First Ever Raid on Illegal Kabukicho Brothel: Surprising Popularity Among Foreign Tourists

Referral for 100,000 yen and receive 90,000 yen.

“This place allowed external promoters to add as much markup as they wanted. The shop itself only took 10,000 yen. When I introduced customers, I told them the price was 12,000 yen and received a 2,000-yen kickback. But some Black promoters exploited this system, charging 100,000 yen per introduction and pocketing 90,000 yen.

When the shop was busted, a large amount of foreign currency was found. This was because some customers couldn’t pay the inflated fees in Japanese yen. If they were sent outside to exchange money, they likely wouldn’t return, so the shop accepted foreign currency on the spot to keep transactions smooth.

It’s possible that this crackdown was triggered by angry customers who felt they were being ripped off. However, no matter how many customers the shop brought in, out of the 10,000-yen fee, 8,000 yen went to the women, leaving only 2,000 yen in revenue for the shop. Even with 30 customers a day and operating 365 days a year, it didn’t seem like they were making a massive profit,” said J.

A foreign customer who had actually used SPARAKU, a Thai man named B, compared it to his home country’s sex industry, calling it a safe place and noting differences in customer service.

“Japanese brothels feel safe. Once you’re inside, they don’t suddenly demand extra fees. The risk of STDs is probably lower than in Thailand. And above all, the staff are kind. They used smartphones to translate and carefully explained the services. Even in a brothel, Japanese people are polite,” B said.

With Japan’s inbound tourism booming, the adult industry is also using various methods to attract foreign customers. However, illegal establishments like SPARAKU have been thriving in the shadows. More crackdowns are likely to follow.