How to walk in Tobita Shinchi, a thorough guide to Japan’s most glamorous entertainment district, which attracts men from all over the world

Tobita Shinchi (Nishinari-ku, Osaka City) still retains the atmosphere of a former brothel. It was the largest “ryotei” district in Japan, and today no other entertainment district is as bustling as this one. In recent years, there have been many tourists from abroad. Akira Ikoma, a sex journalist who has covered the area for many years, reports on the “present” of Tobita Shinchi. He also provides a guide to the inside of the Shinchi and how to play there.

160 ryotei restaurants in a 400-meter square lot

Oh no. Too cute. At 4:30 in the evening of Thursday, April 4, the ryotei restaurants in Tobita Shinchi were already in full swing. I made a round of Seishun Dori and Main Dori. Cosplay was in full swing, as it had been since my last visit on January 30, 2011, but the variety of costumes seemed to have increased. I couldn’t help but feel a thrill of excitement as the illuminated girls looked at me and smiled and waved their hands. I have not done anything yet, but I can hardly contain my excitement even though I have just walked down the street.

The street is full of foreign male customers. Occasionally, there are couples. There are Chinese, Korean, Western, South Asian, and Middle Eastern men. After all, this is the most glamorous entertainment district in Japan. It is a “paradise on earth” that attracts men from all over the world and instantly grabs their hearts.

Tobita Shinchi is about 400 meters square, lined with 160 ryotei restaurants. A woman sits at the entrance of each ryotei, and men who become customers are served tea and sweets in a room on the second floor, where they eat and drink lightly and then receive sexual services. Ostensibly, this is “as a result of falling instantly in love while talking with the woman.

Business hours are from around 10:00 am to 24:00 pm. Basically open year-round. The basic fee is 16,000 yen for 20 minutes, 21,000 yen for 30 minutes, 31,000 yen for 45 minutes, and 41,000 yen for 60 minutes. There are also places where you can play for only 11,000 yen for 15 minutes.

The location is in Sanno 3-chome, Nishinari-ku, about a 10-minute walk from Tennoji Station. The average level of girls is high. The age range varies depending on the street. There are also women in their 40s and older.

The flow of the game is as follows: you look at the women on the street, decide on a partner, and then go upstairs to the store. After that, the girl brings drinks, snacks, and hand towels. Play begins, with the girl leading the way. Basically, the girls use a rubber, but in some backstreets, the girls use “raw” sex. After the play, you get a candy and go home. Having candy in your hand is a sign that you have finished playing, and you will not be approached by touts.

Safety is good. Trouble rarely occurs. However, if you take a picture in Shinchi while a ryotei restaurant is open, there will be a commotion. This is because taking pictures is not allowed. In Tobita Shinchi, there are signs posted here and there on the walls of restaurants and other places, warning passersby not to take pictures. No Photography” is written in both English and Japanese. If you point your camera at a woman in a ryotei (traditional Japanese-style restaurant), you will be severely scolded by the touts, who will shout abuse at you.

The former Tobita brothel was built in 1918. The decisive turning point came in 1958, when the Anti-Prostitution Law came into full effect, making it impossible to openly call oneself a brothel. Since then, Tobita Shinchi restaurants have been under the sign “ryotei,” and the entire Tobita Shinchi area is managed by an organization called the “Tobita Cuisine Association.

In the paid version of “FRIDAY GOLD,” a close report on Tobita Shinchi for 24 hours and a more detailed explanation of “how to walk around” the area are provided.