Soaplands for first time tourist - please advice!!!

[Nicnac]

Gentlemen, I'm making my maiden trip to Tokyo next week (Jan 13 - 16) and am interested in experiencing the famed soaplands. I've been reading around the internet on different forums about how a majority of these establisments are "anti-tourists".

Reading some threads on this forum has given me some hope that they may be within reach after all. Still, would appreicate some advice on how I should go about experiencing one of these. For perspective, I live in the US and am of Indian origin (not sure if any of that matters but I still want to lay it out there).

Thanks in advance for the advice. Can't imagine life without forums such as these.

Godfather

 

[Wolfy Owns]

Imo, by FAR your best chance would be to enlist the help of a Japanese, or at least Japanese speaking (assuming you are not), friend or business associate whom you can trust enough to help you set up an appointment at one of the soapland shops. Ideally, he might go with you and see another lady while you are enjoying your service, but if not, just making the arrangement and vouching for you would be a huge help.

If that option is not available to you (and I realize it most likely is not), then you have set yourself a goal that is going to be VERY tough, but perhaps not impossible, to meet. I'd suggest going door-to-door at the shops in Yoshiwara and expect/accept getting turned away at nearly every one but hope to get lucky eventually. Dress nicely, coat and tie at minimum. Don't be pushy; in fact, be as super-polite as you can manage. Speak whatever Japanese you can as much as possible...even if it is only a few phrasebook sayings. Bring more than enough cash (because they may well charge you extra, beyond their advertised prices). Be prepared to wait for an extended period, maybe an hour or a bit more, while they call a hostess and get her to come in for an unscheduled appointment. Go at some time when they are not likely to be too busy, maybe in the afternoon. (Note that the Yoshiwara soaplands close surprisingly early in the evening.)

There may be better approaches or places to try, but that is the best I can suggest.

Another, possibly wiser/easier, option is give-up the soapland ambition for this first trip and sample some of the more accessible (for gaijin) types of Tokyo commercial sex shops.

Good luck.

-Ww

 

[Carolina K]

Thanks for the insight, Ww. Much appreciated. Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of having a Japanese speaking friend vouch/book an appointment for me. I'm meeting with Business colleagues while in Tokyo but don't know them "that" well.

Would you mind shedding some light on the other gaijin friendly Tokyo commercial sex shops? Any recommendations for maybe a nice sensual massage?

-Godfather

 

[KMA]

I think that goal can be achieved much more easily (and MUCH more cheaply!), but others here will probably be able to suggest specific places a lot better than I can. I am way way out-of-date (like 10-20 years!) on that sort of scene.

You might do some research at

http://www.tokyopinkguide.com/

in particular

http://www.tokyopinkguide.com/massage.asp

and

http://www.tokyopinkguide.com/esute.asp

and you might even find some decent leads for a soapland experience at

http://www.tokyopinkguide.com/soaplands.asp

but it is not quite as easy, especially for a newcomer still learning the basics of how things are done in Japan and (I imagine) speaking essentially zero Japanese, as the site makes it sound. Still, worth a try if you are up for some "adventure".

But for a basic sensual massage with a "happy ending" you can/will be propositioned frequently just by walking around the streets in the mizu shobai (= water business = honky tonk = nightlife = red light district) areas of certain parts of town (Kabukicho, Roppongi, Ikebukero, Yushima...). Either a tout or your potential hostess herself may approach you. This is probably the easiest/simplest way to go, but of course there is a downside; the chances of having a low quality, or even disgusting, experience are not that low. And you even might get ripped off entirely in one way or another. In years long past I've gone that route with varied results but cannot recommend it without throwing in a strong caveat emptor.

Again, good luck, and please report back your experiece(s), good or bad, for the benefit of those to follow.

-Ww

 

[Rat-A-Tatter]

Just an FYI: We do not endorse the Tokyo Pink Guide. A lot or mostly ALL of the information there is outdated and not current.

I'll let the links remain for now, but just be aware that the content there is not trustworthy any longer.

 

[Beetle]

Good to know. Pretty much all of my info on the open commercial sex scene in Tokyo is dated and potentially out-of-date.

-Ww

 

[azagames]

Hey godfathervit, be sure to check out the info on King's Club on pages 3-4 of the Soapland General Information thread. TokyoSpirit posted a link to the shop's webpage (http://www.kings-club.net/index2.shtml), and it looks exceptionally gaijin-friendly. Worth a look/try, I'd think.

-Ww

 

[talefairy]

Again, appreciate your help, Ww. I will be sure to check the King's Club guide out and will report back promotly on my adventures.

-Godfather