Apartment Clubs in Japan

I took a week off work at the end of February and went to Japan with "the three best friends that anyone ever had..." So bare with me as I have lots to tell!

There are so many aspects of Japan that I love: the fashion, the polite and follow-by-the-rules culture, but the dirtier, sexier trends happening behind the scenes. They are so peaceful but complex and honor, respect, and regard each other (and their ancestors). On this trip, I was able to revisit places that left an impression on me from my last visit in 2008... but also experienced new parts of the country that surprised and inspired me.

Thanks to the fabulous men who joined us on the recent Japanese adventure, I learned about a very new and interesting way that the Japanese are letting off steam at the end of a long workday. I had always known that Japanese men tended to work hard, work late, socialize less with women, and instead drink themselves into stupors (which was only confirmed when we noticed a young man running himself into a wall, his attire a crumbled business suit, at midnight in a dark alley). But after meeting a nice American man who had lived in Japan for a couple years (we met him at a kareoke bar), he showed us something quite intersting...

Down dark alleys and up the stairs in what seemed like an apartment building was a club! And quite possibly the most interesting club I had ever been to...

Imagine your living room, with a couple couches and overstuff chairs, neon signs and bright balloons on your walls, with an older gentleman in a business suit as the DJ. There's a man in a bedazzled vest to greet you and expensive drinks behind a bar served to you in small glass bottles with Disney characters. I think I broke about 3 of those tiny glasses. There's a drag queen dancing in the middle of the room, and men, sleeping, in every corner...

(Notice the Hello Kitty in the background...) These men sneak here after work to drink, to play, to dance, to pass out, and have a nice slumber before heading back to work the next day. Where do they shower or keep a change of clothes? My friend Will explained this usually happens when they become so inebriated that they miss the last train home. It's normal and expected to find a nice lounging place and sleep until the sun rises. There was a group of young men in one corner, sleeping on a table, and in my tipsy (or smashed) state of mind I barely remember patting him on the head and wishing him wonderful dreams.

Why don't we have these wonderful apartment clubs in Chicago? Could I start one?

And then there was another in Osaka, in fact - my Lady Gaga had actually performed here as a surprise after her concert in the city. I was too under the weather and stayed in on this evening when my friends ventured into this rainbow colored, disco ball and Lady Gaga lipstick wonderland. Just looking around would be enough to give you a seizure...

I mean, if this was in my apartment... I would never leave!!! :)