When you first walk into Burlesque Tokyo, you may think ‘strip club’. Girls hang upside down from poles on a stage surrounded by men, and a Jacuzzi in the corner doubles up as a bar, complete with barmaid serving drinks while floating around amidst foamy bubbles. It’s a smoky, loud-music vibe with mirrored walls and shiny chandeliers and girls strutting around in teeny tiny denim shorts and cutaway crop tops. Yet it’s not a strip club; it's one of Tokyo's show pubs. It's apparently inspired by ‘Burlesque’ – the film – and as such it does a good job of putting on a musical slash cabaret show, even if there’s no Aguilera rival in sight. Expect tight buns in G-strings and excitable Japanese girls willing you to stand up and join them in a ‘Gangnam Style’ finale dance. Oh, and don’t forget to exchange your yen for fake bills – when the dancers come round to greet you afterwards, their bras overflowing with accumulated tips, you don’t want to be caught empty-handed. Still, not a strip club.
Learn more about 'show pub' culture here.