Tokyo Girls

“We are buying and selling dreams” says one of the highly paid hostesses of the mizu shobai--the “floating water world” of Tokyo bars and nightclubs--where a night of flattery can yield several thousand dollars. Lured by fast money, the ceaseless flow of alcohol, and the promise of a lavish lifestyle, these “economy geishas” are rapidly replacing the traditional Japanese cultural institution of geisha: i.e., women trained in the traditional Japanese entertainment arts. Prized mainly for their Caucasian features--the blonder and taller, the better--these young hostesses are hired to flatter yakuza underworld crime bosses; relieve the stress of harried domestic politicians; or provide that potent mix of business and pleasure, an essential ingredient in sealing Japanese business deals. Socializing may include anything from peeling grapes and lighting cigars to discussing (but not physically sharing) themselves. Shot in Canada, Osaka and Tokyo, Tokyo Girls examines these cultural changes in the Japanese urban landscape through the eyes of four current and former North American hostesses, including a young student hoping to pay off her education loans, and an ex-hostess who recalls her surreal and dangerous days as the object of a yakuza mafioso's affection. Also included are interviews with a Japanese advertising executive who regularly uses the hostess service; a former client now married to an ex-hostess; a cultural anthropologist; and a current hostess manager. Recommended for courses in women's studies, cultural anthropology, and Japanese studies, where it should provoke some animated discussion. Aud: C, P. (A. Cantú)