Okinawa Japan Night Life Experience 

     If you have the desire to go out and experience a "Japanese type bar" vice the places that specifically cater to the foreign community. There are a few things I've come up with to help you out.  

Types of places.

     Let's clearly define the different types of bars that exist and place them into various classes. Legally bars are categorized to determine the types of services available, the hours it can be open, what hostess are supposed to do, and the like.  

Izakiyas

     These are the most fun and are generally the cheapest. These are also frequented by the younger age groups like college students.  

Snacks

     These are fun to go out and sing karaoke at. The songs you sing will be about 100 or 200 yen each. Snacks are by far the most common and they are located all over the island. Customers in snacks may include women. In a snack generally the hostess sits on one side of the counter and is there to provide basic conversation friendly only. There is very little sexual implication or suggestion. Snacks usually sell food in addition to drinks.  

Salon

     These are fairly common in drinking neighborhoods, and is totally different from the snack. The only women customers found in salons are generally hostesses from other similar establishments who are friends with one of the hostesses or the mamasan. You can expect them to behave like an employee, as well. Hostesses in a salon are much "friendlier" than in the snack bar. Generally they will sit next to you and behave as though they are your girlfriend. They may hold you hand, put there arms around your, feed you your drinks often faster than you'd like, as well as other intimate gestures that make you feel good.

     If you drink in a salon expect to pay more for what your get. This could possibly include a table set-up fee, over priced drinks, often if the hostess sits with you there may be a fee as well. Remember also that tatemae talk (gomasuri or sweet talk) is the standard in these places and anything promised that is not a legal business service is to be considered as talk only. The hostesses job is to make you feel good right now and not to carry through later on any promises made remember there are no friends on duty. This is clearly understood by all Japanese patrons. If you drink at a salon you need to understand this.  

     Salon and Cafe hostesses also have a reputation for being "very accommodating" while you are buying but, the second you quit they change into flesh eating wenches. This may not be true in all cases.  

     There is a Japanese word used in bars "oshibori", which refers to a little hot (or sometimes) a cold towel they give you to wipe you hands and face when you first come in. Along the true path of intent is the Japanese verb "shiboru or shibori" to squeeze or ring out till dry. "O" in front of a Japanese word makes it polite or honorific. A common joke in these places is that the hostesses are actually are there to politely ring out your wallet until it's dry.  

Cafe

     The rules in the cafe are about the same as in a salon. They are fairly common in drinking neighborhoods. The only women customers are hostesses from other similar places. Watch out for oshiburi. These are different from coffee shops and when your toasted and enter the wrong one you'll be able to quickly discern the difference.  

Cabaret

     The cabaret is not as common as the others. This is a class of bar that is usually clearly identifiable even if you do not speak or read Japanese. There are NO women customers in a cabaret. There is a trend in main land Japan nowadays providing these types of clubs for women customers only. There are a couple in Naha that cater to women only and the men are hostess. The entrance typically has a guy there to greet customers accompanied by the ever present "Irasshai , irasshai" ( welcome, welcome) bantering. Most have signs showing prices as much as 30,000 yen . This is the set fee to pay to enter and all of your drinks are free for a limited period that is anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. This is also called Nomi hodai (all you can drink). There are places that are Nomi hodai that provide a little less seedy atmosphere than most cabarets.

      Hostess in these clubs employ the age-old time tested tricks and treats to get drunk. This is to entice you to buy the hostess expensive drinks (which are not included in the entry fee). Naturally, she will do or say anything to get you to feel as generous as possible. If you do not have the cash to blow I'd stay away. Be warned now if you get trashed and cause and argument about how much you did or didn't spend and didn't even get... The bouncers will come from the wood work so to speak. Most of these thugs are younger kids without jobs paid to be there and most of them have girlfriends working as hostess there or are very close friends with the hostess or mamasan.  

     All the Japanese customers know that "if you didn't get it before you leave chances are you ain't gettin' it". Remember, no matter how nice the hostesses are when you are spending money, as soon as you stop paying they want you to leave. Many of these do not accept foreign customers.  

Members Clubs and Bottle Clubs

     There are not very many of these member clubs or bottle clubs around but there is generally one or two in each drinking area. You pay a membership fee, which might mean buying a bottle (keep) of booze, in order to drink there. Many of these places do not allow foreigners either.  

Fashion or Lingerie Clubs

     These are places where the hostesses may wear fancy lingerie and serve you while half clothed. In some, the hostesses take turns dancing on stage and partially remove some of their lingerie. These are not to common on Okinawa but there are a couple in Naha and up in Nago around Midori Michi. They are expensive and most do not allow foreigners. "Nihonjin dake!"

