<figure id="attachment_426219" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1563px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-426219"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7e232d00"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/05/8c9c9ae8f509f7a06c49b8edd931ffe3.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-426219" class="wp-caption-text"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Infiltrating the “Active Brothel” in Tokushima that has been operating for over 150 years (All images are from YouTube &#8216;Pineapple Ura-ch&#8217;).</span></figcaption></figure>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Due to the influence of the historical drama </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Berabou</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> set in Yoshiwara, there has been growing attention on the world of the red-light districts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The origin of these districts dates back to the time of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who had them established in Osaka and Kyoto. By the Edo period, they had spread across the country. Even after the abolition of the public prostitution system in 1946, they continued to exist as red-light districts. However, the full enforcement of the Anti-Prostitution Law in April 1958 marked the end of that history.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some places, like Yoshiwara, transformed into entertainment districts, while others, such as the unique example of Tobita Shinchi, changed their signage to that of a ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant district) to maintain the atmosphere of the past. Yet, most have disappeared. The YouTuber and underground explorer Pineapple Ura-ch has now infiltrated a still-active red-light district.</span></p>
<h3><b>Beyond the typical entertainment district</b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tokushima City, located in Tokushima Prefecture, has a slightly humble impression, ranking fourth in population among the major cities of Shikoku, behind Matsuyama, Takamatsu, and Kochi. Thanks to the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge and the Ōnaruto Bridge that connect Kobe City to Naruto City, it is about a two-hour drive from Osaka, making it fairly accessible. From Tokyo, it takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes by plane.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Did you know that there is a red-light district in Tokushima that has been in operation for over 150 years?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When you hear the term red-light district, you might think of it as a historical relic. However, in Tokushima, there exists an active red-light district that has remained open, operating almost exactly as it did in the past—same location, same system, and largely unchanged.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The following is a firsthand report of my experience, so if you&#8217;re interested, please read on.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In August 2023, after a two-hour train ride from Takamatsu, I arrived in Tokushima. I wasn&#8217;t here for sightseeing. I had come as part of a project for my YouTube channel titled &#8220;Underground Western Japan Journey with the Seishun 18 Ticket,&#8221; where I set out to experience the active red-light district in Tokushima.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When people think of Tokushima’s entertainment districts, they typically refer to the Sakaemachi area. This is where soaplands are lined up, and for 20,000 yen, you can enjoy the services of young, beautiful women. The majority of ordinary men would probably choose this area. But the place I was interested in was on the other side of Sakaemachi, further beyond Tokushima Station, in the Akita-machi area.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here in Akita-machi, an active red-light district with a long history is still operating. It’s known as the Akita-machi Yūkaku, or &#8220;Panpan Street.&#8221; The term &#8220;Panpan&#8221; is a slang term for prostitutes who served the occupying forces after WWII. Interestingly, this slang term has been used directly as the name of the street itself.</span></p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Walking along Panpan Street"></div>
<h3><b>There was an eerie tension in the air</b></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This area has been a cultural hub for over 150 years, dating back to 1868. It was temporarily destroyed during the Tokushima air raid in 1945, but after the war, it was revived as a red-light district under the name &#8220;Minami Shinchi.&#8221; It has been in operation ever since. Despite having suffered war damage, it still retains the strong atmosphere of a pre-war red-light district, even in the Reiwa era.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After 10 p.m., I arrived at my destination, Akita-machi. The landmark was a funeral hall called &#8220;Yarakasu City Hall,&#8221; and just beyond it lay Akita-machi.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As soon as I stepped into the area, I could feel an eerie tension in the air. It was as if some invisible boundary had been drawn to reject outsiders. The lighting was sparse and dim, almost as if the area were cloaked in darkness.