I finally made it to Japan again, one of my bucket list items to do in retirement. I had been here several times before but never got to enjoy Tokyo's nightlife, sights, restaurants and stores.
Having taken a day to recover somewhat from the travel (jet lag will haunt me for a little while) I decide that tonight I am venturing out to my first night club.
I am nervous and excited about going out. I have done a bit of research and located a couple nightclubs where foreigners are welcome but you can also find people locals especially of the female persuasion. I have really fallen for the Asian woman. For me, she has a natural beauty, an air of sensuality about them. The Japanese women more so than other East Asian women!!
So getting myself a rideshare to the first club was my first task and turned out to be easy. The surprising part was that the driver was an woman, who spoke good English. She was probably in her thirties and pretty. I couldn't see much of her but, I was thinking that the night is starting out well.
"Konbanwa," I say has I get in the rideshare. "Good evening to you also," she says in reply, catching me off guard, but happy. "I understand that you would like to go to the Shinjuku area tonight.," she continues.
"I don't mean to pry put what is your plan for tonight?" she asks.
"I am looking for a place where foreigners are welcome, but yet I can find local people from around Tokyo," I replied. "My research led me to a couple places the one you are taking me to and another," I added. "If that is what you are looking for can I make a suggestion for a club you might enjoy more?" she asked,
I hesitate because I don't know this woman from a hole in the wall, though she worked for a very reputable rideshare service. I thought for a minute then said, "Sure where would you suggest?"
"You sound a little unsure you want me to suggest a different place." she replies. "A little bit." I say in a low tone, feeling embarrassed about how she might feel about me not trusting her.
"I understand completely, I will take you to the club you picked." she said in response.
A few minutes passed of complete silence, when I finally said, " I am curious where were you thinking and why?"
She looked back it me in her mirror and said, "The place I am thinking about is where a lot of Americans go when in Tokyo and occasionally you might see someone consider a celebrity in Japan."
I immediately began to think maybe I should take her up on her suggestion, I can always tell her to be alert for a request to pick me up. After a pause I said, " Let;s go to your suggestion, I can always request for you to pick me up and take me elsewhere if it isn't to my likening."
She looked back at me and said, "Let's do it.{
It took us about 15 minutes to get to the place she suggested. As i was getting out of the car she stopped me and gave me her rideshare number so I could contact her directly for a pick up if needed. With that I said thank you and shit the door.
One one be hard pressed to know there was even a club here if not for the people meandering around outside and a door attendant out front.
I walked up to the attendant and said that I was visiting Japan and that my rideshare driver recommended this club to me. He replied, in good English, " I think you will find your driver made a good recommendation, you can see the hostess inside."
I walked through a short narrow hallway that opened into a huge room, the hostess to my right behind a host stand. As she looked up all I could think is that she was drop dead gorgeous, and that if she is any impression of this place, my driver was correct.
After some small talk, she took my money, put a stamp on my hand and said, " have a good time Sir, if you need any assistance, there are waitresses through the club, or you can ask me."
As I walked into the club, further, I saw a long rectangular bar seating arranged one side and one end, with a dance floor between the seating and a stage. People were sitting at the bar, in the seating area, standing around behind the bar and on the floor area in front of the stage.
I quickly noticed there were a fair number of foreigners and Japanese co mingled around the club. The interior design led me to believe the place was a bit more upscale, though there was no high end dress code.
The lighting was kind of low, except around the bar and stage area. As I walked toward the bar, a young waitress came up to me and ask me if she could get me a drink. She was also good looking in a tight fitting black dress that was mid thigh high. Now I knew I was in the right place, the sights were going to be nice to watch and hopefully I would be able to introduce myself to someone to share a drink or two with.
I began to scan the club as the waitress walked away to go get my drink. I noticed groups of people obviously friends on one another that had congregated to a spot in the bar to chat and drink. There was about a 50/50 mix of foreigners and Asians so the rideshare driver was correct on that point
After a few minutes I see my waitress walking back towards. "Here is you drink Mr. Smith," she said in a low voice. I smiled at her, "Thank you very much, and what may your name be?" I asked.
"It is Aimi, and you just let me know if you need anything else." she replied smiling at me. "I will be sure to find you Aimi," and we parted in different directions. I watched her as she walked away, she had this lovely, sexy sway as she walked away, engraining in my head even more the sensuality of Japanese women.
As I walked around the club, occasionally checking out people on the dance floor, I noticed that I was definitely one of the older people in the place, but I didn't feel uncomfortable. I found a table to sit down at and was sipping on my drink watching the people dance. There was a myriad of beautiful women in the place, but I slowly started to concentrate on this one group of about 5 women. They were all Japanese probably in their early thirties, but one stood out.
