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24 May 2001

tokyo: where the boys are (part 2)

Bars, boys and baths. There's never a dull moment in gay Tokyo if you know where to look. Part 2 of 2.

The Bar Scene
As mentioned earlier, there are over 300 PLUS bars in Tokyo, and over 1,000 nationwide. (Of these, a few are for women only.) In Tokyo, these bars are concentrated in the PLUS district, Shinjuku 2-chome. Of course, there are PLUS bars all over the city, but for the tourist it may be most convenient to head straight out to Shinjuku.

Readers should note that while there are many bars, the average size of each bar is quite small compared to what is available in Singapore or other cities. One of my favorites is Arty Farty. This bar has an American Southwest interior, and, for Tokyo, is considered quite large. Another is Kusuo, which is where the so-called "sports men," those with crew cuts, meet.

Two "gaijin" bars, places where Japanese go to meet foreigners, are GB and Fuji. These two places are packed to capacity on Saturday nights with Western clientele and their Japanese admirers. Westerners can be seen at other places as well. Many Asians who speak no Japanese are also known to visit these two bars. Some Western friends of mine have remarked GB was an easy place for them to meet some really cool young Japanese men. One American told me that it was "a meat market."

Then, of course, there are the PLUS bookstores. Two really good ones are Lumiere (81-3-3352-3378) and Books Rose. Both are on Naka-dori, the main street of the 2-chome PLUS district. The latter even sells books online and ships worldwide. Naturally, on Saturday nights both are packed and on occasion there is some light cruising at both places. Both also sell a variety of adult toys and other goodies.

Any Which Way You Can
So far I have covered the bars, baths, and bookshops. But Tokyo has many other venues to meet men.

There are, of course, so many PLUS video clubs available. These are places where men can rent PLUS videos and view them in private small rooms. Usually these rooms have holes in the walls through which guys can communicate to other guys. For example, you can pass notes or even stick your dick in for service. The rooms usually come equipped with tissues and notepaper. Note, however, that men who go to the video rooms tend to be more shy (or else they would go straight to the sex clubs) resulting in it taking more time to hook up. So if a "quickie" is what you are after, better to head for the sex clubs.

For those that speak Japanese, there are the PLUS telephone services. There are so many that I will not list them, but it is not difficult to meet a guy for a date or even ONS by simply picking up the phone and recording your message. Readers should be careful, however, since many of the guys that leave messages are money boys, usually college students making some fast yen by being fast men.


For those that don't want to bother with the phones, and who don't know Japanese, you can always rent a hunk at one of the many "host" clubs. But be careful, because these places can be very expensive, with two hours of "play time" costing as much as JPY30,000. The good thing is that you can make it with some really beautiful men quickly.

All the activities I covered in this article can be found in all the main cities in Japan. PLUS tourists are bound to have a great time, and, if you plan in advance, can even stay very cheaply. There is an abundance of fast food of all types and varieties, so even eating can be done at a minimal cost. Also, Tokyo has perhaps the most efficient and extensive mass transportation system of any city in the world, making getting around extremely easy, with no needs for taking taxis (except after 12:00 a.m. when the trains and busses stop running). So no matter what your budget, visitors are sure to enjoy their stay in Japan.

Here is a list of some places that I think will be of interest to readers. When only a telephone number is given, readers can call for directions. Note that 81, the country code for Japan, and 3, the city code for Tokyo, are both not needed when dialing within the city.

Sex Clubs 24 Kaikan: Known for meeting "golden oldies." There are two branches, one in Asakusa, the other at Ueno.
Tel: Ueno branch (81-3)3847-2424
Asakusa branch (81-3)3841-7806

Jin-ya: Mixed crowd, catering mainly to middle-aged men. Located near the Ikebukuro shopping district.
Tel: (81-3) 5951-0995

Babylon Tokyo: Boasts 3 large floors.
Address: Sendagaya Bldg Floors 3-5, 5-30-9 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku
Tel: (81-3)3359-7619

Manji: Supposedly caters to a younger crowd. However, some Fridae users have reported that the place is somewhat small and not well maintained. Japanese only, as even Asians who do not look sufficiently Japanese will be refused entry.
Address: 5F frontier Bldg, 7-7-1 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa-ku
Tel: (81-3)3492-1472

Treffpunkt Akasaka: Located not far from the main hotels.
Address: Maeda Bldg 4F Akasaka 5-4-17, Minato-ku
Tel: (81-3)5563-0523

Tokyo Men's Club

Paragon: My favorite. Readers note that this place is restricted to those over 38 y.o.
Address: Riri mansion 2-17-4 Shinjuku
Tel: (81-3)3353-3306

Ciao: Boasts great action. Exit A3 at Akebonobashi Station of the Toei Shinjuku line.
Tel: (81-3)3353-0618

Video Clubs

Big One
Address: B1F Dai Takahsahi Bldg, 1-13-4-Nishi Shinbashi, Minato-Ku
Tel: (81-3)3506-7773

Gate In

Target

SM D. Prison

Host Bars

King of College: Openly welcomes non-Japanese speaking clientle.
Address: 2F Sakagami Bldg 2-14-5 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Tel: (81-3)3352-3930

Bars

(All bars listed are in the Shinjuku 2-chome area.)

Club Zip: Popular with the young and trendy.
Address: Futami Bldg 1F, 2-14-11 Shinjuku
Tel: (81-3)3356-5029

Kusuo: Popular with "sports men" and their admirers. Located near Paragon.
Tel: (81-3)3354-5050

Arty Farty: Mixed crowd, mainly in their 20s.
Tel: (81-3)3356-5388

GB: Popular with Westerners and PQs (potato queens). Frequented by visiting Asians as well.
Tel: (81-3)3352-8972

Fuji: Popular with Westerners and PQs (potato queens).
Tel: (81-3)3354-2707


Hidesato Sakakibara's other articles on Asian PLUS topics, including Japan, can be viewed at the OGUSA. If you have any opinions you would like to express or questions, please contact the author at hsakakibara1@hotmail.com and be sure to mention the article you read.

The author is, by mentioning businesses, products or links, not in any way involved with or promoting these services or products, and is in no way liable for any losses or misfortunes that may befall those readers who may use these links. Also all readers are strongly cautioned to promote the well being of themselves and those around them by at all times practicing safe sex. All information contained in this posting has been researched, but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The author is not responsible for any errors or omissions.

Japan

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