Roppongi is a place that is, in many ways, a synecdoche of Tokyo. In this one area, you can find areas that are extremely high class and have nothing but the shine of wealth and beauty – your humble author went to a dentist in Midtown that looks more like the deck of the Starship Enterprise than a place for fillings – but also a beautiful nest of pleasure, whether you like food, drink, or agreeable company. But the mixclub Queen Roppongi perhaps exemplifies this better than anywhere else in the area: a microcosm in a microcosm.
Queen Roppongi: First Impressions
Queen Roppongi is a small bar that awaits you after taking a quick stairway walk underground. The pink exterior, adorned with posters of the beautiful hostesses that dwell within, sits in the shadow of the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo. It seems almost defiant to place yourself, as a bar that caters to clients and is run by people on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, across from a place that is a byword for privilege and wealth. But class isn’t about money: it’s about how you treat people, which is why I’m pleased to say that Queen Roppongi is a very classy establishment.
That is not to say that there is no camp: on the contrary, Queen Roppongi thrives on camp. The pink of the exterior is only amplified as you set foot in the door, and sashay into the one of the most campy places available.
Interior Design: A Heaven of Pink
As you descend from the entrance down to the entrance, the first thing you’ll be greeted by is a receptionist who will kindly and politely welcome you to the club. The next thing that will happen is the club’s rules and prices will be explained. Not only is this done in Japanese, but there are also English text explanations, as well.
The price is relatively high for a nomihodai, and the choices relatively limited: for ¥5,500, you can drink whisky or shochu, along with a mixer if you want one. There is an automatic price increase of ¥3,000 after the two hours, for each subsequent hour, and while other drinks are available, they are extra.
Passing through the portal into they main reception room, you enter a world that is both very elegant and very pink. There are two main seating areas: one to the side, more suitable for small groups or one-on-ones, and a larger one in the center for parties. As there was a party going when I arrived, I couldn’t take a picture of the space, but the guests were in raptures as their hostesses entertained them and karaoke was sung underneath the glittering chandelier.
Experience with a Queen Hostess
After I was led to my comfortable seat, I was soon joined by my hostess for the evening, Lady J. She is one of the many English speaking hostesses, but is Japanese. Her style has a classical elegance, dresses that night in a purple gown, with large and stylish headpiece.
As you can imagine from a seasoned hostess, Lady J was the picture of charm. She is a sparkling conversationalist, and was happy to answer any of my questions, and curious in return. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a hostess bar, and it was incredibly pleasant to enjoy a glass of whisky, while Lady J preferred champagne.
She was also extremely knowledgeable on the history of the bar, which I was surprised to learn is very new.
History of Queen Roppongi
Mixclub Queen Roppongi is only one year old: like many bars, it is a newer location that has opened as Japan is slowly becoming more agreeable to LGBTQ+ rights (at least among the public). It is an offshoot of Mixclub Queen Yokohama, and is a member of the Prince Group, which runs over a dozen hostess bars. It’s no wonder, then, that the Roppongi branch is so well run in just a short time, and how it was able to attract so many experienced servers. Several of the queens at the bar have been active for years, and many speak English – and the outside signage is also written in Spanish, so it can cater to more than just English speakers.
Should You Go?
While we were talking, Lady J mentioned that another hostess was from my home country of the UK, and that I should meet her. It’s that diversity of hostesses, their experiences, and their styles, that make places like Mixclub Queen such fun to go to. While its price level make it a place I couldn’t visit every week, I certainly hope to visit again, and I could recommend that anyone become a subject.
