Kyabakura

[Lars Lust]

This has confused me for a long time. What really is the difference between a hostess bar and a Kyabakura (no, I have never been to one)? Is it only the location: hostess bar in Ginza, Kyabakura in Shinjuku? Something else? Thanks

 

[User#8628]

Hostess is a broad term. I think you could also call kyabajo "hostess" but it doesn't work in reverse.
Hostess could simply be in a small snackbar or something.

Kyabakura clubs are quite big. The girls are typically young and cute and wear very nice evening dresses.
Rules are also a bit different per establishment. The difference between a kyabakura and a girls bar for example is that the girls in a kyaba are allowed to sit next to you and in a girls bar they have to stand behind the bar.

 

[Lars Lust]

Hostess is a broad term. I think you could also call kyabajo "hostess" but it doesn't work in reverse.
Hostess could simply be in a small snackbar or something.

Kyabakura clubs are quite big. The girls are typically young and cute and wear very nice evening dresses.
Rules are also a bit different per establishment. The difference between a kyabakura and a girls bar for example is that the girls in a kyaba are allowed to sit next to you and in a girls bar they have to stand behind the bar.

Thank you. But it still sounds pretty much like the few hostess places I was sometimes taken to by clients in the good old times (pre 2008) in Ginza or Akasaka: elegant girls in evening dresses sitting next to you in red velvet sofas, pouring whiskey and water, playing little games; Mama-san in kimono somewhere in the background. What's different? A DH girl with a kyabajo background once told me that you can actually take out girls from some - but not all - kyabakura (like some kind of up-market deai cafe, if I understood correctly). True? That would be different. If so, how's the negotiation conducted?

 

[User#8628]

Thank you. But it still sounds pretty much like the few hostess places I was sometimes taken to by clients in the good old times (pre 2008) in Ginza or Akasaka: elegant girls in evening dresses sitting next to you in red velvet sofas, pouring whiskey and water, playing little games; Mama-san in kimono somewhere in the background. What's different? A DH girl with a kyabajo background once told me that you can actually take out girls from some - but not all - kyabakura (like some kind of up-market deai cafe, if I understood correctly). True? That would be different. If so, how's the negotiation conducted?

The places in Ginza are usually Snack Bars. I think the difference is just that kyabakura are a lot bigger.
I haven't heard about this, it's usually discouraged by the staff that kyabajo sleep with customers because they feel like they got what they came for so they wont come back to buy drinks for her.
You can do "after" with a girl in kyabakura, this means you take them out after they finish work but that is usually just for dinner or karaoke.
If you are a long time customer some girls might sleep with you but its a pricy gamble.
Also you could always try to offer a girl money but it wouldn't be cheap.
I knew this pornstar who also worked at kyaba and who picked up some papas and customers there and she usually got 70.000 to 100.000 yen.

 

[RandomTokyoGuy]

The term is 同伴 I think. Usually means that you can take her out before going to the club. In more upscale clubs you are also often expected to buy a bottle of wine/champagne in the club then.

It's often listed on the menue.

 

[patty diaz]

Thank you. But it still sounds pretty much like the few hostess places I was sometimes taken to by clients in the good old times (pre 2008) in Ginza or Akasaka: elegant girls in evening dresses sitting next to you in red velvet sofas, pouring whiskey and water, playing little games; Mama-san in kimono somewhere in the background. What's different? A DH girl with a kyabajo background once told me that you can actually take out girls from some - but not all - kyabakura (like some kind of up-market deai cafe, if I understood correctly). True? That would be different. If so, how's the negotiation conducted?

as someone who has worked in this industry for quite a while, having worked Ginza, Akasaka etc. Kyaba is stores with younger woman 20s etc. Very lets drink party, party. Shinjuku is pretty much all kyabakura. Hostess on the other hand is marketed in a different way. Woman are older as is client base, it focuses less on the drinking side and more communication and relationships between your big paying clients. Hostess clubs are Akasaka, Roppongi and Ginza.

 

[User#8628]

The term is 同伴 I think. Usually means that you can take her out before going to the club. In more upscale clubs you are also often expected to buy a bottle of wine/champagne in the club then.

It's often listed on the menue.

You can either meet girls for dohan before going to the shop, or take them out for after (not always encouraged if you are not a regular and seem shady, the male staff if quite protective).
Some girls might meet you sometimes outside of the club if you're a good customer.
However, this is really no sex in most cases, just having a meal together or some other social activity.

 

[Lars Lust]

The places in Ginza are usually Snack Bars. I think the difference is just that kyabakura are a lot bigger.
I haven't heard about this, it's usually discouraged by the staff that kyabajo sleep with customers because they feel like they got what they came for so they wont come back to buy drinks for her.
You can do "after" with a girl in kyabakura, this means you take them out after they finish work but that is usually just for dinner or karaoke.
If you are a long time customer some girls might sleep with you but its a pricy gamble.
Also you could always try to offer a girl money but it wouldn't be cheap.
I knew this pornstar who also worked at kyaba and who picked up some papas and customers there and she usually got 70.000 to 100.000 yen.

