropping some $1,900 in one night, but i'm afraid I have seen nothing yet, as in these video, a girl spent over $5,000 in one night. The problem is, these girls will want more of this guy and keep spending their money in this club while they are having dreams of marrying the guy when in fact, he is just there for the money.

Now, thing is, are these girls that desperate? I bet they can get themselves boyfriends like these and have some true love, instead of buying it by the hour...

Mauricio

 

[frostyg02uk]

50k a month? can you get me an application form? lol.
I think working in these types of places is a very degrading thing to do but considering how many there are just in Osaka i wonder how many rich women there are in Japan. Most people dont get rich by being stupid so i wonder how these women really think and feel about doing this.

 

[pipokun]

It was interesting when I talked to an ex-Asian host. But without strong networking like the ones by Asians here, it is nearly impossible to work as a host with your student visa. I am not sure working holiday visa enables you to do so.
If you're an entrepreneur, bring the half naked waiter here. You can find the butler cafe mainly for women, ,

,
but I've never heard of the half naked one. Or it may be an idea to establish your English school with half naked teachers.

 

[JerseyBoy]

I can tell those guys are making good money. Like a pro sports star, their career will be numbered for several years at best as they get older, their attractiveness will dwindle. While the pro sports stars will have a better chance of getting paid even after retirement, I cannot see those male hosts will have that option after they retire from that career after hitting 30 or so.
On a side note, recently, I went to one of those places (details are withheld due to X rated nature) and I was asked I can in for an interview for the job (even though I went there as a patron). I felt I was flattered

 

[Iron Chef]

I will never understand how skinny little girly men who all share the same blown-out hairstyle, narcissistic personalities, and have arms like broomsticks could be such a huge cash sink for women with too much disposable income. More power to them I guess. That's one job I wouldn't mind putting in the overtime...

 

[Half-n-Half]

I will never understand how skinny little girly men who all share the same blown-out hairstyle, narcissistic personalities, and have arms like broomsticks could be such a huge cash sink for women with too much disposable income. More power to them I guess. That's one job I wouldn't mind putting in the overtime...

Because they are pretty boys. The girls can relate to their "prettiness" and feel more comfortable around them. That's my theory, anyway.

 

[RockLee]

Ahhh, this movie...

I watched it, and I'd like to personally b*tchslap every girl for being so stupid to spend their money and breaking up for those idiots. I mean, how can you be so stupid for breaking up a relation/engagement to be with a guy you'll never marry anyways. 't Is not normal imho...

 

[Ran]

This is about 'the great happyness space' right?

I watched it a week after it was shown at the film festival.

most of the woman that go there are prostitutes (fuuzoku, as they said in the movie). because most of the woman with that profession have sex to get their income they go to the hosts to get 'healed' mentally, as the hosts call it.
but as some of them actually got into prostitution because they wanted to be able to spend time with their favorite hosts, the reasons for going there are quite questionable imo.

offcourse they have sex with some of their customers. but as it is the primary goal of most girls to sleep with their hosts they try not to do them, as after that their reasons for going there have been lost, and the hosts income will go down.

but i've heared from some hosts that it's quite a hard lifestyle. you'll break down your body due to excessive alcohol intake, the working hours are extremely long. and as your income is dependent on your partronage, there will be nights where you will make no money at all.
only the really populair hosts will survive.
I'm not entirely sure, but i think they said in the movie that out of hundreds of hosts only a handfull last longer than a year. mostly because of not being able to handle it psychologically. It appears keeping up a fake relationship is very hard as soon as real feelings get involved.

 

[anjusan]

Very interesting... not my cup of tea... but I can see the fascination to the younger crowd...

 

[Kinsao]

It's really just similar to men paying women for relationships that feel good but that are not "love". It's human nature, I guess...

 

[Davey]

Another thing is that, the girls whom 60-70% are prostitution women, earn around 1.000.000 to 2.000.000 a month and then spend their money around 30.000 a day (3x a week) to these guys... Where do these guys spend there money on? I don't think they spend 3milion on accessory... Issei was living in a pretty cheap apartment as well... Nice saving money to buy yourself a new liver with....

 

[pipokun]

Yes, it is natural if the women want to have sex with them or want to be their girlfriend, but...

 

[bakaKanadajin]

A friend of ours who's studying here in Toronto worked at an establishment like this back in Japan. He's since found a job as a graphic designer and is doing well for himself. However, as Iron Chef pointed out, these guys aren't very masculine at all. Good looking? I can't tell..usually you can look at a guy and say 'Yea, he's clean cut and pretty lookin, I'm sure the girls like him.' But our friend doesn't strike me as that kind of fellow either.

I'm not surprised though, I'm sure women prefer less intimidating men, 'nice guys' to develop a psuedo relationship with as the article mentioned, as opposed to the Western desire for hunky firefighter types.

 

[MadamePapillon]

It's sad that there are so many socially disconnected japanese men who would kill to have a girlfriend but the socially diconnected women aren't even slightly interested and choose the fantasy men instead.

