The courage to break into the kiosk of desire!
When it comes to Japan, the first thing many guys think of is the A-list actresses hiding on the screen and the little porno movies that accompany loneliness. However, the real Japan is much more than that. In this chapter, we'll take you on an in-depth tour of Japan's biggest red-light district, Osaka's Hida Shinchi, and unveil another side of the city.
fall into a trap
One day, I was working on a project in my research lab when I suddenly received a Skype call. On the other end of the line was an old friend from Taiwan whom I hadn't seen for a long time.
"I'm going to Japan to look for you! I'm going to Japan to look for you, and I'm going to bring you some things on the way." He said excitedly.
"Really? That's great! Where are you going?" I responded, my heart full of anticipation.
"Osaka, by the way, I've got a plan for where you're going to live, too." he added. He added.
"Oh, my God, are you serious? You're so nice to me!" I responded gratefully.
"I've got it all figured out for you, whether you want to fly in or take the night bus." He was like an enthusiastic travel agent, carefully planning the itinerary.
"Night bus? I've never taken one before. Otherwise, I'll take the night bus. It's cheap and economical." I greedily chose this option.
"Is it possible to stay at this hotel for 2200 yen per night (2016) including breakfast?" He sent me a link to Hotel Chuo.
"Sure, cheap is good, it's just a sleepover anyway," I agreed without a care in the world. I agreed without a care in the world.
"That's it, then. I'll give you a list of what you need to buy. See you this weekend!" He hung up the phone in a casual manner.
(Tip: Hotel Chuo has been renovated and renamed Hotel Pivot, transforming it from a business hotel to a hotel for couples. Although the price is a bit higher than before, it is still much cheaper than other tourist hotels. Reservations can be made at the following link.)
However, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
I called him back two days before my departure.
"Hey, I'm all booked up for the weekend!" I reported back to him excitedly.
"Really! By the way, I have a plan for my bar mitzvah before the army." His tone became a little sinister.
"What's the plan? What does bar mitzvah mean?" I asked, puzzled, a sense of foreboding welling up in me.
"I'm going to buy X! I'm going to Hida Shinden, Osaka, the mecca of eroticism, the place where all men should go on pilgrimage." he exclaimed without shame.
"What? Are you serious?" I was so shocked I couldn't speak.
"Of course, it's a man's dream, the fulfillment of an old fantasy." He explained with a smile.
"But you have a girlfriend, right? Why are you still going?" My mind was so full of questions that I couldn't think straight.
"No, No, No, this is different," he said, shaking his head and laughing.
"It's like a bunch of guys who have girlfriends but still get dates... I'm lucky I paid for this." I was even more shocked by his response.
"Physical cheating is not mental cheating." He said, laughing at my inexperienced ass.
"Then you can go yourself, I'm not interested," I replied.
"No way, you need to be Japanese or Japanese to get in there. So...you know" he smiled.
"are you kidding me? You want me to be a translator? To help you communicate with the madam?" That's when I realized why he contacted me.
"Come on, I've arranged for you to stay near the zoo station so you can get away from your girlfriend." He pleaded.
"And I've already bought you everything you want, and I'm giving it to you!" he said, half threateningly.
"I've only been to KTV twice even, never been to an internet cafe, bar, or nightclub ...... want me to go straight there?!" I completely froze.
"Please, it's my bar mitzvah before I go into the army, please!" He begged.
"And I'll buy you one, too! I'll let you do the honors hahahaha" he said and hung up the phone with a big smile on his face.
That night, I struggled with how to turn down this unexpected invitation. What was this about stepping into the legendary red-light district?
To go or not to go, that is a question.
"Hida-Shindi (Yukou)" Filelet
The next day, I dragged my agonized expression into the research room and stared at the screen.
"How's it going? Do you have any plans to go somewhere?" Mr. Murata asked.
"Yes, I'm going to Osaka with my classmate, but he wants to go to Hida Shinchi ......," I replied carelessly.
"Haha, very professional, planning to go to a place that even the Japanese hardly know about!" He laughed.
"Even the Japanese don't know ......," I said with a sad face.
"But I know, congratulations, you've asked the right person!" he smiled smugly. He smiled triumphantly.
"You know?" I was shocked.
"After all, I live over there, so let me introduce you." He pulled over a chair and sat down.
"Really? But I'm still hesitant to go, I'm not sure ......" I hesitated.
"Even if you don't have to pay, you can still go there, it's very Japanese." he explained to me as he looked up the information on the internet. He explained to me while looking up information on the Internet.
The following is a compilation of information about Hida Shindei.
geographic location
Detailed address of Hida Shindi is as follows:
3-chome, Sanno, Nishinari-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 557-0001, Japan
The following stations are accessible on foot (in order of distance):
- Osaka Metro Midosuji Line and Sakaisuji Line "Zoo-mae Station" (Exit 8): 9-minute walk.
- Abeno Station on the Osaka Metro Valley Line (Exit 2): 9-minute walk.
- JR Tennoji Station (from the Chuo Exit): 10-minute walk.
- JR Shin-Imamiya Station (exit 1 south of the West Exit): the furthest, a 15-minute walk away, and the security around the station requires attention.
(Below is a map that Mr. Murata drew with love and sent to me.)
Historical Background
In the early morning hours of January 16, 1912, a fire known as the "Minami Fire" broke out in the Minami Ward of Osaka City.(Note 1)The "Great Fire of Japan" started when a spark from the chimney of the bathhouse "Hyakuso-yu" caused the adjacent brothel "Yurakukan" to burn, and the fire could not be stopped due to the wooden houses at that time, making it one of the great fires in Japanese history. The fire lasted for more than 10 hours, killing 4 people and destroying more than 5,000 houses, covering an area of 33.3 hectares and destroying the Namba Shinchi Abe Yukata, which was so badly damaged that the government refused to allow the reconstruction of brothels in the area.
In 1916 (the 5th year of the Taisho era), an alternative site was found in Tennoji Village (a low-lying area northwest of the Abeno Cemetery), and the designation of a recreation area was obtained, with a size of 22,600 tsubo. In the same year, "Hannan Land and Building Corporation" was established to acquire land in the area and prepare roads and other facilities. The company also constructed buildings and leased them to property owners.
The opening ceremony was held in December 1918 (the 7th year of the Taisho era), and although Hida Shinchi was still very new compared to other red light districts at that time, it expanded rapidly and became one of the major red light districts in Osaka. Compared with Yoshiwara Yuko, which had existed since the early Edo period, Hida Shinchi (Yuko) was a new red light district built in the Taisho period.
After the enactment of the Prevention of Vice Act in 1958, the area was transformed into a restaurant district in order to avoid legal problems, and it still retains the atmosphere of the old days. The shopkeepers hang a signboard called "Nitori-tei" and have organized themselves into groups such as the "Hida-Shinchi Nitori-kumi" (Hida-Shinchi Restaurant Group). Although they are called "Nabei-tei", they maintain the old business model in the name of "free love" between customers and staff, and call this kind of entertainment "Chiran-no-ma" (ちょんの間).(Note 2)(chonnoma)", a short-lived fish-and-water affair, without even a shower.
(Note 1) ミナミ (Minami): A general term for the busy and happy streets in the Namba, Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori, and Sennichimae districts of the central part of Osaka City.
(Note 2) ちょんの間: It is a post-war Japanese term for a customary store that operates in the old Akasaka Line (areas where prostitution is permitted or condoned) and Aobayashi Line (areas where prostitution is illegal) and provides short-term sexual services. The origin of the term is derived from the phrase "hōnen no chōtō no machi" (ほんのちょっとの間), which also refers to a short period of amusement in an amusement park.
current situation
To this day, Hida Shinden remains one of the five largest Shinden (tourist outlets) in Osaka, but in addition to their customary business, their tourist and cultural assets have brought them a number of tourists interested in history.
The most famous of these buildings is Taiyoshi Hyakuban (鯛よし百番). The building was constructed in the Taisho era and is currently designated as a nationally registered tangible cultural property. It is a modern Japanese-style building that combines the architecture of the early Taisho Showa period and the design of the post-war restoration period's kitei, but the exact year of completion and the name of the store are unknown, so it is assumed that it was constructed later than the opening of Hidaguchi. After the war, the building was converted into a tourist hotel in response to the law on the sale of spring goods, and it was operated under the name "Kokusai Kanko Goten Hyakuban Momoyamakaku" from about 1977 onward. Sightseers can dine here while enjoying the luxurious interior and historical atmosphere.
In recent years, with the popularity of the Internet and SNS, Hida Shindei has gained international popularity and foreign tourists are curious to explore the area. Hida Shindei is a very attractive place for those who are interested in the culture and history of the area.
"What are you guys talking about?" Nakata-san and Wada-san asked at the same time.
"No, Zero is going to Hida Shinden with a friend and I'm introducing him to him." He responded calmly.
"Have you been there before, how else would you know so well?" The girls looked at him with skeptical eyes.
"I had a girlfriend at the time, but I just didn't spend any money on sightseeing," he clarified. He clarified.
"But don't worry, this is the cleanest, most honest and highest quality red-light district in Japan. It's too expensive for scams like Kabukicho, but it's really great here. Since you don't have a girlfriend, you can enjoy it." He suggested enthusiastically.
"Well, it doesn't cost anything, so I'm going to take a look at it." I made up my mind.
So I decided to embark on this exciting adventure.
Related Resources
- Hida Shindi's Walking Party Matome
- Osaka Minami Fire
- Registration of Tangible Cultural Assets in the Food Service Department "Taiyoshi Momochi
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