Anything Goes for a Price: The Harsh Reality of Ero-Gyara Nomi Girls Selling Their Bodies and Pride

“The Itadaki Joshi phenomenon,” explosively popularized by “Itadaki Joshi Riri-chan,” refers to women who exploit the emotional vulnerabilities of middle-aged men, using romantic feelings to extract large sums of money. Meanwhile, women in the nightlife industry have other ways to make a living, often by selling either their pride or their bodies.

An easily imaginable example is the SM-themed sex industry. Previously, it was perceived as a place where women who couldn’t earn in ordinary sex work performed more extreme acts. However, it has now evolved into an industry where more attractive women join to earn higher incomes.

“Although I’ve already quit, I’ve really been through a lot. I once had nails hammered into my breasts for 300,000 yen. I was tied up and beaten every day, so my body was always covered in bruises and rope marks (laughs).”

Riona (pseudonym, 23), a former sex worker, speaks with a wry smile.

“I didn’t hate SM play itself, so I was okay with the pain. But it was tough when I took on a private job to join a couple for a threesome. Being used as a toy by people who loved each other, being bought and treated however they liked because of money—it felt like I was being used as a decoy or something, and it made me a bit sad.”

When used as a decoy, a woman’s pride is hurt. Even in the now widespread practice of gala drinking, some men intentionally call gala girls to cabarets or lounges to enjoy the disparity between hostesses working as cast members and ordinary women who can’t enter unless they’re called.

The erotic gala drink girls, who have become a topic of conversation, suffer even more. “Erotic gala drinking” is a grey area where you can pay for ‘erotic things’ as options, essentially anything short of intercourse. These women can be humiliated by being called in front of hostesses who don’t provide such erotic services and treated as spectacles.

“To put it bluntly, it’s sexual slavery. The male customers include those who have been banned from lounges. They make girls do things you’d read about in comics, like naked sports festivals or keep them as plates for nyotaimori (body sushi). There was even an Othello tournament where the girl, tied in a naked shibari, had to flip the pieces with her mouth.

Well, it’s like a lighter version of a special mistress contract. It’s a job where you’re slapped in the face with wads of cash by rich people, completely breaking your pride. Still, the most you can earn per session is about 50,000 yen. Some people make several million yen a month, but that’s rare,” says Mizuki (pseudonym, 21).

One might imagine the money earned is spent on cosmetic surgery or host clubs, but that’s not always the case.

“In the nightlife industry, most women ‘expire’ around the age of 25. Those who couldn’t become anything after failing in entertainment or lounge work cling to being gala drink girls or staying in Minato Ward because they can’t lower their standard of living, even if they’re treated badly. In reality, the earnings are used for living expenses. Of course, some meet someone good in such places, get out of the business, and later find success and happiness.” (same source)

Nowadays, even in nightlife jobs, making easy money has become increasingly difficult.

From the June 21 , 2024 issue of FRIDAY