What's new

Research on Japan Gigolos

hkc0406

後輩
1 Nov 2007
1
0
11
We are students from Hong Kong, studying a course related to Intercultural Communication. We are currently doing a research on the topic of "Japan Gigolos" (Hosuto), and we have designed a survey questionnaire.

Can you help us to take part in this survey? Please give your answers in the "reply post". Any general comments or your opinions about this topic are also welcome. Thank you very much indeed!

>> Survey Questionnaire <<

1. Do you think the ツ"gigolosツ" service is very popular in Japan?
(Yes / No)

2. Can you accept the ツ"gigolosツ" culture?
(Yes / No)

3a. For boys: If there is a chance, would you take this as your career?
(Yes / No) and WHY?

3b. For Girls: If there is a chance, would you try this service?
(Yes / No) and WHY?

4. Do you think the ツ"gigolosツ" culture indicates that Japanese moral standard is not high?
(Yes / No) and WHY?

5. For the ツ"gigolosツ" culture what are the positive / negative effects to the society?

Again, thank you very much!!
 
1. Do you think the ツ"gigolosツ" service is very popular in Japan?
(Yes / No)
define popularity. I couldn't be sure whether it's a big industry or not, but when I was in Tokyo or Osaka I saw many guys around the major stations that fit the description.

2. Can you accept the ツ"gigolosツ" culture?
(Yes / No)
What do you mean by this question?

3a. For boys: If there is a chance, would you take this as your career?
(Yes / No) and WHY?
I've thought about it in passing and joked about it with my friends, but I'm not really into the nightlife, and I don't like to lead women on. I think this job calls for a certain lack of respect for women that only self-professed "players" or "playboys" have.

4. Do you think the ツ"gigolosツ" culture indicates that Japanese moral standard is not high?
(Yes / No) and WHY?
I think it's indicative that there is a market for hosts, which means there is an increase of women with disposable income. I don't think this indicates any sort of moral standard, except perhaps for the hosts themselves (the aforementioned "players").

5. For the ツ"gigolosツ" culture what are the positive / negative effects to the society?
To society at large, I think there's little to no effect. For the individuals involved, there are both positive and negative effects. For the clients, they get entertainment and attention, but they're paying for a false relationship with the hosts. For the hosts themselves, they can make a very good living depending on how well they can lead women on, but the lifestyle itself can be very taxing (lots of drinking, staying up late, etc). There's also the compromised morality of being a host, which probably isn't a major issue for the hosts themselves but to me is one of the main reasons I couldn't imagine doing it.

Also, I prefer to use the term "host," as "gigolo" has the connotation of a male prostitution. Although sex and sexuality is often a part of being a host, it is not a requirement. Actually, the more successful hosts have a policy not to sleep with their clients, because once they've had what they pursue, they no longer have to pursue it, and the host is no longer able to string them along. By dangling themselves in front of women, but keeping just out of reach, hosts are able to leech more out of them.

There's an interesting documentary video about hosts that I saw a while back. If I can find it I'll post it to this thread.
 
definition of gigolo from dictionary.com
1. a man living off the earnings or gifts of a woman, esp. a younger man supported by an older woman in return for his sexual attentions and companionship.
2. a male professional dancing partner or escort.
From American Heritage:
A man who has a continuing sexual relationship with and receives financial support from a woman.
As I said, while there are hosts that sleep with their clients, the most successful ones don't. Sex isn't the point.

edit: The video seems to have been taken off of youtube due to copyright violations, but there was a discussion here on the video before it was taken down: Secret Lives Of Japanese Host Men (Gigolos)
 
5. There is no effect on society. To each his/her own. It is not like other people are propcuppied by gigolos, or hosts. I don't care really, as long as this doesn't get into other people's lives, not.

Mauricio
 
A gigolo is a man who sells his body to women, although as far as i am aware in japan gigolo's take on more the role of a male courtesan than just a common prostitute (although i'm sure there are those too).


Japan's history has been filled with courtesans, artisans and prostitution etc. In the past, there were geisha and maiko, courtesans like tayu, oiran and yuko, there were even male geisha (in fact the earliest geisha were actually men).

Since the americans occupied japan after japan lost the war, the americans made the japanese make prostitution illegal. But you cannot easily wipe out a sex selling culture that had been in japan for hundreds upon hundreds of years which was openly tolerated until the americans came along.
Since the ban, there have been many attempts at from people to fill the voids left by the old courtesans, i think its only natural there is now an abundance of male gigolo's in japan as far as prostututes go.

I don't think these gigolo's are having a detrimental effect on japanese society (why would they? from a japanese persons point of view, they are probably good for the local economies or something like that), i think in a way the selling of sex is an old part of japanese culture that has always been there and probably will always continue to do so.
I think the pressence of such people does not mean japan's moral standard is not high, because such gigolo's are everywhere, including even in china. Morality is always a very difficult subject to discuss either way though...I certainly don't think that a countries moral standards in general should be effected to any great degree by just one small subject/situation amoung many.



hkc0406 i think you'll have a hard time getting anyone to answer questions 3a and 3b to any honest degree. I think you would be better off re-phrasing the questions in a different way.
 
