5 Things to Watch Out for When Playing in the Japanese Sex Industry

The world of adult entertainment in Japan has its own unique culture and rules.

If you are a foreigner thinking about exploring Japan’s nightlife for the first time, it’s important to keep these five points in mind.

Never engage with street prostitutes

In Japan, there exist individual sex workers known as “street prostitutes”. Among these women, there are those who engage in what is known as a “honey trap”, where they approach customers, and then collude with yakuza gang members to demand exorbitant amounts of money.

Furthermore, there’s a risk that these women might be carrying sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.

To avoid such risks, make sure to only use reputable adult entertainment establishments if you are a tourist looking to have some fun in Japan.

These establishments have clear pricing structures and properly adhere to hygiene management.
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Even if you call the shop directly, they may not understand English

Often when you call an adult entertainment shop directly, the staff might not be able to speak English.

However, don’t let that discourage you. Nowadays, you can use messaging apps like SNS, Telegram, or LINE to communicate with them using translation features.

Also, it’s important to keep a record of your conversation by text messaging. Even if the shop cannot understand English, usually they will figure out some way to understand and respond to your English text messages. If they still say they can’t understand English, you might want to question their hospitality and consider looking for another shop.

Be careful about options

In Japan, adult entertainment shops commonly offer what’s known as “options”, or additional services. These are services or specific actions that incur an extra fee.

While some high-end “delivery health” shops (escort services) include everything in their pricing, the usual shops do have options.

Make sure to thoroughly check what options are available and what they cost. If you just go along with what you want without considering the options, you might end up being charged more than you expected.

Actual intercourse is absolutely forbidden

In Japanese adult entertainment shops, intercourse is basically forbidden.

The only exception is a type of shop known as a “soapland”, where intercourse is sometimes overlooked by an unspoken understanding. This is because a soapland is, in essence, a “bathhouse”, and what happens between men and women inside is considered a matter of personal freedom.
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However, such acts are absolutely prohibited in other types of shops such as delivery health services. So please bear in mind that, depending on the type of shop you visit, certain activities may not be allowed.

Be aware that there are women who refuse foreign customers

While many Japanese women are kind and friendly towards foreigners, the situation is a bit different in the adult entertainment industry.

Communication is essential in these places, and if English is not understood or if the customer is a foreign tourist who may be a one-time customer, some women might be reluctant to provide service.

Therefore, it’s important to clearly communicate from the beginning that you are a foreigner. Failure to do so might lead to misunderstandings and complications later on.

By keeping these points in mind, you can enjoy the adult entertainment industry in Japan. However, always remember that whatever happens, you are responsible for your own actions, so proceed with caution.