TALES from a GAY LIFE (mostly in Asia) – Part 5

[PeterRS]

Including my early years living in Bangkok, my posts here have tended to concentrate on other Asian countries. I have written about Singapore bars and saunas. My favourite of the latter was always Rairua, billed as the first luxury sauna in the city. It was the first to introduce all nude nights. Slightly more expensive than other saunas, it was also located out of the city centre. That usually meant the clientele were better looking for some reason. Of several bars, Vincents Lounge was the oldest in Lucky Plaza decades ago. I see it is still going but have not been since the Lucky Plaza days. Backstage Bar in Chinatown is always fun. Even if the other customers were in groups, the bar tenders were always happy to chat. Years earlier, one of Singapore’s first regular gay events were the Sunday afternoon ‘tea dances’ at the Pan Pacific Hotel. Always packed, I’m not sure how many hookups were made. I think the police forced the hotel to stop them. But Zouk, a large bar/nightclub which opened around 1990 is still going strong. It always had a gay section and was great fun for late night partying.

I am not sure why I have always found Kuala Lumpur cruisy. On my first visit way back in 1981, the only bar was Blue Boy - still going today. On my first night, I met a quite lovely Chinese named Andrew, fell in love straightaway and he spent the next two nights with me in the hotel. Ah! How easy it is to fall in love!  Round the corner from Blue Boy I much later discovered a small sauna. It really was tiny and never had many patrons. But there were occasionally some good times. The shopping mall not far away, Sungei Wan, was then one of the best cruising places. But those who went there basically wanted immediate relief in a toilet and that was never my scene.

Years later I was staying with friends when the sauna otot2 opened. We thought we’d try it. You needed a membership card. When I returned about 10 years later, the front desk Adonis welcomed me back as one of the original members. He could tell from my number! Seven and eight years ago I was back in KL on business for several days each visit. Frankly I did not need to go out as the apps were buzzing. Apart from those few evenings when I had to attend official functions, I had no problem finding good company each evening. One young Chinese was even with me for three nights.

In the 1980s I had visited Tokyo roughly 5 or 6 times a year. Loved the city, the entertainment it offers and the country, got to know a host of young guys, initially from those bars welcoming foreigners and then from their friends. In those days it seemed as though all young Tokyo boys wanted foreigner boyfriends. Being based in Tokyo for 2 years in the 1990’s was then a special blessing. 

Bars in Japan can often be confusing if only because most just will not accept foreigners unless accompanied by a Japanese. But if you do go with a Japanese you will be surprised how organised they are. I once went with two long-time Tokyo friends to one of their regular haunts. It was tiny. U-shaped with around 10 guys around it and maybe 8 more at tables for 2 around the side. Seeing my friends the mama-San welcomed me warmly. He then whispered in my ear, “Are you top or bottom?” The point of the question was so he could make a seat available for me next to a cute Japanese he knew to be a bottom!

In the days before the apps, the bars which did accept foreigners did good business. I fell quickly in love with a bartender in one and for months I flew to Tokyo for long weekends, and my friend came to spend a month with me in Hong Kong. We talked about living together in Hong Kong. Then on one of my absences he met a much richer older westerner who offered him a 2-month trip around the world. When he told me about it, I knew our relationship was over. I could have said 'no don't go' but what could I offer in its place? How many young not well off Japanese could afford even to visit another Asian country? It took me months to get over it. I guess it was then I realised long distance relationships have endless complications which depend so much on local cultures and habits.

My first Tokyo sauna experience was at the original and rather run-down 24 Kaikan in the Asakusa district near the popular Sensoji Temple. My second was virtually the most memorable I ever experienced. It was in the upmarket Shibuya district and I assume I found it from Spartacus. Quite small inside, it had the whole open-air roof to itself. Inside I met a lovely Chinese boy. We ended up on the roof where we spent a good half an hour having the greatest time. I did try to find it again, but totally failed!

When it later opened, I patronized the much nicer, cleaner 24 near Ueno station which had pretty much a working class clientele. I then tried a Hattenba in the Akasaka district. These are basically apartments converted into simple sex clubs which, with the use of sheets and some thin plywood, create very simple partitions. But there is no privacy and the one I attended only had one shower. I did not enjoy it much and never went back.

I am not sure when 24 Kaikan opened its third incarnation in Shinjuku (about 2000?) but it quickly became the place to go. It is usually very active on weekends until about 10 pm when some of the clientele have to leave to get their last trains home. In one post I wrote of meeting an early 30s Japanese at Shinjuku's 24. He was married with 2 kids but always spent Saturday afternoons at 24 where all he wanted was someone to fuck him - endlessly. It was an exhausting 90 minutes even with occasional breaks for breath! But memorable!

One of my Japan posts here is a 5-part photo blog on Tokyo. But this was posted more than 10 years ago and inevitably it portrays what the city was like then. There have definitely been changes, especially in the gay elements. I have also posted more recent accounts of the glories of Nikko and Kyoto and Nara at sakura time. For my next trip I want to go in late November when the leaves on the trees should be turning into a palette of the most glorious colours.