Haha whenever i hear the word gigolo i remember Chono Koshaku from Busou Renkin, it can't be helped sorry :D

Okay, sorry for that, i'll be serious...
Its just that gigolos are depicted like that... well thats what the media suggests.
 
Some of you here may find this article/interview interesting on the new class of guys who's job is to entertain women at expensive clubs;

http://www.japantoday.com/jp/feature/1238


The subject of sex was also raised in the article;

"Then there is sex. Even though it is not on the menu and a legal element needs to be navigated as to protocol ― what's done in private without direct payment is not the police's business ― succumbing to a request for physical favors might be a last resort in getting a customer to return.

"Once it happens, she will want it to continue," says Yuga of the type of customer referred to in host slang as a "makura" (pillow). "Of course, the host will then request that she make a return visit to the club. Otherwise it won't happen again. It is a part of the service necessary to meet the customer's demand.""




I think there is often probably a fine line between some the more courtesan-like gigolo's and some of these male host club entertainers.



Another article on host bars and the guys who entertain in them;

"Host bars were on the fringe of Japan's entertainment industry for a long time, catering mostly to desperate singletons and sugar mummies. Gradual shifts in gender politics have allowed them to enter the mainstream, catering to Japan's new generation of confident, well-paid, savvy young women. In some cases, these women are young, single, and highly desirable, but lack the time or inclination for a serious relationship. While Japan's women wait for the male domination of their society to erode, host clubs offer an escape from the passive roles many women are still forced into. Now, the industry is worth more than £300 million a year in Tokyo alone.

Late at night, host bars may also provide welcome rest and entertainment to hostesses and other girls who have finished their shift in nearby bars and brothels. Having spent hours pampering others, they are quite happy to pay for the same treatment. In many cases, these girls are, like the hosts themselves, financially comfortable but lonely – their lifestyle making it difficult to form relationships outside the sex industry."

http://www.japanfortheuninvited.com/articles/host-bars.html




To be honest, to me these guys sound almost exactly like the geisha of old. In the olden days, in certain respects the purpose of geisha was to offer a girlfriend like relationship to her client, who was often a mature man who had spent hs life in an often unhappy arranged loveless marriage and who had spent his life working and building up money and contacts.
If i liked the geisha he met at the teahouse and wanted to further their relationship together, he would become her patron- she would offer him affection, sophisticated conversation, entertainment and even a love of sort, she would make him a more personal part of her life, almost like sharing her diary with him, in return that he pay for her time and honour to be her patron etc. The large amounts of money he would dote on her would go towards her personal expenses, like buying kimono and makeup to ensure that she stays looking beautiful and fashionable, to help pay off her debt to her shared residence that she was brought up in so she can become more independant, to further her training and to make sure she can go visit nice places etc.
For most geisha, no matter how talented and popular they were, it was vital to attract a man willing to be their patron if they wanted to gain more independance and really make a success out of their carear.

I think these host club guys in a way offer the same sorts of things that geisha did of old, like girlfriend/boyfriend type relationships and general affection etc in exchange for money, except the entertainments on offer are a lot more modernised and gender roles have been reversed.
I think one of the reasons why geisha and maiko were so popular in the past was because almost everyone in old japan was in arranged marriages- pre-marriage dating was very rare, it was very difficult to have boyfriend/girlfriend type relationships. So men who were rich enough and had the right contacts, could afford to have these sort of privilaged relationships with geisha and maiko.

Now days arranged marriages are not the norm in japanese society, even marriage itself is on the decline. But due to the rise of power women have had in japanese society in recent times, they are no facing the same old problems which men in japan's society have experienced throughout the ages- except its now more of a case of rather not being allowed to have girlfriend/boyfriend type relationships (although this may be true for the younger music celebrities in japan, with their every move being heavily judged and criticised by their patron companies and the media in general, it would be very difficult to have a successful meaningful relationship with anyone in such a high pressure environment which lacks privacey etc), they don't have the time for them outside of their carears.
These women still need love, attention and affection though, there's still a soul and a heart behind those monotome buisness suits and killer heels, so i can understand why these women would want to go to these clubs- afterall every women likes to feel like a princess once in a while 👍 .
 
Don't get me wrong, im wholeheartedly against prostitution of any sort... but surely, womenfolk wouldn't be so very understanding towards female prostitutes and their clients. I can understand why would they seek gigolos, obviously for sex. But i can't seem to understand how doesn't it shatter their illusions that they're paying for entertainment, and this time im not talking about sex.
 
Don't get me wrong, im wholeheartedly against prostitution of any sort... but surely, womenfolk wouldn't be so very understanding towards female prostitutes and their clients. I can understand why would they seek gigolos, obviously for sex. But i can't seem to understand how doesn't it shatter their illusions that they're paying for entertainment, and this time im not talking about sex.




