Girls gone wild

Following this week’s bust of club B in Yokohama for employing female staff in revealing clothing, entertainment site Zakzak (Apr. 22) postulates that such extreme protocol is due to growing competition in the adult entertainment industry.

Hidetoshi Kawada, 38, of no fixed address, was cited by Kanagawa Prefecture police on April 20 for employing ladies positioned behind a counter who were attired in loose-fitting men’s shirts (no bra underneath), high-cut shorts, and pantyhose — a violation of the Law Regulating Adult Entertainment Businesses given the club’s licensing as an eating and drinking venue and not a locale of adult entertainment.

“Girls are seen wearing men’s shirts hanging down to their underwear,” explains one local fuzoku expert to Zakzak regarding B. “Some have bare legs and no bras. At the bottom of the menu it says that if a customer orders a lot of booze, it is possible to go with a lady to an affiliated second-floor club for karaoke.”

B is termed a “girl’s bar,” a recent adult entertainment development whereby ladies serve patrons from behind a counter in a manner similar to a typical bar — a means for clubs offering adult entertainment to maneuver around increasingly strict enforcement of statutes within the nationwide law, such as the requirement that all such establishments to shut their doors at 1 a.m.

Within a three-floor building in the nightlife quarter of Isezakicho in Yokohama, club B is in the middle of Yokohama’s largest entertainment area, surrounded by various “fashion health” clubs (blow-job joints) and love hotels. Zakzak adds that numerous foreign prostitutes can also be seen walking the streets.

The low entrance fees and ability to circumvent the adult law are two reasons for the recent boom in girl’s bars, says Zakzak. But the news site believes that the B bust is Yokohama’s first step in revealing their true nature, which for all intents and purposes is that of a kyabukura business — the basis for the aforementioned arrest.

“In Tokyo, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro and Shimokitazawa, a battle is taking place,” says one person with knowledge of the matter. “Services are gradually becoming more radical. Behind counters you will find girls whose underpants are viewable behind glass. As well, the their feet will be illuminated by special lights, and they might also offer customers fake kisses.”

And the trend towards extreme services is accelerating, Zakzak maintains, adding that advertising on Web sites for girl’s bars feature ladies in gym and cheerleader uniforms and sailor suits. (A.T.)

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