Filipina Clubs

     There are only about two dozen of these clubs left here. Nearly all of the hostesses speak English and are recruited from the Philippines as cultural entertainers, models, and dancers. Contrary to popular belief the individual hostess doesn't determine what she may say and do, and the level of truth you can expect from her should be judged with care.  

     Most of these clubs place limits on when the hostess can leave the club and when she must be at the boarding house where she lives. So if you plan on trying to date one expect a thousand valid excuses. If she leaves either place when she is supposed to be there, she has to pay a fine, sometimes as much as $300 or about 30,000 yen. The intention is to keep them "off the streets". Her sponsor, generally the club owner, is responsible for her behavior and it will be trouble for his business should the hired help be outside of a specific liberty area.

     You should keep in mind that many of these hostesses may have financial problems back home and that is what they hope to alleviate by being here. So, it is possible to set up dates with them, but generally they will be expecting to get paid for their time. It is very uncommon for one of them to go out with you because they like you only. After all, if you like them you must be sensitive to their personal problems.  

     The remaining few of these are located Kin Village, Okinawa City, Kitamae, Kadena town and a few in Futenma town. The number of these types of clubs or bars a fading fast and is no where near the number that there was in the 80's and early 90's.

Night clubs and Discos

     Nightclubs are similar to those in the rest of the world. There are generally one to two discos in nearly every major drinking area. They offer some form of entertainment which is usually a live band, stage act, or dancing. There may be male hosts as well as hostesses, but they only provide the business services of taking orders and delivery your order.  

     Some nightclubs have hostesses that will sit with the customers. It is safe to say that most are not involved with providing any form of companionship for the patron.

     The places that do not normally let in foreigners will usually allow you in if you come as a couple, regardless whether you are with an American or Japanese woman. They are concerned that overly aggressive girl hunters will chase off the women customers or tourist from mainland Japan.

     Rock houses were originally designed with an American theme. There a few still left, most from the 80's and 90's. The most well known are 8 Beat, Abbey Roads, and Downtown All located in Okinawa City's Naka no Machi bar district and a couple in Kin Village. This is where the young crowd go to meet and listen to great music. There are no hostesses and house rules are pretty much like any bar in the States.  

     These places have outstanding sound systems, play good music in a nice nostalgic setting, and have good food and drinks for a fair price. Be careful in these areas though. It's best not to go alone when it is late after 11:00 p.m., especially if you are new to the island. But definitely worth going and checking out.  

     Okinawa City is probably the most Americanized town in Okinawa because it is right next to Kade-na Air Base. On weekend evenings, many young Americans spend their leisure time at discos or places that offer live music in Okinawa City, and on those nights the streets of the city are peopled with pedestrians of many nationalities.  

     Many of the Okinawan discos are large and elaborate, and some are even well-known to tourists from mainland Japan. Young Okinawan men and women dance enthusiastically and sometimes even more wildly when mixed with Americans. The discos are places where communication between young Okinawans and Americans can take place without knowing a common language; they make themselves understood through dancing. Through the mutual enjoyment of discos, they become friends. During the summer, young people from Japan come to Okinawa City to experience an exotic atmosphere that they cannot find on the mainland. Because so many places to visit in Okinawa City are located in a small area, some people may visit three or more discos in one night.  

     Live music entertainment is also concentrated in Okinawa City, where one can find hard rock, soft rock, and even reggae music. Weekend nights in Okinawa City belong to a world different from what is found elsewhere in the prefecture.  

     Naka no Machi (The Inner City)This is one of the most famous watering holes on the island. Those it has a long history - it is now in serious decline. The popping of the Japanese economic bubble has cause most revelers to sit home and drink, or drink at friends houses. In addition to the hundreds of tradition Japanese bars and Izakiyas (restaurants), most of the rock houses are located in this area also. These rock houses are favorite pick-up spots.

Park Avenue / Peace Park Avenue (BC Street)

     This is one of the most famous watering holes to those who were here during the 70's, 80's, and early 90's. In the old days BC Street was the place for nighttime entertainment. It was the wild west. Boasting every type of floor show imaginable, both sides of the street were lined with club after club. But I'm dating myself. This is where the Banana Lady did her show at a small bar on the corner which was close to the Rock a place where live rock bands would jam. 

     In the early 90's, the local city government decided it was tired of that image, and changed it from BC Street to Park Avenue or Peace Park Avenue. They also spent a great deal of money and effort to renovate it to the present tourist friendly image.  

     Though it is mostly just gift shops for the mainland tourists who come to Okinawa, there are still a few nightclubs and a Filipina bars left for the hard core party animals.

Behind BC street (the olden days)

This was one area where you would find the Love motel. Each motel and between 5 to 10 girls working, all between the ages of 18 to 24 for sexual pleasures. In many of the places they would site behind bars to keep the drunk Marines away form them. Once in the everything was great. some girls would keep changing positions to see how many you could be before blowing you load.

