Raids on Chinese-Run Massage Parlors Expose Nishikawaguchi’s Undying Underground Sex Industry

The illegal sex establishments that were supposed to have disappeared

In December 2024, the “Sayuri” esthetic salon near the east exit of Nishikawaguchi Station was raided. The Chinese owner and two female employees were arrested on suspicion of violating the Entertainment Business Control Law by operating a sex establishment in a prohibited area. The establishment had advertised itself as a relaxation massage service and used its website to attract customers. From October to December 7, it generated approximately 7.5 million yen in revenue.

This raid revealed that illegal sex establishments had not disappeared from Nishikawaguchi. Despite efforts to rebuild the area from its past as a hotspot for illegal sex businesses, new Chinese-run illegal establishments had emerged. This incident demonstrates that even with enhanced enforcement and stricter regulations, the area’s purification is not easily achieved.

Nishikawaguchi was once known as the holy land for NK-style (a term referring to sex establishments that provided intercourse services), with over 200 illegal real salon businesses operating in the area. The services offered, such as young, attractive women providing intercourse for prices around 8,000 yen for 30 minutes or 10,000 yen for 40 minutes, made Nishikawaguchi a surprisingly affordable dreamlike red-light district for customers. During its peak, the area around the station was filled with real salons, and the stores’ flashy exteriors in bright colors like red, green, yellow, and pink created a chaotic scene.

However, local residents’ concerns about the deteriorating environment led to stricter enforcement over time. In 2004, Nishikawaguchi was designated as a “Key Area for the Purification of Sex Industry Environments” by the Saitama Prefectural Police, and active measures were taken against illegal businesses. A large-scale crackdown in 2005 nearly wiped out NK-style establishments, and by early 2007, most of them had gone out of business.

Image of back-room sex industry that cannot be dispelled

As crackdowns on sex establishments reduced customer traffic, it also impacted general dining and entertainment businesses, leading to a decrease in customers. The strong association with the sex industry made it difficult for commercial tenants to settle around the station, and at one point, the area transformed into a ghost town filled with vacant storefronts. However, in 2008, after the “B-grade gourmet festival” held at the West Exit of Nishikawaguchi Station, where the “Kyupora Set Meal” from Kawaguchi City won first place, local residents started revitalizing the area as a “B-grade gourmet town.” Since then, with the increase in foreign residents, restaurants serving Chinese and other Asian cuisines have been growing.

Since the purification efforts, on the surface, illegal sex establishments had disappeared. In one block near the station’s West Exit, legal and reputable sex businesses adhering to the Entertainment Business Control Law had gathered. The crackdown came despite efforts by those in the sex industry to reshape the image of the area by offering cheap, high-quality, and safe sex services.

Looking back at history, locations that once thrived as red-light districts tend to revive after crackdowns with some time passing. For example, the Keimachi area in Kitakyushu’s Kokura, once bustling as a chomamachi (prostitution district), was raided in 2009 and 2015, with most of the buildings (snack bars) where women were solicited demolished. However, when visiting in April 2017, an older woman approached saying, “Hey, want to play? There are some good girls here.” Even though the buildings were gone, the activity itself was still alive. This phenomenon occurs because visitors know the area once had sex establishments and, even though they are aware of the crackdowns, they continue to visit, hoping the activities still exist.

As long as there are buyers who visit, it’s inevitable that there will be sellers who appear. The success of the illegal Chinese-run esthetic salons that were raided in Nishikawaguchi illustrates that the city’s image as a nationally known illegal sex district cannot be easily erased.

In the paid version of “FRIDAY GOLD”, journalist Ikoma conducts undercover reporting in Nishikawaguchi, exposing the realities of underground sex industries through firsthand experiences and investigative reports.

Sayuri was exposed in December 2024. The establishment claimed to offer relaxation, but in reality it offered sexual massages.