A little break from the deviance ...

[Bjenkins]

What are your guys thoughts on onsen during the summer? Originally planned on going to Hokkaido in Nov with a buddy with the intention of hitting up a few onsen but our schedules didn't line up so we shifted it to Tokyo next month.

We'll be staying in Shinjuku but are planning to make a trip to sugamo for a certain pink salon . While trying to figure out what else we can do there I noticed they have an onsen located near the station but not sure how jumping into some hot water on a summer day will turn out.

Also anything else you can recommend doing in sugamo? Trying to make the trip as worth it as possible and as our hotel is a block away from hinomaru going there for that purpose only seems a bit of a waste.

Thoughts?

 

[Keihan]

Thoughts?

My thoughts? When two men travel to Hokkaido together for the purpose of visiting onsens, they are generally called a gay couple. So fuck the pink salon...rent a private rotenburo for a couple hours and get your sweaty groove on while the cicadas watch and noisily cheer you on.

 

[Bjenkins]

My thoughts? When two men travel to Hokkaido together for the purpose of visiting onsens, they are generally called a gay couple. So fuck the pink salon...rent a private rotenburo for a couple hours and get your sweaty groove on while the cicadas watch and noisily cheer you on.

Lol that's not it at all. I've always wanted to do an open air onsen during the fall/winter in Japan and just soak in the experience. And the sole purpose of the trip wasn't to hit exclusively onsen. It was just an added stop while in the area.

The last hot spring I went to was Chena hot springs in Fairbanks, AK. Mid November, -45°, snow, northern lights blasting above. Truly something to experience. Just make sure the run to the spring and back indoors is quick as it is rather miserable being out for too long. The experience was nice, but the overall location .... Not so much.

 

[Lukes]

If you want to make your Tokyo trip worth it, I suggest you do hit up Jan Jan but AVOID Hinomaru. And then spend the rest of your time doing more productive and interesting shit like sightseeing and getting good food and drink.

 

[Keihan]

Lol that's not it at all. I've always wanted to do an open air onsen during the fall/winter in Japan and just soak in the experience. And the sole purpose of the trip wasn't to hit exclusively onsen. It was just an added stop while in the area.

The last hot spring I went to was Chena hot springs in Fairbanks, AK. Mid November, -45°, snow, northern lights blasting above. Truly something to experience. Just make sure the run to the spring and back indoors is quick as it is rather miserable being out for too long. The experience was nice, but the overall location .... Not so much.

Yeah, whatever you say, John Travolta.

But seriously, the Hokkaido open air bath is quite possibly one of the greatest experiences you can achieve in life...after hate-fucking an ex-girlfriend and a really good Thai massage with oily fingers up your asshole.

If you do Hokkaido, I'd really recommend either fall or spring. There's nothing I love more than a rotenburo with snow falling around me, but when it's 5F outside it's a bit much, even for a guy who enjoys cold weather. And definitely avoid the snow festival season in February, as the main towns will be overrun with obnoxious tourists, both Japanese and foreign, and nothing ruins a nice bath more than 150 screaming Chinese tourists fighting for space in the water.

 

[Bjenkins]

If you want to make your Tokyo trip worth it, I suggest you do hit up Jan Jan but AVOID Hinomaru. And then spend the rest of your time doing more productive and interesting shit like sightseeing and getting good food and drink.

Totally looking forward to the food and drink aspect of the trip. The P4P sidestops are just icing on the cake so to speak.

If I may ask, why avoid hinomaru? Searching through the forums there does seem to be some mixed reviews of the place but the same can be said for Jan Jan. Anything to be aware of?

Yeah, whatever you say, John Travolta.

But seriously, the Hokkaido open air bath is quite possibly one of the greatest experiences you can achieve in life...after hate-fucking an ex-girlfriend and a really good Thai massage with oily fingers up your asshole.

If you do Hokkaido, I'd really recommend either fall or spring. There's nothing I love more than a rotenburo with snow falling around me, but when it's 5F outside it's a bit much, even for a guy who enjoys cold weather. And definitely avoid the snow festival season in February, as the main towns will be overrun with obnoxious tourists, both Japanese and foreign, and nothing ruins a nice bath more than 150 screaming Chinese tourists fighting for space in the water.

