Kabukicho’s “Fat” Costumers includes Doctors & Manga Artist Spending Millions of Yen a Month

Even though the world is in a recession, “big customers” are spending large sums of money at Kabukicho’s host clubs today. According to the National Tax Agency’s “Survey of Private Sector Salaries,” the average annual income of women is 3.02 million yen. Yet, these “big customers” are spending hundreds of thousands of yen or more every month at host clubs without a care in the world. What kind of jobs are these women doing?

They are working part-time jobs to go to the host clubs. I hardly have any days off.

Emi (pseudonym, 27) is a doctor. In addition to her regular hospital work, she also has a high-paying spot part-time job.

She says, “The night shift pays well, so I work late at night at the hospital where I usually work. For small part-time work, I go to hospitals that are short-staffed or give corona vaccines at large venues. If it’s a good part-time job, I sometimes earn more than 10,000 yen per hour. I am able to work this way now because I am in my 20s and have a lot of energy, but I think it will be tough if I don’t become a medical practitioner when I get older.”

Emi’s average monthly expense at the host club is around 400,000 yen. That’s a lot of money.

I want to meet people I like. That motivation makes me work hard. Thanks to that, this year I made the highest annual income ever. I realize how important it is to have a purpose for earning money.

Many of the biggest customers are doctors like Emi, but it is the cosmetic surgeons who are the richest. Nayuka (pseudonym, 32), a popular cosmetic surgeon, tells us.

“The more you do well, the more you get paid,” said Nayuka (pseudonym, 32), a popular cosmetic surgeon. It’s not so different from being a host in terms of how to get customers (laughs).

She says she goes to host clubs as a way to take a break from her days full of work, but she spends her money in a very lavish way.

She says she goes to host clubs as a way to relax during her working days, but she spends her money in a lavish way. “The bill for each visit is several hundred thousand yen. But I don’t go very often. When I am doing my job, I find that I can save up money on my own. I feel like having the opportunity to spend it gives me recognition for my hard work.”

Is it true that only doctors can be a lucrative customers? While working as a salaryman for a major company, Lisa (pseudonym, 35) goes to a host club every month, dropping more than 3 figures a month at the most.

She says, “It’s hard work. On top of that, I have a side job. I spend a lot when I get a bonus, but I usually pay 500,000 to 800,000 yen (laughs). I studied hard for entrance exams, got into college, and worked without slacking off after joining a major company, so I can handle that kind of money.”

There are a surprisingly large number of these lavish types, and there are fat customers in a variety of industries, such as consulting and venture businesses. There are also a healthy number of executives, manga artists, and writers.

In addition to these, influencers such as You Tubers and Instagrammers have recently been gaining ground. What these women have in common is that they are proud of their talent, but they are not proud of it and have continued to work hard.

Whether it is a day job or a night job, earning a large sum of money is no half-hearted endeavor. Considering the motivation to work, the existence of host clubs may in a sense be playing a role in the advancement of women in society.

Sasaki Chihuahua
Born in Tokyo in 2000. After attending an integrated school in Tokyo from elementary school to high school, she went on to Keio University. 15 years old, she has been going to Kabukicho and has a wide range of personal connections. At university, he is studying the sociology of downtown areas including Kabukicho. “Kabukicho Moratorium” (KADOKAWA) is now on sale.

From the January 6 and 13, 2023 issues of FRIDAY