It had been six months since I'd last come out to Saitama. Making a regular habit of heading to areas outside central Tokyo is something I've only started doing in the last few years of my 14-year career. The "local flavor" of each region has gotten interesting to me.
I picked Aria. A 40-minute course for ¥8,000. The Omiya Ward area of Saitama City, open 10:00 to 2:00 the next morning.
Late Night in Saitama
The reason I use a sexy cabaret club late at night changes from one night to the next. Tonight it was a "can't-sleep night." I was lying in my hotel room staring at the ceiling, and before the date changed I called Aria.
I asked, "Is it still okay even at this hour?" and they answered calmly, "We're open until 2:00 a.m., so that's fine." A shop where the receptionist's tone doesn't shift in the dead of night is proof the operation is buttoned up. You don't get treated carelessly just because it's a middle-of-the-night call — this seems obvious, but it actually isn't.
My girl arrived a little after midnight. I figured she might be tired, but there wasn't a trace of it. Late-night shifts have late-night people. The Saitama area. A shop running late hours out here is operating with a real understanding of the after-dark clientele.
Forty minutes late at night feels a little different from forty minutes in daytime. No rushing. Unhurried. She moved at my pace. What I was looking for on a sleepless night was right there. She understood the late-night mood too, and didn't try to force the energy up. That sense of "knowing the room" was good.
When I finished the 40 minutes and stepped outside, the streets of Saitama were still moving. A town where there are people even at this hour is one where you feel less alone. I went back to the hotel, lay down, and fell asleep right away. ¥8,000 for 40 minutes — I consider that price to include the fact that they gave me a night I could actually sleep through.
On the "Density" of Time
Forty minutes can feel like a completely different length depending on its density. There's the 40 minutes that feels too fast, the 40 minutes that feels just right, and the 40 minutes that feels too short. Aria was the third kind — meaning that when it ended, I thought, "I'd have liked to stay a little longer."
I mean that as a compliment.
Time With My Girl
A sexy cabaret in Saitama, ¥8,000. If I had to sum up 40 minutes at that price in one line, it comes down to this: "the time was dense."
More than any technical details, it was the "sense of being present in the moment" that carried through. Few girls can create that.
If I Come Again
Aria has a nomination system — requesting a specific girl (confirm by phone). Next time I want to repeat with a nomination. Omiya Ward, Saitama City, open 10:00 to 2:00 a.m.
Wrap-Up
| Category | Stars |
|---|---|
| Reception | ★★★★★ |
| Girl's vibe | ★★★★☆ |
| Skill / service | ★★★★★ |
| Fulfillment of the time | ★★★★☆ |
| Value for money | ★★★☆☆ |
| Overall | ★★★★★ |
No regrets about choosing Aria. As a Saitama experience, it was plenty memorable.