Manager Discusses How Crackdowns Have Shaped the Happening Bar Scene

Operating while being on edge

“I read the article about ‘Nocturne,’ and I think the owner is really fighting hard. If they are violating the law, then it’s understandable they’d be cracked down on. But the standards are not at all clear. It feels like it’s up to the discretion of those enforcing the law, and it seems like just an example being made. That’s why I want the court case to clarify this,” says X, a manager of a bar.

The “Nocturne” article he refers to is an interview with Tatsuya Isayama, the owner of the happening bar “Nocturne” in Tokyo’s Kinshicho, which was published by FRIDAY Digital on January 6. The bar was raided on October 2 of last year, and Isayama was arrested on charges of aiding public indecency, later being indicted. Police intervened when a man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s were engaging in sexual acts in the bar, and both, along with Isayama, were arrested on the spot.

In the first trial held at the Tokyo District Court on December 2, Isayama denied the charges and decided to contest the case in court. Typically, when bars are raided, a summary indictment and a fine are the usual result, so an indictment is rare. “I thought it would end with a summary indictment, so I was ready to accept that. But once I was indicted, I decided to contest anything I disagree with in court,” Isayama said in an interview with this magazine.

Isayama claims he did not witness the sexual acts as he was at the reception desk when the police entered, and argues that he did not assist in the public indecency. He is also strongly questioning what the standard for public indecency is.

“In June 2022, four people were arrested for public indecency after a 120-person orgy party at Lake Hamana, where the question of whether acts in a closed space with only ‘like-minded individuals’ could be considered public indecency became a point of contention. Similarly, at happening bars, only those who wish to join as members are allowed inside. Since the penal code does not specifically define what constitutes ‘public,’ there are strong doubts raised with every raid,” said a writer for an adult magazine.

Isayama also raised this point in the interview, questioning why a private gathering, such as being naked or engaging in sexual acts at a friend’s house, is not considered public indecency, but it is when it occurs at a happening bar.

His argument has sparked a strong reaction within the community. The earlier-mentioned X reveals more (the following quotes are from X):

“These days, most bars are making sure to check IDs properly when people join, banning people from undressing in the main area, and securing playrooms with strong locks to prevent anyone from entering, all to comply with the law and avoid being raided. Even with all of this, I think many owners are frustrated that they still have to operate while being on edge.”