Tobita Shinchi

nihongo|Tobita Shinchi|飛田遊廓|Tobita Yūkaku, also known as Tobita Yūkaku, is the largest brothel district in western Japan. It is in the Sanno 3-chōme area of Nishinari-ku, Osaka. It was one of the largest police-sanctioned red light districts in Japan until 1958, when anti-prostitution laws went into effect. The laws seem to have had little effect for the brothels in the area, however, as they now operate largely under the guise of being "Japanese-style restaurants.""Kansai's red lights still glowing strong," "Mainichi Daily News", October 14, 2006 [http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai/archive/news/2006/10/20061014p2g00m0dm003000c.html] ]

Tobita brothels, similar to how brothels in Amsterdam have women displayed in the windows, tend to have a young woman kneeling by the genkan (entryway) or in the living room (which is fully open to the street) of the brothel to attract customers—an unusual practice for brothels in Japan.

In a practice that may seem particularly odd to foreigner, an elderly woman, often the owner of the residence sits in the genkan (entryway) and greets male passers by with phrases like "douzo oni-san" (Essentially "Please help yourself, older brother".)

Access

*Imaike Station
*Dōbutsuen-mae Station
*JR Shin-Imamiya Station
*JR Tennoji Station
*Nankai Shin-Imamiya Station

Places of interest

*Boshikannonzo(Mother and baby statue) 3-5 Sanno
*Taiyoshihyakuban(Restaurant) 3-5-25 Sanno

Well-known figure from Tobitashinchi

*Natsume Nana (夏目ナナ)

ee also

* Nishinari-ku, Osaka
* Kamagasaki Day Laborers' District

References