Why Travolta? Lol. I have heard the snow festival is insane and has questionable worth ... 150 screaming Chinese fighting for a spot in the hot tub doesn't sound too appealing either lol. With that being said, one of the big things we wanted to do in Hokkaido was visit the Nikka distillery as we are both avid fans of whiskey and I particularly have a soft spot for Nikka blends.

But regardless, is it worth it to visit an onsen during the summer?

 

[Rusty Trombone]

Yeah, whatever you say, John Travolta.

For some reason that really cracked me up.

To the OP, changing an autumn scenic trip in Hokkaido to a mid-summer swelter in Tokyo is like asking to exchange Victoria's Secret Lingerie for a pair of granny panties. Sure they may have the same basic function, but one is pleasing on the eye, and the other is just Yuk!

What's so special about this PS in Sugamo. I can understand people heading to Yoshiwara for a soapy, but Sugamo for a PS. I may be missing something here. Is it price? Is it the service?

Onsen in Tokyo in Summer? Wouldn't bother.

 

[warubuta]

Yeah, whatever you say, John Travolta.

But seriously, the Hokkaido open air bath is quite possibly one of the greatest experiences you can achieve in life...after hate-fucking an ex-girlfriend and a really good Thai massage with oily fingers up your asshole.

If you do Hokkaido, I'd really recommend either fall or spring. There's nothing I love more than a rotenburo with snow falling around me, but when it's 5F outside it's a bit much, even for a guy who enjoys cold weather. And definitely avoid the snow festival season in February, as the main towns will be overrun with obnoxious tourists, both Japanese and foreign, and nothing ruins a nice bath more than 150 screaming Chinese tourists fighting for space in the water.

It doesn’t matter when or where you go. There will always be a gaggle of cacophonous walnut-peckered Mainlanders there to ruin your tranquil soak. I am not a racist pig, but sorry I just don’t want to share my sushi bar or my onsen with people who don’t know how to enjoy it properly and without ruining the vibe. Oh well. We can always hope that they continue to devalue the Yuan and that the Mainlanders will have to stay home, or on their street corners anyway, sitting in their undersized plastic chairs and spitting on the dusty sidewalk. Jesus, did I write that?

 

[Keihan]

It doesn’t matter when or where you go. There will always be a gaggle of cacophonous walnut-peckered Mainlanders there to ruin your tranquil soak. I am not a racist pig, but sorry I just don’t want to share my sushi bar or my onsen with people who don’t know how to enjoy it properly and without ruining the vibe. Oh well. We can always hope that they continue to devalue the Yuan and that the Mainlanders will have to stay home, or on their street corners anyway, sitting in their undersized plastic chairs and spitting on the dusty sidewalk. Jesus, did I write that?

It's because I grew up around that sort of behavior that I have no problem asking (and paying) Chinese massage ladies to do demeaning, degrading and dehumanizing things with me in the massage parlor squat toilet room. Someone's gotta help me act out my fantasies and the Koreans won't do it.

 

[Keihan]

Why Travolta? Lol. I have heard the snow festival is insane and has questionable worth ... 150 screaming Chinese fighting for a spot in the hot tub doesn't sound too appealing either lol. With that being said, one of the big things we wanted to do in Hokkaido was visit the Nikka distillery as we are both avid fans of whiskey and I particularly have a soft spot for Nikka blends.

But regardless, is it worth it to visit an onsen during the summer?

It is a well-known secret in celebrity circles that should you ever wander into the seedy Russian bathhouses of downtown Hollywood, and venture into the dimly-lit shadows of the communal steam room, you may find yourself sitting adjacent to a fat, balding old slob leaning back with his eyes closed. If you are a reasonably attractive and younger man, you may then notice that this slob is very slowly, methodically undoing his robe, until it finally parts, revealing a very sad, weak erection. The slob then begins stroking his sad erection, which isn't much work since it isn't very large. And if at this point you are repulsed to the extent that you gaze upward to see the identity of this vulgar old queer, you may find yourself stunned to realize that NO, Vincent Vega wasn't killed by Butch's hail of gunfire in Pulp Fiction, but rather got thirty years older and fatter and uglier and balder and obviously got his hands on some Viagra. John Travolta is staring in your eyes and masturbating for you, and I hope you're ready to dance.