Another area for sex that was close to the base was "Whisper Alley", this short dark alley had no light to speak of and as you walked down it the girl would whisper out to you to come over to the door and talk to her. This area was great for bait and witch but cause the way most of the doors opened in you would not see the girl that was at the door all the time and instead of being with that pretty 20 year old you were talking to you now found your self with a 60 year grand mother. But on the other hand WoW could you find some real beauties there who loved to have sex.
 

Okinawa Clubs Nightclubs and Bars 

     There are several places on Okinawa to go out and get some "after dinner sniffers". First lets try to get some quick cultural ground rules out of the way.  

     When I say the "exclusion of foreigners" I mean that some establishments here do not want foreign customers and if you go in will they tell you either Japanese only "Nihonjin dake!" or no foreigners "Gaijin dame". Many have signs on the entrances. For the most part, bars and nightclubs are the types of places that exclude foreigners.

     There is nothing you can do about this form of discrimination. Businesses in Japan have the right to refuse any customer they want. If you raise hell and complain about it you will just be proving to them that they are right and you are not the kind of customer they want.  

There are many reasonable explanations behind this decision. Here are a few.  

     a) Nobody in the place speaks English. To avoid any situations that may develop from that they will not allow foreigners in. In most cases if you go there with a local friend he is expected to take responsibility for you and your actions and they may allow you in.  

     b) They only take yen and most foreigners always bring dollars.  

     c) The place is in a area already populated with lots of bars that cater to foreign customers and the customers who go there are trying to avoid those types of places intentionally. For instance up in Kin Village there is the area populated with bars that cater to the foreign population but there is another little party area just up the street form there called Ushino and that place is wall to wall snacks they generally don't allow outsiders in that area.  

     d) They have had a bad experience with foreign customers and prefer to avoid the chances of it happening again.  

     e) There is a small minority of locals that don't like foreigners and this attitude is only escalated when you mix "women and wine". Any smart mama san (term of endearment) or hostess will recognize this and attempt to avoid any confrontations before it begins.

MIZU SHOBAI

     A system referred to in Japanese is called the "mizu shobai", which literally translated means "the water trade". This water trade is usually the Nightlife, single's entertainment, drinking establishments, nightclubs, and many other forms of business that involve drinking and entertainment. There are a few key elements of the mizu shobai that demand a clear understanding before "the bottom line" can be understood.  

Tatemae and Honne ( A white lie).

     Tatemae is a Japanese behavioral characteristic that can be defined as face, official stance, public position or attitude (as opposed to private thoughts or your personal views). Anyone who speaks Japanese or Hogan (the local dialect) should have some knowledge of this. Tateme is not a behavior that is limited to the bars and clubs. It is integrated into all Japanese behavior that is in the presence of "non-family" or some one who is not in the "nakama". For those who do not know about it I'll try to give you a brief summary and how it pertains to the bar or nightclub. Tatemae is an attitude people take in their daily lives, in business, and in relationships that says tells them it is not nice to be direct, abrupt, or tell the whole truth with people if it will lead to hard feelings. In this sense tatemae is very similar to the old saying that it is sometimes better to tell a white lie.  

     The opposite of tatemae is honne (bone) this is what you really feel. A very important thing about tatemae is that all the Japanese are fully aware of it and with every passing comment that is said in the spirit of tatemae is considered to be just a nice thing to say. This has many important implications especially in the bar. In fact, bars use the tatemae approach to make the customers feel happy, relaxed or good about themselves by telling them exactly what they would like to hear. Things a hostess says in a bar should never be taken to heart.  

A word about the hired help.

     A very important aspect of mizu shobai is companionship specifically, companionship that is offered by a hostess, who is an employee of the bar, to a customer. What is the hostess's job? To make customers feel good about coming and drinking at the bar. It is as simple as that. What exactly does that include? A lot! Let's start with the obvious such as greeting customers, making them comfortable, taking orders, keeping their ash trays clean, etc. On top of that, the "skilled" hostess knows how to talk to a customer by complementing them and saying things to make them feel good about themselves. Compliments like how handsome he is, how smart he is, how important a job he has, how much other women (even herself) would like to marry (or have sex with) him, how sexy he is, or literally anything that causes him to have a good time. As foreigner we often hear how good we sing, how well we speak Japanese etc. This doesn't make them bad or people to be avoided, it is very important to remember that this is exactly what the Japanese customers have come to expect. If tatemae is not there the service is considered to be poor. A hostess's behavior is not limited to what she says it also applies to what she may or may not do. But remember, it is an act. This act has defined rules and if a girl wants to work in one of these places she is expected and must follow the rules. Okinawa's snacks are filled with thousands of perfectly honest, hard-working, respectable young ladies. It is not unusual to find college graduates working in bars because they frequently find they can make a lot more money telling "little white lies" to strangers, than fighting the male dominated Japanese business system. College graduates can expect to spend the first couple of years of in a profession serving tea, coffee and rice crackers to the "boss".  

