Image clubs
Japanese Image Clubs (imekura) are themed adult clubs where customers book a room and a performer for a roleplay session. In Tokyo, Osaka and other Japanese nightlife districts, themes can include nurses, schoolgirls, office workers, police interrogations and anime characters. A standard booking lasts about 40 to 120 minutes; penetration is usually not included, though some clubs offer it as an extra and others prohibit it.
Contents
What Happens at an Image Club?
You pay an admission or room fee, choose a performer from a photo board or lineup, then enter a private room built around a theme. Some venues have detailed sets: a classroom with desks, a mock train carriage with seats and handholds, a doctor's office, or a police interrogation room. Cheaper clubs may have little more than a room and a costume rack.
The performer starts the roleplay in character. You might be cast as the teacher, boss, patient or harassed commuter. Acting is part of the service, so knowing some Japanese can make a big difference; without it, much of the scenario can fall flat.
Typical services can include kissing, groping, handjobs, blowjobs and sumata (thigh sex). Some clubs offer 69, ball-licking, toys or a cum-on-face finish. The menu depends on the venue. Honban means penetrative sex; it may be an optional extra, and some clubs do not allow it at all. Check the exact menu and price before you book.
Sessions run on the clock. You get dressed and leave when the time is up, unless you pay for an extension. Some rooms have showers.
Tokyo, Osaka and Other City Scenes
Tokyo has the biggest range. Kabukichō in Shinjuku is the main nightlife hub, while Ikebukuro is known for anime, cosplay and schoolgirl themes. Clubs and related venues also appear in Ueno, Gotanda, Shibuya, Tachikawa and Sumida. Examples named in the draft include Chikan Densha and Orchid in Ikebukuro, Gotanda Uniform Heaven, Odaizuri Girl's School in Sumida, Tachikawa Office Harassment and Anihiro in Osaka.
In Osaka, look around Minami and Namba, with more venues around Tennoji. The scene is smaller than Tokyo's, but customers can find themed roleplay clubs and adult massage businesses.
Kyoto's Pontocho and Sapporo's Susukino have nightlife and hostess-style clubs, though those are not necessarily imekura. Roppongi, Ginza and Marunouchi in Tokyo are associated with higher-priced, more polished clubs and lounges.
Prices
The draft's Tokyo price ranges are about ¥10,000-15,000 for an entry-level 40- to 60-minute booking; ¥17,000-30,000 for 60 to 120 minutes, plus a possible ¥1,000-3,000 admission fee; and ¥34,000-46,000 or more for elaborate sets lasting 110 to 150 minutes.
Examples listed include ¥16,000-46,000 at a Tachikawa office-harassment club, ¥10,000-24,000 at an Ikebukuro housewife-themed club, and ¥12,000 for 40 minutes to ¥29,000 for 100 minutes at a Sumida schoolgirl club. Nomination, photos, take-home underwear and extensions cost extra; an extension may run about ¥7,000 per 30 minutes. A 60- to 90-minute session is listed at roughly ¥15,000-25,000.
A foreign visitor may have trouble booking without Japanese. Some clubs turn away customers who cannot speak it, and roleplay loses much of its appeal if you cannot follow the scene.
Image Clubs and Hostess Clubs Are Different
The draft also describes joshi kurabu-style clubs, where women entertain guests with conversation, games and photos. That is a different night out from an imekura roleplay booking: the main draw is attention and company, not a themed sexual service.
Local or chain clubs in areas such as Kabukichō, Pontocho and Susukino are listed at around ¥3,000-8,000 per hour, sometimes with drink tickets. Expect basic table service, limited photos and possible pressure to tip or buy drinks.
High-end clubs in Roppongi, Ginza and Marunouchi, or upscale districts in Osaka and Kyoto, are listed at ¥15,000-50,000 or more per hour before bottle service. They sell private rooms, premium drinks, more attentive service and status. Bottle charges and tips can push the bill much higher.
Before sitting down, ask about the cover charge, time limit, drinks, photos, tipping and bottle minimums. Some clubs charge by the hour; others build the bill around bottles.
Gay and Trans Adult Services
Image clubs are mainly marketed to straight men seeking female performers. Gay male and transgender services are generally advertised under different labels.
In Tokyo, Shinjuku Ni-chōme is known for gay bars, men's massage salons, gay health clubs, saunas and gay deriheru. Male providers may offer massage, handjobs or oral services; the menu varies by shop.
Newhalf health and newhalf deriheru venues serve men seeking newhalf, crossdresser or otokonoko companions. The draft names Tokyo Shemale Club, Club Diamond, Cuuute Tokyo and Hime.Love. It lists some sessions at ¥14,000 for 60 minutes, or ¥13,000 for an 80-minute two-girl rotation. Policies vary: some venues restrict customers by gender or by the provider's legal gender registration.
Shinjuku, Ōkubo, Ueno and Ikebukuro have related venues, as do parts of Osaka. These services are usually in separate shops from straight imekura clubs: customers are choosing a different scene and menu.
See Also
- Fashion health | Deriheru | Soapland | Sumata
- Gay escorts | Trans escorts | Ladyboy | Gay