So you basically can't understand why a woman would want to pay for this sort of host club entertainmant, yes?
 
>> Survey Questionnaire <<
1. Do you think the ツ"gigolosツ" service is very popular in Japan?
Yes, Absolutely, There are special "Host Club Districts".

2. Can you accept the ツ"gigolosツ" culture?
Yes

3a. For boys: If there is a chance, would you take this as your career?
No, Its degrading to both men and women

4. Do you think the ツ"gigolosツ" culture indicates that Japanese moral standard is not high?
No, I think it indicates that Japanese Women can be easily taken advantage of.

5. For the ツ"gigolosツ" culture what are the positive / negative effects to the society?
Positive: Women get a chance to relax and have a normal conversation with men.
Negative: Women can fall hopelessly in love with someone who is just trying to milk them for as much money as they can.
 
3a. For boys: If there is a chance, would you take this as your career?
No, Its degrading to both men and women

May I add that it is very degrading to the gigolo itself. These guys make a lot of money but they usually don't last long. There is just too much competition, it is too easy to lose the spot and a life of getting drunk and barely sleeping just takes over you and in no time you will be left outside just cause another guy came in and took your spot and your career is over. Nice story.

Mauricio
 
1. Do you think the "gigolos" service is very popular in Japan?

No, it is only popular for a certain kind of woman and isn't something that's mainstream culture or something. Just the fact that's it's very expensive excludes a lot of people.
Most of the people coming there are fuuzoku or other nightlife workers, and women who, in another way have earned lot's of money. A lot of people think it's a waste of money, and another big group of people hate hosts because they have an image of decieving people (which is true for a big part). Most people go to host clubs because they want to enter a kind of 'dream world' where they'll be treated as a princess for as long as she spends enough money. As you see only a fairly smll amount of women are susceptible for this, so i wouldn't call it popular.

2. Can you accept the "gigolos" culture?

Yes, to me it's just any other kind of job. to some people it may seem morally unaceptable, but i think it is fine earning money as a host. It's definitely not the easiest kind of job. the make long hours. if you're lucky and working at a popular club 11 p.m.- 7 am. is pretty normal. because the club is popular women will fairly easily come to the club, even without yobikomi (sorry, forgot the english word).
if you're at a new/unpopular club, you'll spend a long time in the streets trying to get people to come to your club. that way, you'll make very long days.
so morally, i don't agree with all the things hosts do, but knowing what hosts have to do to earn their money i can respect it.

3a. For boys: If there is a chance, would you take this as your career?

I would if i had the necessary papers. I was asked if i woul like to work at a club while in Japan. I was 18 at the time, had an student visa, and was living with a host family at the time, so I couldn't do it for numerous reasons.

edit: now that i think about it, there really aren't any legal ways for a foreigner to be a host is there. besides naturalisation, and doing it as a japanese. as far as i know, the amount of foreign MEN being hosts can be counted on a few hands. women are another story though

4. Do you think the "gigolos" culture indicates that Japanese moral standard is not high?

No, it's just a piece of the total population. Hosts kind of go against some morals that are considered 'normal'. But as it is just a very small piece of the population, you can't judge the total population moral standard just because hosts excist. The fact that being a nightlife worker as a host is considered one of the 'low' jobs, and hosts aren't commonly liked, actually indicate that the moral standard is actually quite high. They just use the other part of the people to earn money.

5. For the "gigolos" culture what are the positive / negative effects to the society

I don't think it really has effect on society as a whole.
 
And i would like to point out that there are multiple 'types' of hosts.
Tokis Pheonix quoted:
ツ"Once it happens, she will want it to continue,ツ" says Yuga of the type of customer referred to in host slang as a ツ"makuraツ" (pillow). ツ"Of course, the host will then request that she make a return visit to the club. Otherwise it won't happen again. It is a part of the service necessary to meet the customer's demand
which is most of the time not the case.
having sex with a customer most of the time is the biggest 'goal' they want to achieve when coming to a club (note: this applies to some women).
once you have sex with her, she will have what she came for and move on to the next club to her next target. so sex is often considered as a last resort.
makura hosts are hosts in the business mainly to have sex, and because of that don't last long because thay can't keep their customers. this type of host is considered immature by most.
the makura customers, or the customers coming to have sex, usually stay at one club for a short amount of time. it just comes to how long the hosts can stretch their relationship.
Soapland workers and fuuzoku usually come to clubs to talk, and be understood .
because of their profession they can't talk freely to everyone, and as they are in the same work sector, they feel they have some sort of mutual trust.
What i'm probably trying to say is that the fact that all hosts are usually portrayed as male prostitutes is mistaken.
Some are, some only use sex as a last resort to make money, and there are even hosts that refuse to have sex with their customers. Being a host is basically stretching a fake relationship as far as you can, and making money of it in the process. To some this may sound disgusting, and to some people it may sound as one of the most enjoyable ways to make money. but out of those people a large portion usually quits because their conscience couldn't handle it anymore.
 
Back
Top Bottom