I’ve been hooked on playing both Yakuza 3 and Yakuza 4, so for Today’s Japan Photo series, we shall take a look a peek atJapan’s hostess clubs, which are called kyabakura (キャバクラ).

The photo above is a traditional setting of what you would likely see inside a hostess club. Here’s a short description off Wikipedia:

In Japan, hostess clubs are called kyabakura (キャバクラ) and hostesses are known as kyabajō (キャバ嬢?) who are generally hired for their looks and/or personality. Hostesses light cigarettes, pour drinks, offer flirtatious conversation, and sing karaoke in an effort to keep the customers entertained. Hostesses can be seen as the modern counterpart of geishas, providing entertainment to groups of salarymen after work.

The clubs are distinguished from strip clubs in that there is no dancing or nudity. A club will often also employ a female bartender, who is usually well-trained in mixology, and may also be the manager or mamasan. While drinks tend to be more expensive than at regular bars and there is generally a substantial cover charge, many places offer nomihōdai (飲み放題) (bottomless refills) for certain drinks – usually just shōchū.

Hostesses need to drink with their customers every night, and it is not uncommon that they develop alcohol problems as a result.[1] Most bars run on a commission system in which hostesses receive a percentage of sales.

Here’s a short clip that I found on youtube that takes a look inside the hostess club and behind the scenes look at the Kyabajo: