Yoshiwara: Tokyo's soapland district explained
Where it is
Yoshiwara is the historic name for what is now Senzoku 4-chome in Taito ward, in north-east Tokyo between Asakusa and Minami-Senju. The usual route is the Hibiya Line to Minowa Station, then a walk of around 10 to 15 minutes.
History
Yoshiwara was the licensed pleasure quarter of Edo, and later Tokyo. The Anti-Prostitution Act passed in 1956 and took effect in 1958, ending that era. The district revived with "Turkish baths", the businesses now called soaplands.
The district today
Yoshiwara has about a tenth of Japan's roughly 1,200 soaplands, the highest concentration in the country. Few other businesses line these streets, so it is worth knowing where you are going before you set out.
Foreign visitors
Most shops here cater to Japanese speakers. Check a shop's stated policy and reserve before you travel, ask whether it offers pickup from the station, and confirm the total, since bath and service fees are separate.
See Yoshiwara shops that accept foreign customers
Sources
More guides
- What is fuzoku? Japan's adult entertainment industry explained
- What is a soapland? A plain guide for visitors to Japan
- Delivery health in Tokyo: how it works for foreign visitors
- How much does a soapland cost in Tokyo?
- How to book delivery health in Tokyo as a foreigner
- Kabukicho for foreign visitors: touts, prices and staying safe