Maybe if the two sides met it would solve a lot of problems, such as the declining birthrate

 

[bakaKanadajin]

i've heard it generalized from some of my female Japanese friends and acquaintances that Japanese men aren't as warm and considerate as Korean men. It doesn't necessarily prevent them from finding meaningful relationships but whenever I've spoken to a Japanese female who has dated both Korean and Japanese men that's what they tell me.

As was pointed out, maybe its this warm affectionate spark that they want, not so much a fantasy per se.

 

[maushan3]

As was pointed out, maybe its this warm affectionate spark that they want, not so much a fantasy per se.

People will always want what they can't have, so they know they can have an 'otaku' easily wiping on their feet, but they go to this host men because they certainly can't have a relationship with them because this women feel guys like 'Issei' are way out of their leagues, so when they are asked what they would most want in the world they respond they would kill for a relationship with one of these guys.

Take for example a restaurant full of people, I mean always full of people. Then imagine the very same restaurant with no people at all. Which kind of restaurant would you prefer? The full one or the one with no customers? even though their food is exactly the same. You ask: What's so great about this place, I gotta try it!

Don't know if I made myself clear.

I am not talking about Japanese people here, but about human psychology.

Mauricio

 

[Ran]

Another thing is that, the girls whom 60-70% are prostitution women, earn around 1.000.000 to 2.000.000 a month and then spend their money around 30.000 a day (3x a week) to these guys... Where do these guys spend there money on? I don't think they spend 3milion on accessory... Issei was living in a pretty cheap apartment as well... Nice saving money to buy yourself a new liver with....

They said in the interview that most host go to the hostess bars.
because they work long hours at night, they have no time to meet potential lovers. and there are a lot of girls that don't like/hate hosts so outside of their job there isn't much time for socializing.

another plus for them is that those hostesses are in the same profession as them and that way it's easy to communicate without prejudices.
normal people don't believe anything a host says or take it with a huge grain of salt.

as these hostess bars are very expensive a big part of there salary is already gone. if you look at it like that, it doesn't really make sense to do it for the high salary...

 

[bakaKanadajin]

People will always want what they can't have, so they know they can have an 'otaku' easily wiping on their feet, but they go to this host men because they certainly can't have a relationship with them because this women feel guys like 'Issei' are way out of their leagues, so when they are asked what they would most want in the world they respond they would kill for a relationship with one of these guys.
Take for example a restaurant full of people, I mean always full of people. Then imagine the very same restaurant with no people at all. Which kind of restaurant would you prefer? The full one or the one with no customers? even though their food is exactly the same. You ask: What's so great about this place, I gotta try it!
Don't know if I made myself clear.
I am not talking about Japanese people here, but about human psychology.
Mauricio

You make a good point, I think we are in agreement actually. You're right that fantasy remains a large part of the attraction of Issei lounges. For the most part these women are not the kind of ladies the Issei men are going to want as their partners and wives.

I was wrong in saying they don't want fantasy, I'm sure they know its a fantsay and that they still want it..but my point was attempting moreso to point out the difference between what actually constitutes that fantasy for Japanese women and women here in the West.

For Japanese women it appears that a good looking, impeccably presented, even somewhat effeminite young man with manners and sensitivity are what brings in the big bucks. This closely resembles the 'fantasy' of a real loving relationship of sorts. Definitely some phyiscal attraction there of course, but theres more to it than that.

In the Western tradition, strip clubs are the closest thing we have to these kinds of places. There, it's all about big oiled up muscles, costumes (firemen, policemen, construction workers, etc) dancing for money; it's far more visual and physical. I guess in my mind this kind of thing is more 'fantasy'-related, whereas the Issei thing more closely resembles the reality of an ongoing relationship.

 

[GodEmperorLeto]

You're right that fantasy remains a large part of the attraction of Issei lounges. For the most part these women are not the kind of ladies the Issei men are going to want as their partners and wives.

Absolutely.

For Japanese women it appears that a good looking, impeccably presented, even somewhat effeminite young man with manners and sensitivity are what brings in the big bucks. This closely resembles the 'fantasy' of a real loving relationship of sorts. Definitely some phyiscal attraction there of course, but theres more to it than that.

I wouldn't say that is the fantasy, but rather a fantasy. There is also no way to gauge taste either. Some girls probably find these guys distastefully effeminate. Popular culture also determines what is attractive, as well.

In the Western tradition, strip clubs are the closest thing we have to these kinds of places.

True, but the need it fulfills is different. In the West, women are supposedly less carnal and more emotional, and this is a stereotype that is perpetuated by women themselves. But the truth is, everyone, male or female, is attached to the physical and in need of sexual gratification of some sort from time to time. Thus, the strip club is a sort of release of sexual tension for them in an area that perhaps they aren't permitted to explore all that often.

But, this is only my surmising. I'm not a woman, after all, so I don't really know.

It is sad that these women will break perfectly good relationships to pursue a fictional relationship with a softcore male prostitute. But that indicates that the fantasy is fulfilling a deep need in these women that isn't being attended to throughout the society. People have sacrificed their families and livelihoods before in other cultures to chase a dream that is unattainable because it becomes an addiction. For those few moments, that person can be happy, and in a reality where that hole in one's life is rarely filled, the moments in which it is become like a narcotic dependency.