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the midst of this gloom, I saw a few buildings with doors unnaturally left open. Under the faint light, women were sitting inside. Similar to the &#8220;Tobita Shinchi&#8221; district in Osaka, women sat at the doorways, but unlike Tobita, they weren’t actively trying to lure in customers. At best, they might offer a slight nod of acknowledgment.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some women simply stared at me without saying a word, while others sat watching TV without even glancing up when I passed by.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">True to its origins as a red-light district, the streets here were unusually wide. A few buildings still bore the architecture typical of red-light districts. Though there’s only one street lined with shops now, in the past, the neighboring street was also known for its &#8220;chonnoma&#8221; (a term for small, intimate spaces in red-light districts). At its peak, the number of shops here must have been more than double what I saw today. After walking through the area twice, I counted about ten active establishments. I didn’t see a single woman who looked to be in her twenties.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The darkness and strange atmosphere here are unlike anything I’ve experienced before. It’s hard to believe such a hidden gem still exists in Japan.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the paid version of FRIDAY GOLD, Pineapple Ura-ch shares the details of his firsthand experience inside the shops, recounting what he encountered there.</span></p>
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<div data-friday-gold-link-url="https://friday.gold/article/339676" data-friday-gold-link-title="An underground explorer goes inside an &quot;active brothel&quot; on &quot;Panpan Street, Tokushima,&quot; the most difficult and &quot;unexplored&quot; area ever!" data-friday-gold-link-excerpt="We infiltrated an &quot;active brothel&quot; in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture, which has been in existence for more than 150 years. The population of Tokushima City is a little modest, ranking fourth among the cities of Shikoku, after Matsuyama, Takamatsu, and Kochi. Access to the city is only 2 hours by car from Osaka thanks to the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge connecting Kobe City and Naruto City." data-friday-gold-link-thumbnail-wide="https://assets.friday.gold/friday-wp-production-assets/app/uploads/2025/05/PANPAN5-27105155193478.jpg/v/crop-faces:width=256,height=144/format:type=webp?Expires=4102444800&amp;Key-Pair-Id=K2H5GZZHVJCN4V&amp;Signature=n~nIYDLSmNLTvxjfR55I6jOvqLpsaxlw2A0zAC6hXO2Z~Jxndyk2ZaIEqzLpYxFvSdQCNI6-x8vOP45nSwrHgeosLKQRY0R9In0mgTF-nXt6wfbNbjzDPXHTsqi6nscN5LVeHg1V71Vjh~OUUI3cSsn6FbRyQShFzTtovf0tOcAo6qJiy4tTfW4~69R2qHs4TGueLtHSNBNFh6i0Rf8pP5ZV3tY5XoMhoWVYU1tcKdYIBKZ4a2GsUleJGppdGSmwAagf1DNFGPlU7Xwy5JTSekr1bca8C7Mr1toYNQR5AeeM9hfvKb-4yJsX5XxnLlVGxmb2NSVXHRkitEfn0NOMGQ__" data-friday-gold-link-thumbnail-square="https://assets.friday.gold/friday-wp-production-assets/app/uploads/2025/05/PANPAN5-27105155193478.jpg/v/crop-faces:width=105,height=105/format:type=webp?Expires=4102444800&amp;Key-Pair-Id=K2H5GZZHVJCN4V&amp;Signature=phgR2G7tNmBbT3cWOPy9Qsj3jizwmbH4CSEUDb9zrv3jQJNTqP82E~XqYQUA1Wvt4y11OVsG0UyfxhPeS4EFFXiQXq6RJ1yz3-Ut3VWyzf4dujBUjwJaqxoionc31qc8-zFkqKBP3-y2YMxl0KWbr6NZXDU3hdRLezjxnkgs5UGT051AdKUMEZGM2sr0E7PjSLSNQhwAOS9rCpLa1PRHZ~LUwK-gBf2~SgHYR6O3x0jth8felNHFhWhyshOKPLlnJCk~Zcx9w29hxSPUw1Ks91Gn4VFOX2AWbbvMQT5rZeAFHbhj0-xLRP2pA5xCCu6QMGAHPAHU4iUDAHxsTCq7CA__"></div>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="A Night Walk in Tokushima, Visiting the &quot;Akitamachi Yugaku&quot; (Akita Town Amusement Center)"></div>
<figure id="attachment_426220" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1563px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-426220"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="9586865c"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/05/fb15dafe53f2e8862f68ccec9541b5a5.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-426220" class="wp-caption-text">The area we&#8217;re aiming for is just over here.</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_426221" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1148px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-426221"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="957a85f0"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/05/8dda9ebde3c1c2ffc6197c0c459d3ec7.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-426221" class="wp-caption-text">It&#8217;s getting darker and darker away from downtown.</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_426222" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1637px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-426222"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="0c341c9a"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/05/1534126fc97d128bd809ad1a0c816e24.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-426222" class="wp-caption-text">In the darkness, you see a small pink light. It&#8217;s a &#8220;store&#8221; that is open for business.</figcaption></figure>


 Pineapo Urach

 The "Bembo" TV drama "Bembo" has made a big splash in Japan. In Tokushima, "Panpan Street," which retains strong traces of the prewar Akita-machi brothels, is still in operation. Underground explorer Pinappo Urach went there.

Inside Tokushima’s 150-Year-Old Active Brothel: Infiltrating the Hidden World of Panpan Street

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