But regarding your other inquiries, I recommend you do your research on the Nikka factory, because I believe visiting might be a little disappointing. I think I was planning to stop by a couple years back during my travels through Hokkaido and after doing some internet research on the tour and sampling, I believe they only offer the lower-end Nikka whiskies to those visiting the factory. Again, do your research but I'm almost positive that's why I didn't bother going. Instead, I just waited till I was back in Osaka and went to the Yamazaki factory, where for 2,800 yen I could buy a sample of the 25yo Yamazaki and Hakushu (I much preferred the Hakushu) that sells for thousands of dollars per bottle back stateside.

But onsens in the summer? That's up to you. Personally, I love the onsen, no matter when or where. So long as there's alcohol available, I get me a good buzz going then sit out in the rotenburo and enjoy myself. Granted, I have a slightly different experience from most visitors as I can hide in plain sight (I'm ethnically Japanese) so I don't get the gawks and hushed bantering from the locals. I need do no more than pull down my pants for the true cousins of Tojo to drop their guard and assume I'm one of them.

But the onsen in summer is not normally anything enjoyable. Some might question the logic of sitting in 40C water when the air temperature is 39C, but that's why if I'm going to an onsen in summer I almost always go at night when it's a little cooler. There also tends to be a quieter, calmer crowd at nights, and a lot of the younger tourist boys tend to visit after dinner...probably because they're a little ashamed of being nude in daylight. That's all fine with me. Perhaps one day I'll meet a cute little bitch type who looks like Justin Bieber...who I'll ply with alcohol then offer to pay if he jerks me off and then I sucker punch him and check that off my bucket list.

 

[warubuta]

It is a well-known secret in celebrity circles that should you ever wander into the seedy Russian bathhouses of downtown Hollywood, and venture into the dimly-lit shadows of the communal steam room, you may find yourself sitting adjacent to a fat, balding old slob leaning back with his eyes closed. If you are a reasonably attractive and younger man, you may then notice that this slob is very slowly, methodically undoing his robe, until it finally parts, revealing a very sad, weak erection. The slob then begins stroking his sad erection, which isn't much work since it isn't very large. And if at this point you are repulsed to the extent that you gaze upward to see the identity of this vulgar old queer, you may find yourself stunned to realize that NO, Vincent Vega wasn't killed by Butch's hail of gunfire in Pulp Fiction, but rather got thirty years older and fatter and uglier and balder and obviously got his hands on some Viagra. John Travolta is staring in your eyes and masturbating for you, and I hope you're ready to dance.

But regarding your other inquiries, I recommend you do your research on the Nikka factory, because I believe visiting might be a little disappointing. I think I was planning to stop by a couple years back during my travels through Hokkaido and after doing some internet research on the tour and sampling, I believe they only offer the lower-end Nikka whiskies to those visiting the factory. Again, do your research but I'm almost positive that's why I didn't bother going. Instead, I just waited till I was back in Osaka and went to the Yamazaki factory, where for 2,800 yen I could buy a sample of the 25yo Yamazaki and Hakushu (I much preferred the Hakushu) that sells for thousands of dollars per bottle back stateside.

But onsens in the summer? That's up to you. Personally, I love the onsen, no matter when or where. So long as there's alcohol available, I get me a good buzz going then sit out in the rotenburo and enjoy myself. Granted, I have a slightly different experience from most visitors as I can hide in plain sight (I'm ethnically Japanese) so I don't get the gawks and hushed bantering from the locals. I need do no more than pull down my pants for the true cousins of Tojo to drop their guard and assume I'm one of them.

But the onsen in summer is not normally anything enjoyable. Some might question the logic of sitting in 40C water when the air temperature is 39C, but that's why if I'm going to an onsen in summer I almost always go at night when it's a little cooler. There also tends to be a quieter, calmer crowd at nights, and a lot of the younger tourist boys tend to visit after dinner...probably because they're a little ashamed of being nude in daylight. That's all fine with me. Perhaps one day I'll meet a cute little bitch type who looks like Justin Bieber...who I'll ply with alcohol then offer to pay if he jerks me off and then I sucker punch him and check that off my bucket list.

With that last paragraph I think you just might be channeling Kevin Spacey: sociopathic, bisexual, paedophilic, violent predator. You do it well on paper. Don’t do it in real life though. You can’t afford the lawyers. Oh, and I think all bets are off for getting any decent aged Japanese single malts at acceptable prices these days. Our Mainlander friends have ruined that for us too.

 

[Keihan]

With that last paragraph I think you just might be channeling Kevin Spacey: sociopathic, bisexual, paedophilic, violent predator. You do it well on paper. Don’t do it in real life though. You can’t afford the lawyers. Oh, and I think all bets are off for getting any decent aged Japanese single malts at acceptable prices these days. Our Mainlander friends have ruined that for us too.

