I was walking the back streets of Fukuoka when I saw the sign. Hakata Luxury Soapland VERSAILLES Nakasu Annex — I didn't know the name, but the clean look of the place and the handling on the phone made up my mind. These "happened-upon" encounters sometimes turn into long relationships.
The 120-minute course, ¥10,000. It's a health (herusu) around the Nakasu and Canal City area, open 10:00–0:00.
On Those 120 Minutes
How time feels changes with the circumstances. A boring 120 minutes drags; a fulfilling 120 minutes flies. Anyone has experienced that, but after fifteen years in this trade, the "density of the time" becomes a key axis of evaluation.
The 120 minutes at Hakata Luxury Soapland VERSAILLES Nakasu Annex felt short. "Losing track of time" is a worn-out phrase, but tonight was close to that state. At the end I felt "I wish I could stay a little longer." That, to me, is the highest compliment.
High-density time has something in common: the girl is "watching your state." Rather than running a manual, she moves while constantly judging what this person wants right now. The girl at VERSAILLES Nakasu Annex could do this.
Across the first third, the middle, and the back third, the atmosphere shifted naturally. Instead of moving at a fixed tempo, she sped up or slowed down to match my responses. This "living, breathing flow of time" is something you can only pull off when high technique meets deep experience. Without me saying a word, she read my state and changed the development.
One of the standards I — now 37 — use to judge "a good use of money" is "will I regret it afterward?" Those 120 minutes I spent tonight for ¥10,000 — zero regret. If anything, I wish I'd come a little sooner. Even with fifteen years of experience, nights that produce this feeling aren't that common.
A Business Trip by Another Name: Exploration
I started coming to Fukuoka on business for work reasons, but by now "researching the sex industry" has joined the list of "things to look forward to in Fukuoka." It's close to the feeling of understanding each region's culture through the body.
You can check out Hakata Luxury Soapland VERSAILLES Nakasu Annex here. Nakasu and Canal City area, open 10:00–0:00. The 120-minute course, ¥10,000.
On Regional Differences
Let me say plainly what I felt from those 120 minutes in Fukuoka. Compared to Tokyo, the "warmth" of the service ran higher. Relaxed, unhurried. That's a feeling that's hard to come by in the big city.
The "ease" that a provincial soapland has was more comfortable than I remembered.
On the Next Fukuoka Trip Too
If another trip comes up, I plan to call Hakata Luxury Soapland VERSAILLES Nakasu Annex again. ¥10,000, 120 minutes. This is a value you can't measure by the logic of the big city.
The Verdict
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall service | ★★★★★ |
| Service | ★★★★★ |
| Value | ★★★★★ |
| Would I go again | ◎ Going again |
The combination of the city of Fukuoka and Hakata Luxury Soapland VERSAILLES Nakasu Annex became, in my book, "the right answer."