Kabukichō

From OSWIKI

歌舞伎町 Kabukichō

Kabukichō, often called the "Sleepless Town" (眠らない街) has transformed over the years to a world famous red-light district housing over three thousand bars, nightclubs, love hotels, and the like. Recently, tourism from China and Korea are on the rise. Many tourists can be seen in Kabukichō even during daytime.

Many of Japan’s infamous yakuza are found in this area, although they may be difficult to detect. According to a spokesperson of Metropolitan Tokyo in 2004, there are more than 1000 yakuza members in Kabukichō, and 120 different enterprises under their control.

Nonetheless, Kabukichō's reputation of being a dangerous or otherwise unseemly area is highly exaggerated. There is little reason for visitors to be concerned for their physical safety. With this said, women, especially foreign women, are advised to be wary of harassment or solicitation, particularly recruitment for employment in hostess clubs. Couples are never harassed; and in the early evening there are numerous adult couples, some with children in tow, patronizing the high-class establishments. Lone individuals wandering the area aimlessly late at night are a different matter.

Around fifty closed-circuit cameras were added to the area in May 2002, in hopes of reducing crime.

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