In western countries, we often have BDSM or swinging clubs, yet those who love BDSM in Japan will find their fantasies fulfilled at a “happening bar” — cute isn’t it? So, what is really happening at a “happening bar”, or a BDSM bar, in Japan? Everything from nudity and cosplay, to swinging, BDSM, and sex… Japan’s BDSM clubs are designed for singles to explore casual sex, or couples to have threesomes or more-somes, or simply explore any kinky desire on their mind!

Finding a BDSM Club in Japan

My first experience was with a BDSM club in Osaka, Japan, though there are a TON of BDSM clubs in Tokyo, too. There are some BDSM bars in Osaka, but to visit most of them, you need to register for membership — there aren’t as many you can just walk in to.

The one that I went to also requires membership, which you can apply for. Though I have a friend who has a membership already, so my friend and I were able to walk in and pay with no questions asked. While we aren’t a couple, it was a cheaper cover charge for us to say that we were a couple rather than two singles.

What “Happened” When I Visited a Japanese Happening Bar

The atmosphere in the bar was quite dark and there was a fitting room with a lot of cosplay costumes that you’re welcome to wear for the night. You can choose to change, or wear your own clothes. Many folks opt for lingerie or fetish wear — you can wear whatever you are most comfortable with, including if it’s nothing at all!

When I went to the bar and wanted to order a drink, I was shocked that they actually don’t serve alcohol after midnight. Yet, that didn’t prevent us from having an amazing time. We walked through the bar to an open area where people were handing out and talking to each other at different tables. It’s like a normal bar, albeit erotically-infused, and we were surprised to find that about 95% of the customers there were men. I only saw three girls at the bar, which included me and my friend.

I talked to another girl at the bar, and found that she started hanging out there about one month earlier, and loved the vibe so much that she is now a regular customer. So actually goes every Friday, just to have some playful fun. She was wearing a maid cosplay costume, and she looked really cute. All the men couldn’t stop staring at us, though very respectful — and she noted that that’s part of the reason she loves it so much here. She becomes the center of their world!

Sex in Japan’s BDSM Bar

I felt a little shy at first, but since I’m a researcher I had to find out how sex happened there. After chatting with some of the regulars, they told me there are two private rooms in the back. If no one is inside, you are allowed to enter and have sex with whomever you’d like! However, you must be in cosplay in order to enter the room — a fun twist, and makes sense why they happily provide cosplay outfits at the door.

If you choose to play in a private room, they will also give you a timer set to 60 minutes, so when the timer rings, you know your playtime is over (for now). I wanted to check out the rooms for myself, so I waited until someone came out, got my cosplay on, and took a peek in the room before getting my timer. Though I quickly realized, that we’d have to wait a bit for the staff to change the sheets before we could fully explore. After all, the last couple definitely utilized every bit of that room, and cleanliness is key at any sex club.

I wondered though, would this Osaka sex club really be fabulous for threesomes? There were two single beds lying close to each side of the wall… certainly not big enough for three people. The decor was also quite strange (with a version of Miss Havinsham’s wedding in the room) which was a bit of a turn-off for me, though certainly didn’t deter other folks.

Will you Japan’s BDSM Clubs?

Personally, I didn’t stay for the whole hour — after all, we were there to explore rather than make an entire evening of it. My friends and I explored a little bit of foreplay to indulge in the experience, chatted with some regulars, and then whisked ourselves off to explore the rest of town. I’m sure that every BDSM club in Japan is different, and the Toyko BDSM clubs are rumored to be so much better, so I’m eager to explore them in the future. While I wouldn’t go to another BDSM club in Osaka, mostly because the drinking regulations after midnight. If you’re a BDSM beginner, it may not be the best place to start exploring, though for me, it was still a very interesting experience and one you may be includes to check out for yourself, should you ever be in Japan!