Hidden Report Reveals Surge in Popularity of Men’s Show Clubs Amid Crackdown on Host Club-Like Venues

Men’s Club, Boys’ Bar, Macho Bar.
While they are almost identical in function to host clubs.

There has been a surge in crackdowns across the country on unlicensed establishments that provide customer service, often referred to as host club-like. Many of the men’s clubs and boys’ bars frequently heard about in Kabukicho engage in similar romantic sales tactics as host clubs.

“There are so many places that operate almost exactly like host clubs. Not only are there concept cafes, but also shisha bars and macho bars… they keep changing their methods and offerings. There’s been an increase in people coming out of curiosity, and it seems like those who lack the courage to enter a host club or minors who can’t go to host clubs are getting caught up in this scene.

Ten years ago, the area behind Kabukicho near Okubo Street was the host club district, but it has been expanding rapidly. The number of similar establishments has increased, and so has the population of hosts. Additionally, mergers among management groups have led to larger operational scales. Nowadays, it’s quite common for host clubs to open around Yasukuni Dori” (Naoya, a 34-year-old who works behind the scenes at a host club).

Amidst this, the “men’s show club” scene is quietly gaining popularity in Kabukicho. The men’s show club “A-MEN’S TOKYO” is located in an area near Yasukuni Dori in Kabukicho. The entrance leading to the basement features a photo of former KAT-TUN member Junno Taguchi.

Under the supervision of the producer of “63 Angels” (formerly of Burlesque Tokyo), patrons can enjoy shows featuring male cast members selected by Taguchi through auditions. It seems that Taguchi was also actively performing on stage when the club opened this August.