Birth of Adult Entertainment the Origin Story of Happening Bars

Non-fiction writer Mizuho Takagi explores the origins of various genres of adult entertainment and the things associated with them in his work “The Birth of Reportage Sex Industry.” The first installment delves into the roots of the “Happening Bar.”

 

 

At the counter, there’s a woman engaging in lewd conversation with the bartender. On the sofa, a couple is cuddling. Nearby, men are looking enviously with grins on their faces. They each pay a fee of 20,000 yen for single men and 10,000 yen for couples (single women are free).

The scrutiny on “Happening Bars” has been getting stricter year by year. As widely known, Happening Bars are illegal establishments. On the surface, they appear to be ordinary pubs, and there’s no issue with visiting them. However, the legality is questioned when groups of men and women gather, and if they expose their genitals or engage in sexual intercourse inside the establishment, they could be charged with public indecency, especially if such activities become the main attraction of the establishment.

In recent years, the owner and employees of “Sleeping Beauty” in Shibuya, which touted itself as “Japan’s largest” and had a history of about 15 years, were arrested in May 2022 for public indecency. In October 2023, the owner and employees of “Bar Eden 925” in Okubo were also arrested on the same charges.

“925,” which opened in December 2020, was reported to have changed ownership and was actually a related establishment to “Nemurenai Mori no Bijo,” which was previously busted. According to insiders, the business has been operating under the same name for over 15 years. Both “Sleeping Beauty” and “925” were known in the industry as extremely famous establishments, with a long history.