I’m Saito, a columnist.
I used to think wealthy men used dating clubs because they were afraid of being identified, while dating apps were mostly used by people without much money...
But after hearing stories from people I know, I’ve realized that isn’t necessarily the case anymore.
That said, if I summarize what I’ve heard—including my friends’ opinions:
**Dating apps**
They look for dinner dates starting at ¥10,000.
They’d like ¥20,000–¥30,000, but can’t find anyone willing to pay that much.
People can fake their identities fairly easily, so there are more incidents compared with dating clubs. But because wealthy men occasionally show up, those cases make the news.
**Dating clubs**
The stated rule is ¥5,000–¥10,000, but in reality, many men give close to ¥10,000, so it doesn’t make the news.
People’s identities are properly verified.
Even so, unexpected oddballs occasionally turn up, and those cases become newsworthy.
Women who are given apartments or receive substantial amounts of money stay quiet, both during periods of self-restraint and at other times.
They never make the news.
To avoid losing their papa (a male supporter) and to keep from increasing the competition, they quietly show their sincerity.
I get the feeling that the women who manage to land these big-time papas are overwhelmingly more likely to be involved in papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) through reputable dating clubs.
Maezawa from the Corporate Planning Office here as well.
> She says that many women in papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) make that kind of claim on Twitter too.
Unfortunately, that’s not true.
You can probably figure that out right away if you do a little research yourself. Maybe one woman in ten thousand has those kinds of terms, but they certainly aren’t common.
Before posting a question here, you could search for yourself and get a sense of what most people are actually like.
That said, there are plenty of women who set their rates by the hour. At ¥5,000 per hour, they could receive ¥10,000 for spending two hours over a meal, so many may appear to be offering “dinner only (no intimacy)” for ¥10,000.
But those are simply the terms the women have set themselves, and that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re actually able to meet anyone under those terms.
Also, since neither side really knows who the other person is, I hear there are many men online who deceive women.
For example, a woman may be happy thinking she’ll get paid for dinner, only for the man to say he’s going to the restroom and never come back. Not only does she receive nothing, but she may even end up paying for both meals herself.
There are even more outrageous cases. A man agrees to have dinner with a woman for ¥5,000, hands her an envelope saying it contains ¥10,000, then asks for ¥5,000 in change. She gives him ¥5,000 in cash, and afterward he disappears.
Of course, the envelope may contain nothing at all, leaving the woman having handed the man ¥5,000 and having to pay for both meals herself. After an experience like that, she probably won’t use that service again.
And that’s just for dinner.
There are also cases where a man promises ¥200,000 for an adult relationship (intimate), and the woman spends around nine hours at a hotel with him from morning until evening. The high allowance includes certain intimate terms, and even after she agrees to them several times, the man disappears without paying.
Still, there are some advantages. Women who are good at self-promotion can market themselves effectively, upload edited photos, and raise their perceived value before meeting in person.
Those women might not receive any offers through Universe Club, but on apps they may be able to meet all kinds of men.
Both dating clubs and apps have their pros and cons. I think you’ll be happier if you understand the differences well and register with whichever suits you better.
> If possible, I’d like to receive ¥20,000 or ¥30,000.
Even at Universe Club, there are men who routinely give ¥20,000 or ¥30,000 for dinner only (no intimacy) on a first date.
Since they recognize the woman’s value when they make the offer, a financially comfortable man probably doesn’t think paying ¥20,000–¥30,000 for dinner only is a big deal.
If doing so makes future dates with her go more smoothly, it may not be much of an issue. Men like that also have a good reputation among the staff, so when an attractive woman joins, they’re probably contacted first.
> Do the types of people—or their way of thinking—differ between dating clubs and apps?
Some people probably use both, but I do think their mindsets differ.