Fuck Kevin Spacey. Because of that sick asshole's antics I didn't get to enjoy the last season of House of Cards. I'll never forgive him.

And don't worry, even if I did harbor Spacey's inclinations I've watched enough episodes of "Locked Up Abroad" to know better. But I was being serious about sucker punching Justin Bieber. That one has been on my bucket list for a long, long time. Most of the fantasy nastiness I write is, however, based on real experience, and creepy closet queers at the onsen is a genuine phenomenon.

A few years back I visited Osaka in the summer, and while my usual onsen joint is the massive Spa World, I decided to check out a smaller, more local facility closer to where I had lived which was apparently becoming popular with tourists. I had gone at night, again to avoid the heat of the daytime, and was following my usual routine--toss back a few beers and then out to the rotenburo.

I'm not out there long when two young kids come out and jump in the water next to me. I'm already getting angry because kids piss me off and ruin my relaxation, but then I realized these two kids weren't Japanese at all. They were babbling in an Asian language in couldn't understand and quite noisily, too, to the point where I was so angry I just barked at them in English, "CAN YOU SHUT UP??"

The both freeze and then one of them says, in pretty decent English: "Oh, I'm very sorry!" and says to his friend what I'm assuming is "be quiet" in their own language.

So then I feel a little bad so I ask the kids where they're from, and it turns out they're from Singapore. They ask where I'm from since I can speak English, and I tell them I'm American. Fair enough, and they were quiet after that so no problem. But then along came this middle-aged guy who turned out to be their father. He jumps in the water next to us, the kids tell him that I'm an American and he starts asking me all sorts of boring questions about where I'm from, what I do, how long I'm in Japan.

Now, I don't go to the onsen to fucking socialize, so I'm getting annoyed and decide to head back in to the indoor lounge to toss back a few more beers. When I do, daddy follows me and offers to buy the round of beers. Sounds good to me, so I grab a table at the tatami rest area. Daddy come back with beers, we finish that round, he offers to buy the next one and I'm feeling better already. But when he came back he actually sat next to me. And the drunker he got, the closer I noticed he was moving to me every time he got back with the next round of beers. And this asshole is actually looking in my eyes as he's asking me these increasingly bizarre questions. I look around, no idea where his kids went.

Now, at this point I'm a little offended, but not by the fact that a closet-queer is trying to get me drunk. No, I'm upset that this closet-queer thinks he's handsome enough to score with ME. But...am I above pretending to be gay/bi/curious for free drinks?

Absolutely not. So I pretended to be into it and milked that creepy prick for another three or four rounds, said I had to piss, dressed quickly and ran away laughing.

 

[MikeH]

What's so special about this PS in Sugamo.

They let in white boys with no Japanese and not all of their girls where girls already before you were born.

But most were and not even pretty girls.

 

[Bjenkins]

Jesus, did I write that?

Why yes ... Yes you did

 

[Bjenkins]

But regarding your other inquiries, I recommend you do your research on the Nikka factory, because I believe visiting might be a little disappointing. I think I was planning to stop by a couple years back during my travels through Hokkaido and after doing some internet research on the tour and sampling, I believe they only offer the lower-end Nikka whiskies to those visiting the factory. Again, do your research but I'm almost positive that's why I didn't bother going. Instead, I just waited till I was back in Osaka and went to the Yamazaki factory, where for 2,800 yen I could buy a sample of the 25yo Yamazaki and Hakushu (I much preferred the Hakushu) that sells for thousands of dollars per bottle back stateside.

Yeah I've heard similar reviews of Nikka's tour but still want to go one day ... Call it a pilgrimage if you will xD.

Originally we were gonna split between Tokyo,Osaka, and Kyoto but after looking at the schedule decided to postpone staying and just doing an extended trip in Tokyo. Might do a day trip that way and if so the Suntory distillery is definitely on the table with one problem .... Both of our Nihongo is shotty at best and they don't do English tours. We have a friend who might be able to go with us but his wife is due around that time so may not be possible.

I do have my eyes set on a bottle of Hibiki 21 ... But for $1k I need a really good reason to splurge that much -.- perhaps I'll just suck it up and bite the bullet but for now it's slightly out of my reach

 

[MikeH]

We have a friend who might be able to go with us but his wife is due around that time so may not be possible.

