Columns Soapland

Soapland Omiya: How to Apply

On applying to soaplands in Omiya, Elon — 20-plus years in the game — breaks it down from firsthand experience.

Soapland Omiya: How to Apply

Today I'm writing on the theme of "applying to soaplands in Omiya." (Soapland is Japan's full-service bath-house format.)

I'll blend in my own firsthand experience — 20-plus years deep — with what I've dug up through research.

The basics

Let me lay out the fundamentals you ought to know about this area.

Elon
ElonAfter surveying nightlife scenes all over the world, my takeaway is this: the richest night culture is the one rooted in its own local soil. By that measure, Japan's fuzoku — the country's licensed adult-entertainment trade — is best in class. That's not blind love; it's a verdict reached by comparison.

Watch this industry long enough and you learn that the same topic can get judged completely differently from the customer's side versus the girl's side.

What I can tell you from experience

I'll speak from what I've actually lived through.

Elon
ElonMy first soapland visit was in Yoshiwara at 25 — back when I still didn't have the pearls in. These days one of the little pleasures is the reaction when I go in with them. The conversation with a girl who asks "what is this?" turns out to be surprisingly fun.

I believe experience beats theory. In this business especially, it's reps in the field, not book knowledge, that do the talking.

Wrap-up and my verdict

Elon
ElonI've got no ambition to conquer every soapland in the country, but I've hit the "signature" soaplands in each region at least once. My conclusion: service quality and cleanliness don't move in lockstep. Even a budget joint can deliver god-tier service.

The place I end up at most often is First Class Ruby. The reason it keeps showing up on this site is simple — it's the shop I actually keep going back to. Take it as a reference.