A recent 유흥 알바 article in The New York Times described a Japanese occupation called escort, in which men are entertained in an establishment in which customers pay handsomely for a young woman to flirt with them and to drink alcohol (a service which does not usually include prostitution). Japan is also filled with hostess clubs — places where women go to get flirted on and treated like kings by beautiful men.
These rich men who enter host clubs are smart, generous, and above all, extremely lonely. The hostess clubs are there for businessmen to entertain their employees or clients, a situation in which they do not have to do all the talking, and in which they are surrounded by beautiful women who light their cigarettes and fill their drinks. In an era when women everywhere are getting stronger and running the show, a hostess club is where a man can still feel like a man (without sex, of course).
While it is now illegal for foreigners to work in the hostess club in Japan, unless they are Japanese citizens or hold a spouse visa, plenty of women are still finding jobs in the occupation, which is seen, by some, as the modern-day incarnation of the geisha. The work, according to one article, is increasingly seen as glamorous and desirable, as Japans grim economic situation offers young women few opportunities, much less with the relatively high wages hostess jobs can command.
While many of Kyabakuras hosts see hosting as a profession, paying better than the vast array of other jobs that are open to people without a lot of education or special skills, there are university students working part-time at Kyabakuras to make spending money or to help cover their tuition. Kyabakura hosts may be considered a modern-day equivalent to geishas, providing entertainment for groups of wage workers after work. Typically, kyabakura hosts do not have sexual relations with their customers, and men are forbidden to touch womens breasts or other body parts, but recently, a growing number of venues appear to permit it.
While hostess bars in Tokyo usually have designated men outside the venue begging customers to enter their clubs, it is common for some hosts to go outside the venue looking for customers, which are called catching (kiyatsuchi, kyatchi), but they are often younger, less experienced hosts. Yuki says some of the customers are also people working in the restaurants and clubs in the neighborhood the hosts are patronizing (it is very common for people in Japan to reciprocally patronize each others businesses).
I found this somewhat fascinating, as I am looking for part-time jobs in which the job is talking or engaging with customers. That is, it would be hard to get a flat or full-time work if people were staying at internet cafes, e.g. Working nights has significant effects on ones lifestyle, so companies may have trouble recruiting employees.
Working nights could be an excellent short-term solution as you earn qualifications for moving on to other places, while, if the shifts are more relaxed, you can also do plenty of studying at the work. Working nights frees up the time that you might have spent on those labor-intensive meetings, allowing you to focus more on your work and less on daydreaming outside your window. The night shift has less interruptions by micromanaging bosses or challenging coworkers, meaning that you can relax, concentrate, and focus on your work.
Once you are comfortable with the schedule, you can build in time for things besides work. If your hours allow for this, and if your work is not overly challenging, and if you have the energy to stay focused, it is perfectly feasible to do another side job throughout the day, be it a side gig or more serious role.
Specifically, workers who take on a late-night shift must navigate the pros and cons of working odd hours, all the while trying to maintain their work-life balance; after all, a drastic change of schedule could work in either direction. As with any job, be it teaching, janitorial, or housekeeping, your experience may be affected by your attitudes, coworkers, and your workplace.
This is particularly true in Japan, where men are often overworked, leaving them few opportunities for organic encounters with women who are their bosses. Many mommy clubs attempt to attract single mothers by offering comparably higher hourly wages, accommodation, and childcare.
Hosts and hostess clubs are considered to be a part of the Mizu Shobai (literally, the Water Trade), the business of evening entertainment in Japan. These businesses are known collectively as water trade in Japan, reflecting the temporary, haphazard nature of work done as hostess.
There are a number of Japanese works of fiction, such as television dramas, novels, video games, manga (and anime adaptations), that revolve around hostsesses or hosting clubs, such as the 9 Club, Bloodhound, and the lighter-hearted Ouran High School Host Club. Many Japanese fictional works showcase the acceptance of the Kyabakura Hosts into general society. As the hostess (and the only foreigner) in a club very well-respected at Kitashinchi, the hottest Osaka Hostess Club of Umeda, I was lucky enough to get to know a lot of interesting people through my job.
That was 9 years ago, and over that time, Amy has seen every aspect of the occupation as it is seen, and also seen lots of money, the money being the reason she, and a lot of others, keep working there. After spending a winter season working in the Japanese Alps, Amy arrived in the big city with very little disposable income, and after jokes with relatives about how she ought to give this profession that is seen a shot, soon found herself with Y=10,000 in her pocket from the first nights work.