What do you mean? It sounds like a perfect time for him to be travelling with you as his wife is going to be in the hospital anyway, right?

 

[Bjenkins]

What do you mean? It sounds like a perfect time for him to be travelling with you as his wife is going to be in the hospital anyway, right?

I tried to tell him the exact same thing but it appears his English comprehension has dropped due to living in Japan for too long...

Perhaps one of you can tell me how to say it in Japanese to see if he fully understands

 

[Frenchy]

I am in Kusatsu now, which is an onsen town in the mountains , water is very hot but stinky the way I like.
In fact its not so bad: first its cooler than in Tokyo, second after a hot onsen you feel the heat outside is more bearable . Or maybe I’m just weird.

 

[warubuta]

I am in Kusatsu now, which is an onsen town in the mountains , water is very hot but stinky the way I like.
In fact its not so bad: first its cooler than in Tokyo, second after a hot onsen you feel the heat outside is more bearable . Or maybe I’m just weird.

Yes you Frenchies like stinky things. Stinky cheese, stinky people. With all this heat The Buta is showering frequently and dousing himself liberally in Old Bombay. He smells like lime and cinnamon.

 

[Frenchy]

Yes you Frenchies like stinky things. Stinky cheese, stinky people. With all this heat The Buta is showering frequently and dousing himself liberally in Old Bombay. He smells like lime and cinnamon.

Yes you roasted pigs like condiments

 

[Yuriko]

What are your guys thoughts on onsen during the summer? Originally planned on going to Hokkaido in Nov with a buddy with the intention of hitting up a few onsen but our schedules didn't line up so we shifted it to Tokyo next month.

We'll be staying in Shinjuku but are planning to make a trip to sugamo for a certain pink salon . While trying to figure out what else we can do there I noticed they have an onsen located near the station but not sure how jumping into some hot water on a summer day will turn out.

Also anything else you can recommend doing in sugamo? Trying to make the trip as worth it as possible and as our hotel is a block away from hinomaru going there for that purpose only seems a bit of a waste.

Thoughts?

I just took a trip to Hakone earlier this week, it was
super hot, humid, but dipping myself alone in a private onsen, listening cicada singing, viewing a beautiful Japanese garden was an absolute blissful getaway from a hectic city!! I highly recommend Hakone, 1.5 - 2 hours by Odakyu express train. Lots of foreign tourists, you'd enjoy for sure!

But, I'm not sure you'd enjoy janjan. I heard from my recent client who went there, shared some stories. It's Tokyo, you'd better spend money for privacy, safety, cleaness.

My 2 yen advice.

 

[Keihan]

Originally we were gonna split between Tokyo,Osaka, and Kyoto but after looking at the schedule decided to postpone staying and just doing an extended trip in Tokyo.

Even if you're just staying in Tokyo you will still have more than enough to do in or around the main city, especially since you're staying in Shinjuku. If you want the onsen experience without having to travel several hours outside of the city and paying a lot as well, just check out one of the touristy "mega onsen" type establishments downtown, the two biggest ones being Odaiba Onsen Monogatari across the water from Shinagawa, or there's also Spa Laqua in Suidobashi next to the Tokyo Dome. Both will run in the 2,500 yen/person range for an all day pass and are essentially massive complexes with various types of baths, as well as other options for amusement such as food courts, massage (legit) services, relaxation rooms and, most importantly, alcohol.

Of the two, I'd say Odaiba has bigger and better bath options but shittier food and is more geared towards tourists and families. You dress up in a Japanese robe while in the common areas where there are also all sorts of games for kids to play. Again, I only go because of the better rotenburo and proximity to Gotanda, where I often go afterwards for fantastic craft beers and an enthusiastic akasuri and HE with a naked middle-aged Korean lady. Spa Laqua is definitely geared more for adults, is quieter, has a fantastic lounge area to relax in a recliner, and the bathing area is smaller but a little more refined. It's also a bit more expensive all around, with better restaurants and upscale body care services (legit).

But as far as summers go, the only thing I really like about summer is beer gardens and there's one I'm definitely planning to try next. I don't know what sort of day adventures you're after but when I'm in town next month I'm planning to hit this attraction they call "Beer Mount," up on Mt. Takao, which is about an hour outside the city. You can either hike or catch a cable car all the way up Takaosan, where there's a massive beer garden complex which runs about $30usd/person for a couple hours of all you can eat and drink.