My eyes may have been playing tricks on me, but I swore that I had seen that face before. When she turned her face to look in my direction, I got a front on view of her face and yes it had to be her. Our eyes caught one another's for a brief moment I smiled and tipped my glass and she smiled in return.
Now the question in my mind was do I go up to her and ask for a confirmation of my recognition or just let it go and believe that I saw someone whom I had seen many times online over the years. As I thought about it, I let my eyes scan the room, but they would come back to her briefly to fix her face in my mind. Occasionally her eyes would catch mine doing this.
I had completely forgot about using my phone to Google the person I thought I was seeing and I quickly pulled it out. I typed in "Surime Mizukawa" and looked up images of her! "Yes, that had to be her," I was thinking glancing down then back up several times to verify my who I was seeing!
"Ok Mark, you have to go over and somehow ask her if she was indeed Mizukawa-san." This is what I was thinking but, how? The simplest most straight forward way was to go over apologize for interrupting the group and ask her if I am recognizing the right person. For me this would be the most difficult way as the introvert in me was coming out. "Oh what the hell!" I thought I am not getting any younger and the worst that could happen is the group angrily asks me to leave them alone.
As I am contemplating this and occasionally looking in their direction, I notice that she to has been looking more often in mine. In a not so noticeable way I look around my side of the room to see who or what else is around me. To my amazement, there isn't anything in particular that would draw a person's gaze this way except the smaller number of people around my table!
"That does it," I say to myself, I need to drop all the inhibitions and just go ask so I pick up my mostly finished drink and stand up to walk over.
Just then out of the corner of my I I see Aimi my waitress walking toward me, "Would you like another drink Mr. Smith?" she asks. "Hello Aimi, your timing couldn't be better could I get another one of these and a glass of Pinot Noir."
As Aimi walks away, I continue to work on my drink trying to maintain the nerve that made me decide to go ask this woman if she was who I thought she was.
I remembered that Surime, said at one time that she had become interested in wine and that Pinot Noir was a favorite of hers. I figured the glass of wine might be a good ice breaker at the least.
When Aimi returned, I promptly paid her and picked up the glasses she had set down on the table. With a deep breath and an exhale,I begin a slow but steady walk across the room through the various people between me and her.
As i get closer, my eyes almost always on her group and her, my heart begins to beat faster and harder. Then I am there standing almost in front of her. I clear my throat and say, "Excuse me and pardon my interruption." "I am visiting Japan, soaking up some of the nightlife and notice you from across the room. I though I instantly recognized for some reason." I said with somewhat shaky tone.
Now she and her friends were all looking at me, I completely forgot that maybe none of them knew English very well!. I knew Surime spoke it somewhat well, but I had no idea of her friends.
"By the way this is for you it is Pinot Noir," I said more confidently. "If you who are whom I think, I thought you would enjoy it," I continued.
She stared at me for a few seconds then took the glass setting her empty one on the table next to her. "Thank you very much and yes it is a drink I will enjoy," she offered. "So tell me," she then hesitated and I knew she wanted my name. "Oh sorry my name is Mark," I replied quickly.
"So Mark, who do you think I am may I ask?" she said looking over the rim of her glass before taking a sip of wine. "Well I can tell you the name I would know you by and that is Surime Mizukawa," I said.
She didn't answer right away instead taking another sip of wine. The she asked, "Why do you think I am her?"
"I am a bit embarrassed to say so, but I have followed Ms. Mizukawa's career with some zeal you could say," I replied with a smile.
"I see," she replied and again hesitated looking at me. I felt as she was staring right into my thoughts!
She again took a sip from her glass and I got the feeling that she just wasn't going to tell me, so I said, "Well, I again apologize for the interruption and enjoy the drink." I began to raise my glass and turn, when she says, "Your not interrupting, and I am sorry for the delay, I was just thinking what the catch might be in your asking."
"But I can see you are genuinely curious. Surime Mizukawa, is a professional name I use," she said. "If you like you can call me Surime." and she held out her hand in greeting.
Astonished I took her hand and said, "It is very nice to meet you Surime."
She introduced me to her 3 friends who were all cordial and polite, though they didn't know English as well as she did. After the introductions I said,"I will take my leave as I didn't want to intrude on your night out." To which she nodded and added, "again it was nice to meet you Mark, I hope you have an enjoyable evening."
I walked away thinking I have met an actual Japanese JAV star, something I never thought of doing outside the Red Dragon, which I wasn't sure I was going to go there. As I made it back to the table I was sitting at some live entertainment came on stage and for a little while I stayed immersed in it though I would glance over from time to time to look at Surime.
Aimi came back over to the table looking as good as she did the first time I saw her and she asked me if I wanted another drink. I nodded yes but then asked her, "Is it unusual for Japanese JAV stars to come into this club?" She asked, "Who do you mean?" As I went to point to Surime, I noticed that she was gone, and I was a bit crestfallen. "It looks like she is no longer here," I replied.