Services offered or implied.

     There are no legal brothels in Japan. As with most other countries, that is not to say they do not exist. Nor will we deny that some bars offer these services. If offered it is illegal. The mamasan or hostess of a bar is free to offer whatever services she wants legal or illegal and accepts the consequences.  

     Services are generally offered on a case-by-case basis dependent upon the relationship to each individual customer. The more important any given customer is to the bar the greater the services offered.  

     This is a true statement for all bars regardless of the type. All customers can expect basic friendly services for the price of a drink. However, you cannot expect to walk into a bar the first time and buy one drink and get treated as well as a 5 or 6 month long customer who buys a 10,000 yen bottle of liquor a month. The livelihood of the mamasan and the hostess is directly tied to profitability of the bar. The fact that big spenders get more attention is pure economics.

     A bar girl will never tell you in a bar if she's married. Many bar girls are married, but they will never admit it. Somewhere there is a code for bar girls written, and that is the first rule. A bar girl, or hostess, develops a clientele that is frequently made up of men who are pursuing her for personal reasons. Should she get fired or quit that client base usually follows. Despite the clearly understood fact that "bar talk" or "tatemae talk" is for the most part sweet talk and flattery, customers still pursue them because many of them are "not married." Telling the customer she's married doesn't make good business sense and is not financially a sound thing for her to do also it sends the signal that she is unavailable and they have wasted every drink they ever bought her.  

     Never bring a bottle of beer or booze into a bar. This is very rude and inconsiderate and you will look like a fool to everyone there. It's like going in and sitting down in a fine restaurant in your hometown carrying a bag of sandwiches and chips. Bars are in the business of selling drinks and the girl's services are usually included in the price of the drinks. Saying "I just want to talk to her" is like walking through a grocery store and eating off the shelves without paying.  

     Never refuse a drink from an Okinawan man. Even if you don't know the person it is not so much an insult as it is antisocial. When a local offers a drink he is stepping outside the social norm in front of his friends and if declined as such may lose face. Generally, there is no other intent other than to be friendly and make you feel welcome. The result of accepting could be a party and group of friends you won't soon forget.  

     Never use dollars in a bar that does not normally use them. Many of the GI-bars use dollars regularly, and a few have a decent exchange rate. Bars that use yen only will normally give you a very poor exchange rate.  

     Do not be offended if an Okinawan man tries to hold your hand in a bar. I know this is difficult for heterosexuals (strait men), especially Americans, because we tend to be overly homophobic (afraid of homosexuality). If an Okinawan holds your hand while talking to you in a bar this is an expression of friendship. It is fully accepted in this culture that men who are good friends may put hands on arms while drinking and having fun. It is very rude to overtly refuse to allow him to do so and it could cause an argument if he is really drunk. However most locals are tuned into our feelings about this and tend to respect our views. Now that said, if he tries to hold on to other parts of your body... it may be time to find another friend! 

     Never threaten anyone especially an Okinawan. The Okinawan's are a very proud people and will defend their pride regardless the relative size to their adversary. It is also wise to remember that Okinawa is well known for its roots in Karate, and as such, all Okinawan's have mandatory martial arts training in school. I have witnessed and heard of more than one service member getting his ass handed to him by small, meek-looking Okinawan. Naturally, if you strike someone you can expect to be arrested and thrown in jail. Also, the bar clan (regulars) are often very close friends and they will eagerly chase you down if you decide to run. Besides, Okinawa is a really easy-to-get-along place, and the Okinawans are some of the most peaceful people on the earth. You would do well to use your brain not your brawn. If you feel like fighting go to a karate dojo these are all over the island.  

Never by a keep your first time in any bar. Bars are here today gone tomorrow types of places and so are the hostesses. They open and unexpectedly close down at a very high rate and or change owners often. You don't want to buy a bottle somewhere just to come back the next week to find they have closed down so you should know a place pretty well before you buy a keep. A keep is a bottle of liquor you purchase with the intent of keeping it there in the bar for next time. The hostess will write your name on the label and place in on the shelf with all the other keeps. You should only do this in a place that you go to frequently. When you return the next time to have a couple of sniffers from your keep, many bars will charge you a set-up fee from between 500 yen - 1500 yen for the ice, water, and glasses every time you come to drink from it. Remember that you are actually paying for their services.

Wild Bar in Naha

It was called "Naha Music Factory" aka "The Stage" You walk in and there is a green felt ROTATING stage. Some chick comes out, does a little dance and strips. Then she gets a volunteer from the audience (If there are multiple volunteers - they roll a pair of velvet dice, remember - high class and the winner gets to go on stage) The guy goes on stage and they have sex.