Thanks. Clear. BTW, does anybody know from where the name comes? Does it - or ever did - have anything to do with "cabaret"?

 

[Cornelius]

Thanks. Clear. BTW, does anybody know from where the name comes? Does it - or ever did - have anything to do with "cabaret"?

I believe it is an abbreviation of the Japanese pronunciation of cabaret club.

 

[Lars Lust]

I believe it is an abbreviation of the Japanese pronunciation of cabaret club.

Exactly. That's why I wonder. Why "cabaret"? Did it once start out with live performances as part of the concept? I know, why soapland, why "health" etc etc etc? Maybe it has nothing to do with English, as we know the language. Just curious.

 

[Wwanderer]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?autoplay=1&v=HxpTPmCyJ5M

-Ww

 

[Kegger]

Exactly. That's why I wonder. Why "cabaret"? Did it once start out with live performances as part of the concept? I know, why soapland, why "health" etc etc etc? Maybe it has nothing to do with English, as we know the language. Just curious.

It's what's called 和製英語 (waseieigo). The Japanese take an English word and use it for a different meaning (or make up a word that sounds English).

i.e.
In baseball a "timely" hit in English would mean to get a hit at a good time in the match, but in Japanese it means to get a hit with a runner already on base (usually scoring a run).
or
words like idol, stove, guardman etc

 

[Lars Lust]

Or, what's on my mind right now: ningen dokku. My wife thinks dokku is English. I did some research and found that some Japanese doctors in the 1950s came up with it. The logic: you take a salariman out of his natural habitat for a full day of medical examinations - like you put a ship in a dry dock for regular maintenance. Quite clever, if you ask me.

 

[User#8628]

Exactly. That's why I wonder. Why "cabaret"? Did it once start out with live performances as part of the concept? I know, why soapland, why "health" etc etc etc? Maybe it has nothing to do with English, as we know the language. Just curious.

There are actually "showkyaba" where they have dance shows and such i think.
Soaplands were called "turkish baths" at first but then the Turks made a scene so it got changed. Just because they guys get soaped up and such i guess.
I'm not sure about "health", i guess its a "healing" experience for the guy.

 

[Sinapse]

The main difference is that all you need to be a kyaba is youth and a pretty face.

Hostesses are educated, often must speak more than one language, have some skills (Like playing the piano, koto, or some sort of dance).

In essence the difference is one of class - kyaba are low class girls from the provinces and are more "hade" whereas hostesses are "nadeshiko" elegant and more upper class girls, generally black haired and are most definitely more than just a pretty face

 

[meiji]

And the difference between snack bars and hostess and other clubs is that part of the fuzoku law dictates where the woman talking to you can sit. Snack bars are NOT registered fuzoku establishments and the women sit on the other side of a table, behind a bar, etc, where hostess clubs are registered and the women are allowed to sit next to the guy she's talking to.

 

[RandomTokyoGuy]

I'm not sure if snack bar is a set term. I ran into plenty of them even in outer Tokyo area where no girls at all were around, not even the Barkeeper. I prefer establishments proudly flagging as Girls bars, so I can be sure to at least not drink alone

 

[meiji]

I'm not sure if snack bar is a set term.

It might not be a legal term, but I think it's pretty common for 'snack bars' to be a step or two away from hostess bars. I haven't frequented any, but I'd assume they'd be similar to bars in the US where the bartenders and waitstaff are cute but not necessarily young women.

 

[RandomTokyoGuy]

It might not be a legal term, but I think it's pretty common for 'snack bars' to be a step or two away from hostess bars. I haven't frequented any, but I'd assume they'd be similar to bars in the US where the bartenders and waitstaff are cute but not necessarily young women.

That was my hope every time I went to such a place and quite a few times it worked well. But especially in areas somewhat deserted of "entertainment" options it just seemed to be regular bars. Sometimes with a sofa or so to sit down, but no girls.

 

[Kegger]

As a purveyor of p4p in the more remote regions, I'd say a snack can be any store that sells Shochu by the bottle and the staff are wiener challenged, and also you can sing karaoke on a machine from the seventies.

Case in point, I was recently in Kusatsu onset. After dinner at the ryokan I wanted to take my staff out. Front desk suggested a bar 2 block Cisco over.

Mama San was a pension drawing OAP, while the other ladies, resplendent in kimono may have actually had first hand experience of the great Tokyo earthquake.
However for 3000 yen a head we had the funniest time ever. These old girls knew how to get the patrons off their trees.