The sex industry as a whole seems to be an interesting topic. Countries all have their own approach, where it's legal, illegal and especially where it's semi-legal. The reality is it's an age old, highly lucrative industry based on a spontaneous desire and comfortably crosses over with many legitimate businesses, so there's only so much anyone can do. With the exception of sex slavery, which is unquestionably outlawed across the board, plenty of countries seem to have their own method of ensuring the law is loophole-ridden enough to keep it a grey area.
For example: In Sweden it's legal to charge for sex, but illegal to pay for it- so while it's officially outlawed, the law essentially suits the prostitute. In Britain (i know you were probably wondering) it's legal to charge/ pay for sex from someone privately, but organised prostitution is against the law, so you can't solicit or run a brothel. In Japan, prostitution is illegal, but it's very specific about what actually counts.. namely, sexual intercourse. Anything else is fine.. Hence girls are free to offer blowjobs, handjobs, petting, and whatever else they can think of as long as it's not strictly 'sex'.
It's also interesting to observe a little about the people involved. After reading an interview with the pink box's author, reading what brothel owners have to say, and browsing through famous prostitutes and the history of the industry, it seems quite common for (voluntary) sex workers to turn out to be intelligent, well educated women. Allegedly one of the most intelligent women in the country is working as a prostitute, though the reasons are unclear. Whether there is a link, and whether it's because, perhaps, it's the clever ones who figure they can make a good living; or because there's some connection between education, confidence and sexual liberation; or because they didn't get knocked up at 13 and have 5 kids; or because they are fast learners with interesting personalities and thus good at the job, or a combination of all the above, is probably down to scenario and debate.
It's also worth pointing out the patrons are not always sick or demanding people. It seems many of the japanese customers for example purely want some 'me' time with a girl.. and sex is just a bonus. Several of the clubs in japan don't even include girls, just private rooms for hire with a tv and stack of videos, sometimes a telephone for a sex chatline, and in at least one case, high quality sex doll. And apparently that's enough to be quite popular.
Anyway, i digress. this post was supposed to be about Pink Box. I could take loads more of your, and my time typing, but i think its better to show you a little selection of the 100+ photos in the book. (btw, my scanner has made the pictures come out all halftone, which is really frustrating. they are photo quality in the book. well if you want better quality, go get the book!)
Front cover- underneath the pink PVC cover is a photo of girls lounging around in a green jelly bath. Sadly, you can't really see the full effect of the gorgeous glossy luminous effect of the pink translucent PVC, so you'll just have to trust me on what it's like.
The Perve train: Customers jump onto the [fake] train carriage, up to 14 at a time, with 'school girl commuters' for an all-you-can-grope fest. Notice an impatient customer can't help himself anxiously peering in.
Painfully gorgeous Pino has customers paint/ write on her body with ink, she then makes an imprint of herself on handmade paper for him to take home.
The brothel questionaire: Before the session, customers detail what they want. This strikes me as both genius and lame. On the one hand, since customers are unknown to the girls, it's useful to have them explain what they want.. but at the same time it must kill the anticipation, spontaneity and impulsiveness of sex. I guess money just can't buy that.
Me and claudio browsed around in the akihabara and shinjuku areas looking for some dirty used panties, but sadly the search was fruitless. Maybe we just didn't realise what we should've been looking for- this is what the packets look like. I've left the description in for your interest.
The sexual harrassment office is exactly what it says on the tin: An office where you can sexually harrass girls, dressed as secretaries. Btw, note the posters advertising 'school bus club', which contains pictures of people having sex but somehow still looks like a hello kitty advert.
Aha.. Here's one thing i remember very strongly about tokyo.. Every morning, to get to ikebukero station, we'd have to walk through a pedestrianised road and at the end of it, where the biggest crowds were, we'd be bombarded with freebie hand outs from freebie hander outers. And i swear, an astonishing proportion of them were mini packets of tissues. Tissues? i'd think. Is this to help me keep clean throughout the day? Isn't that a random freebie? But now, it has all become clear.. they were advertising sex industry services! My japanese isn't good enough to translate, but im sure they're saying something along the lines of 'fresh hot buns- come get 'em here!
Apparently, 'nyotaimori' parties are a businessman party 'tradition'. (Personally I kind of find it hard to believe it happens regularly, mostly because it strikes me as a little impractical and unhygenic..)
Finally.. verging on the offensive, frankly, but i'll include it because it is humorous: This is what a japanese 'NO INTERCOURSE ALLOWED' sign looks like.
And that's all. Sorry for such a big, long post, but what can you expect.
