Asasuka soaplands — Despite numerous fires and harshening sex work laws, the centuries old area continues to persevere in East Tokyo. Manami Okazaki traces its history and meets people who shape its present.
(NSFW) Shibari’s popularity has boomed worldwide. Yet in Tokyo, Kinbaku remains an underground affair, connected to the sex industry and practiced by cult icons like Akira Naka.
Tokyo’s Alpha Inn has provided a vital home for underground erotic expression and Japan’s BDSM community – but can this iconic space survive?
Young Japanese people are turning their backs on urban life to rediscover traditional skills and breathe new energy into declining rural communities.