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.