I’m a female member in Tokyo.

Mamiya from Universe Tokyo here. I can’t really think of any members in Kansai who’ve asked me to cut the price that much... In Tokyo, I feel like people tend to negotiate logically, arguing that the price doesn’t match what the service offers. I wonder if people in Kansai appeal more to your emotions. There does seem to be a regional difference in negotiating styles! As everyone else has said, though, it ultimately comes down to the individual. You just have to become someone people won’t try to haggle with!! As for dealing with Kansai members, maybe you’d do better by learning to ask more skillfully. It might also come down to the phrases you use habitually, almost like a verbal tic or a greeting. I think people are very generous with those they truly want to cherish.

I’m Marika, a female member. People from Kansai really do love saying, “That’s so expensive!” lol It’s not just the allowance in these arrangements. They’ll also complain that the food is expensive and bland, or say Tokyo is expensive because they spend so much on interior design. It’s fine if they want to make fun of Tokyo and bad-mouth it among their Kansai friends, but when they say it to us, we’re just left thinking, “And what exactly are we supposed to do with that?” Near my workplace, even a regular five-pack of Kleenex costs nearly 600 yen. Granted, it’s a supermarket catering to foreigners—the area has a lot of embassies—and I don’t shop there myself. So naturally, women who live in areas like that are going to have a different sense of prices from people living in regional areas. People from regions outside Kansai probably think, “Tokyo is expensive, whether it’s the women’s allowance or anything else, but I guess that’s just how Tokyo is.” They accept it without saying much. But I feel that many people from Kansai genuinely believe Kansai is better than Tokyo and cheaper too, and they can’t resist saying exactly what they think. That’s probably why they keep going, “So expensive, so expensive!” I found an apartment I really liked, and when I asked a regional member, “What do you think of this one?” they told me Tokyo was way too expensive. Even though I was the one paying! lol

Maezawa from the CEO’s office here. I think it depends on the person. I don’t know the exact ratio, so if that’s how you feel, then it’s probably fairly likely. There are probably men in Kansai who readily offer a generous allowance, while even in Kanto, some people may say, “Isn’t that a little high?” That said, in ordinary business dealings, I often hear that people transferred from Kanto to Kansai find it difficult because they’re expected to negotiate discounts. In that sense, I do get the impression that Kansai has a culture where negotiating the amount is considered normal.

I’m Rin, a female member. It’s more about individual differences than regional differences. Honestly, being lumped together with “people in Kansai are low quality” no matter what is kind of unpleasant, lol. (I’m not what you’d call a Kansai person, though.) You must be quite an attractive person, judging by your question. I’m sure you’ll meet plenty of wonderful men in Kansai, too.

I’m Paper Airplane, a male member. You’re right that he’s stingy and cheap, but being stingy with the woman’s allowance too… what a shame. If he’s going to cut back, I wish he’d at least spend that money on the woman… Even if someone is considered “Black” in Kansai, there’s no way to know what level they’d be in Tokyo—maybe Gold, maybe Platinum… Compared with Kansai, the Kanto area is one or two levels higher overall. Since there are more members, the competition is tougher, and the differences in allowances are greater. I imagine the more generous supporters really do pay that much more. So even among Platinum—or even Gold—there are plenty of people whose allowances are higher than those of Black members in Kansai… I think people from Kansai, being so caught up in the “Black” label, would be genuinely shocked, with their eyes practically popping out… Please be kind and think of Kansai people as cute, okay? I think we just have this weird competitive streak—like, “Kansai Black isn’t losing!”—or maybe it’s just stubborn pride. Sorry ＞＜ The truth is, we’re jealous of the Kanto area… We know we can’t even compete… Oh, and what I really wanted to say is that you must be an exceptionally wonderful woman.