Kabukicho | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Kabukicho Tokyo the sleepless town

April 15, 2014 by David Herd

Kabukicho Tokyo

Kabukicho Tokyo the sleepless town

Kabukicho Tokyo the sleepless town, an entertainment and red-light district in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Kabukicho is the location of many host and hostess clubs, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs, and is often called the “Sleepless Town”

Kabukicho Tokyo has transformed from a residential area to a world famous red-light district housing over three thousand bars, nightclubs, love hotels, massage parlours, hostess clubs and the like. Although referred here as a “red light district”, there are no red lights in the literal sense with prostitutes in the windows as in Amsterdam.

Selling dreams to lonely women in Kabukicho.

The “sleepless town”

According to a spokesperson of Metropolitan Tokyo in 2004, there are more than 1,000 yakuza members in Kabukicho, and 120 different enterprises under their control.

Entering the new millennium, laws were more strictly enforced and patrols became more frequent. These, adding to the installation of fifty closed-circuit cameras in May 2002, reduced criminal activities here, amidst controversy.

In 2004, the police undertook an operation clamping down on illegal clubs and brothels, causing many to go out of business. Also, there is a movement to rid this area of the yakuza (“bad hand” gangs), known as the Kabukicho Renaissance.

Kabukicho Tokyo Neon lights everywhere

Kabukicho Tokyo was a great place to stay as there is always something to see & do. Also it is close to Piss Ally, one of my favorite spots in Tokyo.

An Australian influence?

You gotta love Wombat herbs. 🙂

Kabukicho Tokyo DVD shop

A typical Kabukicho neon.

One of many love hotels

Kabukicho is the largest red light district in Asia

Another love hotel

You have the option to pay for a short stay or all night, up to you.

It really is the town that never sleeps

They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway, but for me Kabukicho Tokyo is the world’s brightest city.

Here is a site which shows you what is available

Check out those wonderful innocent faces. 🙂 Photo by Phoenix & Phoenix.

Selling dreams to lonely women in Kabukicho.

Grambell Hotel Shibuya

A nice budget hotel in a fantastic location. Use this link for a great rate.

April 2nd 2020

Dozens of sex workers have been infected with coronavirus in Japan’s biggest red light district sparking fears hundreds of customers may have been infected with the killer disease.

Japanese media reports scores of people working in the adult industry in the notorious Kabukicho district of Tokyo have been confirmed to have COVID-19. Check out THIS LINK.

My favourite Japanese song