Japan There are a few types of hostess club-type establishments in Japan with the majority falling into one of two categories: , a
portmanteau of , or the more exclusive .
Kyabakura hostesses are known as (
cabaret girl), and many use professional names, called . They light cigarettes, provide beverages, offer flirtatious conversation, and sing
karaoke. The clubs also often employ a female bartender usually well-trained in
mixology, and who may also be the manager or
mamasan. Hostesses often drink with customers each night, and alcohol-related behavior problems are fairly common. Most bars use a commission system by which hostesses receive a percentage of sales. Businesses may pay for tabs as company expenses to promote trust among male co-workers or clients. At one establishment, about 90% of all tabs were reportedly paid for by companies. Patrons are generally greeted at the door and seated as far away from other customers as possible. In some instances, a customer can choose with whom he spends time, but most often that is decided by the house. In either case, the hostess will leave after a set amount of time or a set number of drinks. Hostess clubs have a "no touching" policy, and patrons who try to initiate private or sexual conversation are removed. A
red-light district version of the host/hostess club exists, called
seku-kyabakura or
ichya-kyabakura, where patrons are permitted to touch their host/hostess above the waist and engage in sexual conversation topics or kissing. Normal hostess clubs are classified as food and entertainment establishments and regulated by the
Businesses Affecting Public Morals Regulation Act, prohibiting any form of sexual contact between employees and customers. Hostess clubs also need a permit to allow dancing. Clubs are inspected often by the Public Safety Commission. Any club found to be violating its permitted activities may have its business license suspended. Hostessing is a popular employment option among young foreign women in Japan. Most visa types do not allow this type of work, as hostessing falls under the category of , so many choose to work illegally. The clubs sometimes take advantage of the women's precarious legal situation. The industry and its dangers were highlighted in 1992 when Carita Ridgway, an Australian hostess, was drugged and killed after a paid date, and in 2000 when Lucie Blackman, a British hostess, was abducted, raped and murdered, allegedly by the same customer, serial killer
Joji Obara. The government promised to crack down on illegal employment of foreigners in hostess bars, but an undercover operation in 2006 found that several hostess bars were willing to employ a foreign woman illegally. In December 2009, the
Kyabakura Union was formed to represent hostess bar workers.
Snack bars , Japan A , "snack" for short, refers to a kind of hostess bar. It is an alcohol-serving bar that employs female staff to serve and flirt with male customers. Although they do not charge an entry fee (and often have no set prices on their menus), they usually charge either an arbitrary fee or a set hourly fee plus a "bottle charge", by which customers purchase a bottle in their own name, which is kept for future visits.
Venues outside Japan Hostess bars are also found in other East Asian countries, as well as in Hawaii, Guam, California, and British Columbia. In Hawaii, approximately half of Oahu's 300 bars are licensed as hostess bars. ==Host clubs==