Why Pinks Salons Still Thrive Despite Decline
March 2002, Koenji, Tokyo’s pink salon district. Scenes like this were common in various places at the time.Some stores operate quietly to avoid drawing attention.
On October 1st, the pink salon 79.5 grand opened in Ogikubo, Tokyo. The location was previously home to Nack Five, one of the most famous establishments in Tokyo from the Heisei to Reiwa periods, which closed on June 30th. After three months, it reopened under a new name. Fans of pink salons (referred to as “pinsara”) were overjoyed by the return of this popular spot.
“They’re still around, but they’ve become less noticeable.”
This was the honest impression after reporting from major pink salon districts in Tokyo from late October to mid-November. I visited areas such as Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Sugamo, Otsuka, Gotanda, Kamata, Koenji, Ogikubo, Hachioji, Tachikawa, Akabane, and Kitasenju. Overall, the number of establishments has decreased, and compared to 10 years ago, they are operating much more quietly.
Some stores display signs but avoid flashy neon lights, while others place their signs in the back of the building, only allowing customers who know where to look to find them. A store in Hachioji didn’t even display the name on the sign. It seemed to cater mainly to regulars or those who found the store through its website.
The most surprising discovery during my reporting was about a certain pink salon in Tachikawa. A new store that had grand opened on September 6th was raided only about two hours after opening. The disappointment was especially great, as expectations were high among pink salon fans.
Over the past 20 years, pink salons have significantly decreased. From the late Showa to early Heisei period, they were the representative form of affordable adult entertainment and were widespread in cities across the country. However, due to efforts to clean up entertainment districts and the rise of mobile adult services, their numbers have steadily declined. Recently, there have been continuous raids, with shops in Shibuya, Ueno, Sugamo, and Kamata being targeted around the time of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. In October, about six months before the Osaka-Kansai Expo in 2025, stores in Kyobashi and Sakaihigashi in Osaka were raided for public indecency, leading to the arrest of 18 people, including the owners, employees, and customers.
Even now, there are still stores with long lines.
To avoid being raided for public indecency, many pink salons have stopped having female employees and male customers strip naked. In the past, both women and customers would casually get completely naked, and play would occur with both parties fully nude, similar to a health (massage) service, but in recent years, there has been a break on more extreme services.
Pink salons are legally classified as social dining establishments and have a different operating license from soaplands or health services. While they are officially categorized as dining establishments, they actually provide sexual services, making their operations very ambiguous and always at risk of being raided as illegal businesses. As a result, popular establishments that attract too much attention may be raided, and during times when international events are held, they become easy targets in purification operations to maintain public order and suppress moral decay, leading to successive raids.
However, even though their numbers have decreased, they have not disappeared. Pink salons remain surprisingly popular among a wide range of age groups, from young people to seniors. The reason for this is that they offer low prices, are easy to visit, and provide unique services like flower petal rotations and various cosplay events in a Showa-era retro atmosphere. In the Tokyo metropolitan area, there are still stores with lines before opening.
The pink salon businesses have continued to refine their management strategies to survive. The discounts, events, and variety of cosplay offered to keep regular customers entertained are unmatched by other types of adult establishments.
Recently, in addition to the classic school uniforms, stores specializing in traditional Japanese clothing cosplay have become popular and are increasing nationwide. Additionally, mobile pink salons like “Hotel Pin” in Ikebukuro, “Rent-a-Pinsaro” in Shinjuku, Kinshicho, and Odawara, “Cawaii Hi! School Returns Akihabara Campus” in Akihabara, “Lunch de Pinsaro” in Akasaka, and “DeriPin Hawaii” in Kamata, which offer services in hotel rooms, are also popular. Furthermore, some existing health services, such as “WOWOW UENO HEALTH STATION” in Ueno, have introduced short-time, soft-service pinsaro courses at low prices. In today’s high-cost era, pink salons, with their good cost-performance, are being reevaluated as old but new, good value adult entertainment.
It’s worth noting that even in the present day, when the internet has become deeply embedded in society, many pink salons operate without a website. This is because customers come without needing the store to be promoted online. Pink salons that have been operating closely within their local communities for many years are seen as neighborhood play spots, accessible for customers to casually visit from home or work, rather than places where people research online before going. This legacy still persists today.
In the paid version of FRIDAY GOLD, Ikoma introduces 65 selected pink salons across the country that are still worth visiting.
December 2004, Nishikawaguchi. The name NK style was renowned nationwide, but now the pink salon district has been destroyed.
Interview, text, and photographs： Akira Ikoma
