Post by Linalin on Mar 12, 2005 10:47:56 GMT -5
Country boys come to town to pay homage at 'temples of sex'
They arrive, typically, on overnight buses, rural pilgrims to Tokyo's "temples of sex" — the multifarious and myriad ero-entertainment establishments that do so much to set the capital apart from the hinterland, whose shortage not only of soaplands but of marriageable young women goes a long way toward explaining the "pilgrimages" Shukan Taishu (3/21) describes.
"Over the past two or three years," says the operator of a Shinjuku "image club" specializing in sexual "play," "we've seen a fantastic increase in groups of single men in from the countryside. Nowadays they account for 40% of our business."
The buses — from Tohoku, Kyushu and points in between — generally arrive in Tokyo around 6 a.m., four hours before most "temples" open. Time for breakfast, perhaps a sauna, and then ...
"Our place gets lots of groups of single men from the regions," says an Ikebukuro image club hostess. "They have their 'play' planned in advance. Nothing is left to chance, not a minute wasted."
Sometimes, adds Shukan Taishu, the men have written out their desired "play" in notebooks — solitary rustic fantasies come to life. Touched to see themselves so highly valued, the hostesses respond in kind. "We give a little extra," says one with a smile.
"Some of these men," she continues, "have never been to a soapland before. Some have never been with a woman before. A lot of them don't have much to say for themselves, either. Still, they're so nice, so kind. Customers from the country are really popular with us."
That's fortunate, because circumstances are such that they don't have much going for them at home. "It's not easy being a young man in the countryside," remarks Shukan Taishu. With fewer and fewer children being born and rural youth — girls in particular — migrating in droves to the cities, what's a boy who remains behind to do with himself?
"The soaplands are their only outlet," the magazine observes. But there are few soaplands at home, and the ones there are don't compare to Tokyo's in terms of the diversity and quality of service." Hence the "pilgrimages."
They are weekend affairs for the most part. Some soaplands go out of their way to make things as easy as possible for the visitors — not just the hostesses but management as well, arranging lodging at business hotels and performing other little services in the hope of a return visit, which often materializes: "Some come to us once or twice a month," says the Shinjuku club operator.
The trip might include a little sightseeing — Roppongi Hills seems high on everyone's list — but "that's just an afterthought," comments Shukan Taishu. "Basically, there in town for one purpose only, and that purpose is 'play.'"
Am I the only one who finds something wrong with this?
They arrive, typically, on overnight buses, rural pilgrims to Tokyo's "temples of sex" — the multifarious and myriad ero-entertainment establishments that do so much to set the capital apart from the hinterland, whose shortage not only of soaplands but of marriageable young women goes a long way toward explaining the "pilgrimages" Shukan Taishu (3/21) describes.
"Over the past two or three years," says the operator of a Shinjuku "image club" specializing in sexual "play," "we've seen a fantastic increase in groups of single men in from the countryside. Nowadays they account for 40% of our business."
The buses — from Tohoku, Kyushu and points in between — generally arrive in Tokyo around 6 a.m., four hours before most "temples" open. Time for breakfast, perhaps a sauna, and then ...
"Our place gets lots of groups of single men from the regions," says an Ikebukuro image club hostess. "They have their 'play' planned in advance. Nothing is left to chance, not a minute wasted."
Sometimes, adds Shukan Taishu, the men have written out their desired "play" in notebooks — solitary rustic fantasies come to life. Touched to see themselves so highly valued, the hostesses respond in kind. "We give a little extra," says one with a smile.
"Some of these men," she continues, "have never been to a soapland before. Some have never been with a woman before. A lot of them don't have much to say for themselves, either. Still, they're so nice, so kind. Customers from the country are really popular with us."
That's fortunate, because circumstances are such that they don't have much going for them at home. "It's not easy being a young man in the countryside," remarks Shukan Taishu. With fewer and fewer children being born and rural youth — girls in particular — migrating in droves to the cities, what's a boy who remains behind to do with himself?
"The soaplands are their only outlet," the magazine observes. But there are few soaplands at home, and the ones there are don't compare to Tokyo's in terms of the diversity and quality of service." Hence the "pilgrimages."
They are weekend affairs for the most part. Some soaplands go out of their way to make things as easy as possible for the visitors — not just the hostesses but management as well, arranging lodging at business hotels and performing other little services in the hope of a return visit, which often materializes: "Some come to us once or twice a month," says the Shinjuku club operator.
The trip might include a little sightseeing — Roppongi Hills seems high on everyone's list — but "that's just an afterthought," comments Shukan Taishu. "Basically, there in town for one purpose only, and that purpose is 'play.'"
Am I the only one who finds something wrong with this?
