Did you know?

There are two basic reasons for the existence of these Sakariba. First, since housing is intensely crowded for most families, daddy likes to unwind and entertain his buddies and associates outside the home. Secondly, and just as important, is the system whereby most companies can write "entertainment expenses" off on their taxes. And annually, the total amount spent by companies for entertainment roughly equals the amount spent for all levels of education in Japan. That's a lot of whiskey and ice cubes. So all of these places comprise one of Japan's major industries.

Let's examine some of the kinds of places you might encounter. First of all, the majority of places to go to don't overtly mention ideas of the prurient nature. These places are in three general categories:

Nightclubs

the grandfather of nightspots. Nightclubs, as well as being the most expensive places to go, regularly feature popular name singers and musicians. Of course, the hostesses are young and talented in the art of flattering, making conversation, and psychological counseling of sorts. Some of them speak another language besides Japanese, usually English. Customers are not allowed to touch the hostesses freely. Just to enter this king of place will set you back about 10,000 yen or more.

Bars

a minor version of the Nightclub. Usually smaller, bars are less expensive. With a homier atmosphere, bars seem to attract regular customers. Instead of live entertainment, karaoke is featured, allowing the customers to sing their favorite songs along with a tape of an orchestra minus the singer. A visit to one of these places will run from 8,000 to 15,000 yen.

Snacks

come in all shapes and sizes, but as a rule there is no hostess service. Patrons are seated at the bar, and can chat with the woman behind the counter. Many of these places feature karaoke. For the uninitiated, snacks are a safer bet because there aren't really any hidden charges.

Then there are other, somewhat raunchier, kinds of drinking places. A sexual mood is highlighted, and don't be surprised at the abundance of the color pink in the decor!

Cabaret

generally feature a live show with women dancing and carrying on in various stages of undress. "Touching" is often allowed, and occasionally encouraged. Few of the ladies speak anything except Japanese. Ruinously expensive, cabarets should only be entered in fits of insane depravity by millionaires.

Salons

a short of little brother to cabarets, salons are, in a word, sleazy. Usually these places charge by the hour, and while not as expensive as cabarets, they often come close. the average is about 8,000 yen per hour, but your bill can run much more if you are not careful. Purely for amusement, salons often have a particular theme, with all of the hostesses dressed up for example, in nurse uniform, schoolgirl dresses, or stewardess outfits.