<p>In Japan, a "host" (ホスト <em>hosuto</em>) is a male worker at a club whose job is to entertain a female clientele. The clubs at which hosts work are called "host clubs". Host clubs (and their cross-gender counterparts, hostess clubs) are not really found outside Japan or places with a large Japanese diaspora as far as I know, so it isn't surprising that you wouldn't have heard of them. See the Wikipedia article "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostess_club">Host and hostess clubs</a>" for more details. </p>

<p>Having never actually been to a host club, I'm not in the best position to evaluate the one depicted in Ouran, but based on my secondhand understanding, the Ouran Host Club is sort of a less-seedy version of what you'd see at an actual host club. </p>

<p>That said, I'd bet you any amount of money that no actual high school in Japan (or anywhere else for that matter) has a host club. The very idea of a school allowing minors to do something of that sort is ludicrous, which is part of what makes Ouran so funny. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-13T23:23:31.257Z
In the Manga the Mangaka, Bisco Hatori, writes some notes on the side about how she worked on the series. in the early Volumes i think i remember her saying how she came up with the idea as a joke but then learned they actually existed, was going to post this as an answer but you beat me to it with a better answer so i figured i'd add it as a comment.
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-13T23:25:12.553Z
Is this like Maid Sama?
Izumi-reiLuLu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-13T23:25:26.250Z
@Memor-X Really, now? If that's true, that's quite interesting (and slightly startling). If you can find where she said that, that'd be a useful addition to this answer (or as a separate answer, whichever).
senshin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-13T23:26:42.907Z
By the way do they only have host clubs in Japan?
Izumi-reiLuLu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-13T23:27:17.217Z
@MiharuDante Misaki (from Kaichou wa Maid-sama!) works at a maid cafe, which is a much tamer sort of establishment than a host(ess) club. Host clubs are proper nightlife establishments, while maid cafes are more "daylife", if you get what I mean.
senshin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-13T23:28:16.280Z
@MiharuDante I don't claim to be an expert on host clubs, but my understanding is that you'll only find host clubs outside Japan in places where there are lots of Japanese people. For example, [it appears](http://www.hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=16009) that there are hostess bars in Hawaii.
senshin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-14T06:55:34.163Z
@senshin First Volume, Second Chapter, i think 32 pages in, Hatori mentions how people have been calling the manga, the scanlation i read up (cause i'm at work and the actual copies are at home) says _But just in case if you talk about this manga on the train or at school, maybe you don't want to say "Host-bu" in a loud voice. your teacher or elderly person will be surprised at you!! pleas be careful!!!_ implying it's an actual thing that students shouldn't be talking about aloud.
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-14T13:14:11.073Z
**Definitely** a less seedy version (some of the members' antics aside), given the work they put in to fix some of their customers so that they no longer _need_ to be customers.
Clockwork-Muse
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-13T23:22:51.987Z
2014-04-13T23:22:51.987Z
senshin
<p>I was recently watching Ouran Host Club and it seems to centre around, how should I describe it?</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Listening to girls talking about themselves and watching the girls go distraught in love over guys</p>
</blockquote>

<p>But what exactly is a host club? I have never heard of such a term in my life. Is it real?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-30T04:15:42.223Z
Although it isn’t quite the same, the closest “host” club I can think of is a butler cafe, such as the Swallowtail butler cafe in Tokyo. They charge between $25 and $47 usd for an experience of being royalty by a butler who serves you tea and other luxurious food.
MRose
<terminology><ouran-high-school-host-club>
Is there such thing as a "Host Club" from Ouran High School Host Club?
# Is there such thing as a "Host Club" from Ouran High School Host Club?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-04-13
I was recently watching Ouran Host Club and it seems to centre around, how should I describe it?

> Listening to girls talking about themselves and watching the girls go distraught in love over guys

But what exactly is a host club? I have never heard of such a term in my life. Is it real?
**Tags:** terminology ouran-high-school-host-club
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Although it isn’t quite the same, the closest “host” club I can think of is a butler cafe, such as the Swallowtail butler cafe in Tokyo. They charge between $25 and $47 usd for an experience of being royalty by a butler who serves you tea and other luxurious food.  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_2 on 2014-04-13. Score: 10 | Accepted answer
In Japan, a "host" (ホスト *hosuto*) is a male worker at a club whose job is to entertain a female clientele. The clubs at which hosts work are called "host clubs". Host clubs (and their cross-gender counterparts, hostess clubs) are not really found outside Japan or places with a large Japanese diaspora as far as I know, so it isn't surprising that you wouldn't have heard of them. See the Wikipedia article "[Host and hostess clubs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostess_club)" for more details.

Having never actually been to a host club, I'm not in the best position to evaluate the one depicted in Ouran, but based on my secondhand understanding, the Ouran Host Club is sort of a less-seedy version of what you'd see at an actual host club.

That said, I'd bet you any amount of money that no actual high school in Japan (or anywhere else for that matter) has a host club. The very idea of a school allowing minors to do something of that sort is ludicrous, which is part of what makes Ouran so funny.
> **Comments:**
> **username_3** (2014-04-13): In the Manga the Mangaka, Bisco Hatori, writes some notes on the side about how she worked on the series. in the early Volumes i think i remember her saying how she came up with the idea as a joke but then learned they actually existed, was going to post this as an answer but you beat me to it with a better answer so i figured i'd add it as a comment.  
> **username_0** (2014-04-13): Is this like Maid Sama?  
> **username_2** (2014-04-13): @Memor-X Really, now? If that's true, that's quite interesting (and slightly startling). If you can find where she said that, that'd be a useful addition to this answer (or as a separate answer, whichever).  
> **username_0** (2014-04-13): By the way do they only have host clubs in Japan?  
> **username_2** (2014-04-13): @MiharuDante Misaki (from Kaichou wa Maid-sama!) works at a maid cafe, which is a much tamer sort of establishment than a host(ess) club. Host clubs are proper nightlife establishments, while maid cafes are more "daylife", if you get what I mean.  
> **username_2** (2014-04-13): @MiharuDante I don't claim to be an expert on host clubs, but my understanding is that you'll only find host clubs outside Japan in places where there are lots of Japanese people. For example, [it appears](http://www.hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=16009) that there are hostess bars in Hawaii.  
> **username_3** (2014-04-14): @senshin First Volume, Second Chapter, i think 32 pages in, Hatori mentions how people have been calling the manga, the scanlation i read up (cause i'm at work and the actual copies are at home) says _But just in case if you talk about this manga on the train or at school, maybe you don't want to say "Host-bu" in a loud voice. your teacher or elderly person will be surprised at you!! pleas be careful!!!_ implying it's an actual thing that students shouldn't be talking about aloud.  
> **username_4** (2014-04-14): **Definitely** a less seedy version (some of the members' antics aside), given the work they put in to fix some of their customers so that they no longer _need_ to be customers.  
---
