Every heard of a happening bar?  If you haven’t you are missing out a fantastic and fun part of Japan!  Here’s what one website (Not work safe) has to say about them:

One of the latest types of establishment is the “Happening Bar”. Similar in most ways to Swingers Bars, which have been around a lot longer, the only difference being that Happenings Bars will allow in single people while Swingers Bars only allow in couples. There are reputed to be about 40 such clubs in Tokyo, about evenly split between Happening and Swingers. After paying a hefty membership fee followed by an entrance fee (females only pay a nominal fee) you enter a bar area. What happens next is up to you and the other patrons who are present. Maybe you try on one of the many costumes that may be available, or join a group in one of the smaller semi-private rooms, but the general rule seems to be “anything goes”, with S&M being fairly popular. Obviously, in such a public space it attracts many of those with a voyeuristic or exhibitionistic bent. Happening Bars made the news in the summer of 2005 when Japan’s most famous male porno star, Chocoball, (so named for the color of a certain part of his anatomy, was arrested in one for indecent exposure. He had made the mistake of advertising on his website that he would be “performing”, and the police had to act in the face of such a breach of the unwritten code that protects illegal sex businesses from police scrutiny.

Oh Chocoball, Japan’s favorite male pornstar/pro-wrestler.  Who could forget his crazy antics! (Read his blog here)
Anyway, Mainichi’s WaiWai has a new article up about happening bars.  It it pretty interesting, but it makes me wonder if it is truth, or a story planted by a happening bar to attract costumers.  From other sources, I have heard that the bars are often just a big sausage fest, with a bunch of single guys coming and trying to watch 1 or 2 couples who are getting it on.

I have yet to visit a happening bar, but maybe some of Japan Probe’s readers have.  Care to share some stories?