Tokyo in the rain has a particular feel to it. The Tokyo area. I folded my umbrella, walked into the hotel lobby, and called Lemon Girls.
30-minute course, ¥5,500. Right inside the budget I'd set for the night. The Shinjuku/Kabukicho area, 7:00–24:00.
When the 30 Minutes End
You can tell the end is coming because the girl starts slowly easing off the pace. Not an abrupt "all right then," but a natural slide into a lingering stretch. Few girls can "design the ending" like that. Most of the time the end comes out of nowhere, and that's usually the letdown.
The cleanup time was unhurried too. She didn't rush me. When I started to move, she fell in naturally and helped me get ready. The quality of someone's work shows in "how they move in the closing moments" too.
A line on the way out stuck with me. "If you ever get back to Tokyo, please come again"—a stock line, but the delivery wasn't stock. She paused a beat before saying it, and that pause was natural. Whether a "please come back" is genuine is something 17 years has taught me to read. Tonight it was close to genuine.
While I laced my shoes, she didn't say anything unnecessary. The "quiet" in the time before the elevator arrived was easy on the nerves. No need to fill it past what was needed. That "grace in stepping back" is one more gauge of a girl's quality.
After I got outside, I walked a little and stopped. Tokyo's night was still moving. My head was quiet. Those 30 minutes at Lemon Girls tonight—I could honestly call it a good night. The ¥5,500 is a price that includes that quiet afterglow.
On the Facilities
In a health-shop experience, the quality of the facilities has a direct effect. The hotel room Lemon Girls sets up cleared the bar on cleanliness and then some. Bed size, the state of the bathroom, the room temperature—when those are in order, you can focus on the service itself.
About the Girl Who Came
A Tokyo health shop, ¥5,500 for 30 minutes. When the girl arrived, the first thing she did was check the room. People used to hotel health (hoteheru) often size up the room's layout before they get moving.
The fact that she ran that check at all is a sign of "someone who's done this many times."
About Lemon Girls
The Shinjuku/Kabukicho area, open 7:00–24:00. From the hotel directions to the girl's arrival, the flow was smooth. Having both the facilities and the girl's quality lined up at once is harder than it sounds, and a shop that pulls it off is worth repeating.
The Verdict
| Category | Stars |
|---|---|
| Reception/phone manner | ★★★★☆ |
| The girl's vibe | ★★★☆☆ |
| Technique/service | ★★★★☆ |
| How full the time felt | ★★★★☆ |
| Price fairness | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Overall | ★★★★★ |
I wrote this record hoping it helps anyone looking to try a health shop in the Tokyo area.