Do a Google search on it, looks pretty fun. You and your squeeze can take the ski lift chairs all the way up, get shitfaced at the top of a mountain then slip off into the deserted descending forest trails and get your Brokeback Mountain on. And when you finally get to the bottom, there's supposedly a nice little onsen you can stop at to wash all the sweat and forest debris out of your asscracks. Maybe I'll see you there??

 

[Frenchy]

Even if you're just staying in Tokyo you will still have more than enough to do in or around the main city, especially since you're staying in Shinjuku. If you want the onsen experience without having to travel several hours outside of the city and paying a lot as well, just check out one of the touristy "mega onsen" type establishments downtown, the two biggest ones being Odaiba Onsen Monogatari across the water from Shinagawa, or there's also Spa Laqua in Suidobashi next to the Tokyo Dome. Both will run in the 2,500 yen/person range for an all day pass and are essentially massive complexes with various types of baths, as well as other options for amusement such as food courts, massage (legit) services, relaxation rooms and, most importantly, alcohol.

Of the two, I'd say Odaiba has bigger and better bath options but shittier food and is more geared towards tourists and families. You dress up in a Japanese robe while in the common areas where there are also all sorts of games for kids to play. Again, I only go because of the better rotenburo and proximity to Gotanda, where I often go afterwards for fantastic craft beers and an enthusiastic akasuri and HE with a naked middle-aged Korean lady. Spa Laqua is definitely geared more for adults, is quieter, has a fantastic lounge area to relax in a recliner, and the bathing area is smaller but a little more refined. It's also a bit more expensive all around, with better restaurants and upscale body care services (legit).

But as far as summers go, the only thing I really like about summer is beer gardens and there's one I'm definitely planning to try next. I don't know what sort of day adventures you're after but when I'm in town next month I'm planning to hit this attraction they call "Beer Mount," up on Mt. Takao, which is about an hour outside the city. You can either hike or catch a cable car all the way up Takaosan, where there's a massive beer garden complex which runs about $30usd/person for a couple hours of all you can eat and drink.

Do a Google search on it, looks pretty fun. You and your squeeze can take the ski lift chairs all the way up, get shitfaced at the top of a mountain then slip off into the deserted descending forest trails and get your Brokeback Mountain on. And when you finally get to the bottom, there's supposedly a nice little onsen you can stop at to wash all the sweat and forest debris out of your asscracks. Maybe I'll see you there??

Theres also Therma-Yu near Golden Gai , and a bit farther out but much better , Niwa-no-Yu near Toshimaen (where you can also get wet and glide on killer water slides if thats your thing)

 

[Keihan]

Theres also Therma-Yu near Golden Gai , and a bit farther out but much better , Niwa-no-Yu near Toshimaen (where you can also get wet and glide on killer water slides if thats your thing)

I remember thinking that if I did anything extraordinarily filthy in Kabukicho I could stop by Thermae-Yu afterwards but Emi at AR/AF always gave me such a loving bath that I never needed another one. I was actually thinking about visiting Niwa-no-Yu a couple years back as I really liked their no-kids policy and that co-ed pool in the middle, but I was planning to visit alone and didn't want to look like that pervert loser lurking in the corner and watching all the other guy's girlfriends. That, and it's a bit of a trek and if I'm traveling that far I expect to have an orgasm. I suppose I could put on a show and masturbate in the communal pool but getting laughed at and then getting arrested would be too much of a blow to my pride.

But as I mentioned a while back, Spa Laqua has that akasuri/massage room inside the men's bathing area with windows all around so you can watch what's going on, and last time I was there, they had a pretty young thing working the akasuri tables who didn't look particularly comfortable after she caught me leering at her through the window while I stood there drunk and naked. I'm definitely planning to stop by again next month and book myself a scrub. I'm guessing she gets gawked at quite often so hopefully she won't remember me.

 

[Lukes]

Totally looking forward to the food and drink aspect of the trip. The P4P sidestops are just icing on the cake so to speak.

If I may ask, why avoid hinomaru? Searching through the forums there does seem to be some mixed reviews of the place but the same can be said for Jan Jan. Anything to be aware of?

Hinomaru is just Jan Jan but worse in all the ways that matter. Yes, the quality of the girls can vary at any place but at Hinomaru the consensus is that it's just consistently bad. Probably a place best avoided when there's much better options around.