Meeting Kurea Hasumi at BAR HARU

Kabukicho, where our story is set

This summer, I went to Tokyo, to visit friends I hadn't seen since before COVID. However, I was also there to visit a very specific establishment. Kurea Hasumi is my favorite AV actress, and since I follow her on social media, I knew that she had recently established a pub called BAR HARU. I wasn't sure if, being a foreigner, they would let me in, or whether this was a hostess club or a more ordinary bar that simply was owned by Kurea. I did know, however, that I would almost certainly not get to meet Kurea Hasumi herself. After all, just because she owned the bar, there was no reason to suspect she'd actually be there every night.

Still, I figured whatever money I was putting towards BAR HARU, a greater proportion of it would go to Kurea herself than if I were to buy her DVDs or merch. And I wanted to give my support, because she is my favorite AV actress. She has this poise to her, this commanding presence and seductive air, like a sensual goddess. But then, whenever she smiles, it's this big, goofy grin, and the contrast between her elegant poses and her earnest smile has always stood out to me. Also, some time ago I had a very wonderful evening with a woman who looked just like Kurea. And I'd be lying if I said that watching Kurea's videos didn't remind me of that night.

The bar itself is easy enough to find. You can pull it up on Google Maps, and it's a short walk from several train stations. The main issue is simply finding the specific floor where the bar is located, since it's part of a larger building that houses multiple establishments. Once you find that though, you just need to follow the signs to where the bar is.

Steeling myself for possible rejection at the door, I walked in and to my surprise found Kurea Hasumi right there! As it turns out, she does show up to the place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, and by chance my trip's schedule had me there on just such a day. She, like most people in this country, was amazed by my height, and when I asked whether it was alright for me to enter as a foreigner, she said if I could speak decent enough Japanese, it was okay. After I explained my reasons for coming, she decided to share a drink with me, and, I'll admit, that was very flattering.

BAR HARU is pretty small. There's a bar, a booth, and a bathroom, but that's about it. Most small bars I've been to in Japan have a blackboard or some area where visitors can leave signatures and curios, and I'd brought a sticker from my BDSM teacher in the hopes of leaving it there. But alas, BAR HARU doesn't have a special place for visitors to leave things, though the staff was kind enough to put my sticker on a shelf in the bar. Things the place does have though include a wide variety of drinks, and a photo option with Kurea, if she's in that night. You have to pay an hourly rate to stay in the bar (which makes sense, given its size), and visitors should note that you won't necessarily get Kurea's undivided attention. I paid for two hours, but for about half that time, Kurea's manager was there to discuss important business matters with her.

Still, for the time I did get to spend talking to Kurea, I enjoyed the conversation immensely. This was my first time meeting an adult actress, and it was really nice to see someone you know for a very specific persona in an environment where they can be a full, three-dimensional human being. I think the best way to describe the atmosphere of BAR HARU is that you could chat and mingle like you would at any other bar, but there was no ban on the conversation turning to NSFW topics if it happened to organically arrive there. So even though we talked about things like Wicked City, The Party at Kitty and Stud's, or Sexual Parasite: Killer Pussy (which Kurea said I simply had to watch), a lot of the time, we just talked about ordinary, everyday things. Also, even when I didn't get to talk to Kurea, the staff and regulars were really fun and interesting people, so I was never bored during my time there.

Before I left, I paid for a photo with Kurea. For this you get a picture on your phone and a cheki photo which Kurea signs. Even in heels, Kurea stood beneath my outstretched arm, so I had to lean down to get my picture taken with her. But the pair of us together was a memorable enough sight that she took another pic of us on her own phone, for personal posterity. (Apologies for the orange block, but my identity is a secret)

Yes, I am that tall. And yes, she is wearing heels in this picture.

After my trip was over, even with the bill having added up over the night, I was glad to have gone there. If I could offer any advice for those wanting to go to BAR HARU, I'd say firstly, be hygienic and polite. As with any other bar, go there looking and behaving your best. Make friends with the staff, especially since they're really cool people. And even if you go there on a night where Kurea is there, don't expect to have her full and undivided attention. She's the boss of the bar, so she needs to keep an eye on everyone, even when she's talking with you. The important thing is to demonstrate that you aren't a bore or a boor. I got to share a drink with Kurea and have my picture taken on her phone, but I don't think I would have gotten either of those things if I hadn't demonstrated to everyone there that I was a decent and trustworthy dude. If you do all these things though, I think you'll have as much fun as I did. I know I'd certainly like to return to BAR HARU the next time I'm in Tokyo.