Cruising around Shinjuku the other week I headed back into Kabukicho, the somewhat seedier area of Shinjuku. This particular area consists of host & hostess bars where insane amounts of money is spent on alcohol served by to you by people like Aki.
(This is my entry.)
Unfortunately I didn't think to turn around and give you a perspective on how big Aki's billboard is, but I can tell you it's 2 stories tall. Here is a side view of it.
I don't know who Aki is, but for a billboard that large he must be very popular with the ladies who pay to be entertained by him. He seems to be part of the Since You Group, but I don't see him on their site http://sinceyougroup.jp/
These clubs are really interesting because we have nothing like them in the US. I've seen quite a few documentaries on both host & hostess clubs and they are brutal to say the least. The amount of alcohol consumed & money spent each night is mind boggling. Many hosts & hostesses have to retire after only a few years because of liver damage or stress. The ones who do make it though become fabulously wealthy, like Roland, a host originally from my city Hachioji.
Anyway, Tokyo is a city full of wonders waiting to be explored. Hopefully you can make it someday. If you can't, well I will bring to you some of the places I explore as often as possible.
