Men, no matter how old or how “masculine” they are, can learn a lot from crossdressing in public (trust us, we know).
But even if you do get the urge to unbuckle and skirt up, it can be difficult to find a time and place where going out in drag is socially acceptable. Throw in the added stress of having to coordinate an outfit and wig that sufficiently bring out your inner woman and the simple act of putting on women’s clothes and walking out the door can feel incredibly intimidating to first-timers.
Enter Onna no Ko Club, or Girls Club, a new club in Tokyo where curious men can go to experience the wonderful world of crossdressing.
Girls Club will have its grand opening on December 1 and is located in Shinjuku Ni-chome, Tokyo’s hub of gay subculture.
The club is aimed men who have never crossdressed before, and an entire wardrobe of women’s clothing and female cosplay outfits are available for those who don’t want to go out of their way to buy a new outfit/borrow their wife’s.
There are also vanity tables stocked with makeup and a selection of wigs, so all you need to do is show up with an open mind. You can have the staff help you with makeup—though they’re not guaranteed to be the most skilled— and customers are even permitted to walk around outside while wearing the clothes and wig provided for by the club.
Stockings and women’s underwear are also available, but must be purchased because nobody wants to wear your used panties.
Veterans are also welcome, and guests may arrive in full drag or bring their own clothes from home and change in one of the in-store dressing rooms.
If crossdressing isn’t your thing but a room full of Japanese men in dresses is something you would like to see with your own eyes, both male and female customers are free to keep on their gender-specific clothes.
The entrance fee is 2000 yen (US$25) for women or men already wearing women’s clothing and 3000 ($36) for men, and covers the wardrobe, makeup and dressing room. Drinks are 500 yen ($6).
You can find the address and directions below. If you’d like to be there for the grand opening, Girls Club will be throwing an opening party on Saturday, December 1 from 20:00~05:00. Entrance is 3000 yen for 2 hours all-you-can-drink, applicable to all customers.
We plan on visiting ourselves (the RocketNews24 office happens to be in the same area), so check back later for a full report!
■ Onna no Kurabu (Girls Club)
Address: 4F SENSHO Building 13-16 Ni-chome, Shinjuku
Hours: 20:00~05:00
Tel: 03-5357-7875
Access: Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, 2 min), Shinjuku Sanchome Station (Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line, 3 min), Shinjuku Station (JR, 6 min)
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