The most nerve-racking part of a first visit is not knowing what to do, or in what order. Before you even get to prices or choosing a shop, the process itself is invisible.
This article covers only the process. One caveat up front, though: only a handful of shops officially publish their steps from booking to paying. Of the 89 shops we list, few have a page that explains the whole process. What follows is the general flow, based on what shops have published.
The process depends on the type of shop
At an urisen bar (boys' bar), it's basically like any bar: you just go. Private-room / outcall shops require a booking, and you need to arrange a meeting point or a room. This article mainly covers private-room / outcall. The difference between the types is explained in What is urisen?
Step 1: Choose the shop and the boy
You'll usually be asked who you want to request when you book. Some shops don't accept changes once a booking is confirmed, so it's safer to decide before you get in touch.
What saves trouble later, at the shop-choosing stage, is whether prices are published. Of the 89 shops we list, 86publish amounts. With a shop that doesn't, ask at this stage and pin down the price before going further. The points to check are in 7 things to check to avoid price trouble.
Step 2: Make the booking
Each shop takes bookings differently
This is the first place people stumble. Some shops list a phone number but don't take bookings by phone. They only accept bookings through a form or LINE, and use the phone for enquiries only. To avoid being turned away after calling, check how the shop takes bookings on its official site.
Source: 売り専ヒーローズ東京 FAQ ↗What you tell the shop when booking
Looking at the fields on published booking forms, they roughly ask for the following.
- Who you want to request
- The date and start time you want
- The length of the course
- Where (the shop's private room, or an outcall to your home or hotel)
- Your contact details and how you prefer to be contacted
Some forms ask for your name, address and phone number. For an outcall they need to know where to go, so this is unavoidable in this type of business.
Source: 新宿エンブレイス booking form ↗Sending the booking doesn't confirm it
Just sending the form doesn't confirm anything. The usual process is that the shop checks the boy's schedule, sends you a confirmation if he's available, and the booking is confirmed once you reply. If you miss that reply, the booking may never have gone through, so keep an eye on your notifications after sending.
Source: 売り専ヒーローズ東京 booking and request process ↗Step 3: On the day, meet up
With private-room / outcall shops you don't go to a shop; you meet at the place you've been given. When you arrive, you either contact the shop or wait to hear from the boy.
If you're using a hotel, he may not be able to get up to your room if the lift needs a key card. In that case you meet in front of the hotel. It goes more smoothly if you let them know in advance.
Few shops say officially what to have ready, but there are examples of shops asking you to provide towels for an outcall. If you're having someone come to your home, check beforehand so you're not scrambling on the day.
Source: 売り専ヒーローズ東京 FAQ ↗Step 4: Pay
Payment up front is the norm. At the shops that publish their process, you settle after entering the room and before the service starts. If you pay by card, some shops have you pay in advance by a set date after booking.
Two things to watch. One is that some shops have extensions paid in cash on the spot. Even if you plan to pay by card, you may need cash for an extension.
The other is that not many shops take cards. Of the shops we list, 47 state that they accept credit cards. If you want to use a card, you can narrow it down with search by conditions.
Step 5: Decide whether to extend
Before your time is up, you may be asked whether you want to extend. If you don't know the price at that point, the bill will end up different from what you expected.
Extensions are usually in 30-minute units, and in our survey they cost ¥3,000–¥6,000 per 30 minutes. You can check each shop's actual amounts in our price comparison.
If you need to cancel
Many shops have a cancellation policy. Conditions such as 100% for a same-day cancellation do exist, so this is something to check before you book.
The same shop can say different things in different places
Among the shops we surveyed, there was a case where the price list page and the FAQ page gave different cancellation conditions. One said “free up to 2 days before, 50% the day before, 100% on the day”; the other gave different conditions.
There's no way to tell from the outside which one applies. When you book, ask directly about the cancellation conditions and keep the answer in writing. When we find a discrepancy like this, we show both versions on the shop's page.
If you can't make it, get in touch as early as you can. Some shops charge 100% for a no-show.
If you're nervous about a first time
If going straight to one-on-one feels like too much, one option is to start at an urisen bar. You talk across the counter, so if it's not for you, you can leave. Some shops also offer to come and collect first-time customers from a meeting point.
There are only 3 urisen bars among the shops we list, but they are in the urisen bar ranking, with the basis for each score.
Frequently asked questions
Q.Can I book by phone?
It depends on the shop. Some list a phone number but don't take bookings by phone, and only accept them through a booking form or LINE. Before you call, check on the official site how the shop takes bookings.
Q.Can I book for the same day?
Some shops take same-day enquiries, but it depends on the schedule of the boy you want to request. There's no guarantee you'll get what you want on the day, so if you want to choose who you see, it's safer to get in touch early.
Q.Can I change who I'm seeing after I've booked?
Some shops don't accept changes once a booking is confirmed. Assume you need to decide who you want before you book.
Q.When do I pay?
Payment up front is the norm. A common pattern is to settle after entering the room and before the service starts. At some shops, paying by card means paying in advance. There are also shops where any extension is paid in cash on the spot.
Q.Do I need ID?
Nobody under 18 may use these services. You may be asked to confirm your age, so it's safer to bring ID.
Q.Does it cost money to cancel?
Many shops have a cancellation policy. Conditions such as 100% for a same-day cancellation do exist. Check the conditions before you book, and if you can't make it, get in touch as early as you can.
What to do before the day
- Check the course fee, extension fee, travel fee, room fee and cancellation fee, and keep a record
- Check that you've received confirmation of the booking
- Check how you'll pay (cash or card, and how you'll pay for any extension)
- Bring ID
- Note down the meeting point and how to get in touch
Once these five are done, there's very little left to decide on the day itself.
The steps in this article are based on what shops that publish their booking process have written. The process differs from shop to shop, so always check each shop's official guidance before using it. This site only publishes information that shops make public; we don't run first-hand experience pieces or reviews.