Japan for the Uninvited

Brothels with a difference, imekura (image clubs) pander to almost every forbidden fantasy of the Japanese male.

Like Japan’s love hotels, they are painstakingly decorated to transport their clients to whatever erotic paradise they choose.

A few of the rooms are exotic and glamorous. However, the most popular rooms revel in the everyday – made to look like schoolrooms, offices, or changing rooms. It seems nothing inflames Japanese men more than the prospect of committing sordid acts in mundane, public places.

Naturally, each room is provided with its willing “actress”, who’ll be as reluctant as the customer desires. A hospital room comes complete with a naughty nurse and an office cubicle wouldn’t be complete without a saucy secretary.

More recently, imekura have exploited the underground chikan (groping) culture, by providing elaborate “subway carriage” rooms, with “unsuspecting” office ladies or schoolgirls. Whether these rooms quench anti-social urges or arouse them is not clear, but the cravings are obviously there, and clearly strong.

• ‘Almost Paradise’ (Wired.com)
• Profile of Kyoichi Tsuzuki, imekura photographer
• ‘A plain school uniform as the latest aphrodisiac’