Guide: Matsushima Shinchi

Matsushima Shinchi is Osaka’s second largest full-service Red-Light District, after Tobita Shinchi. It is located in Kujo of Nishi-ward of Osaka. The original location in Chiyozaki was destroyed during the Osaka Air Raids of World War 2, and it moved to its current location between Honda 2-Chome and Kujo 1-Chome.

The Anti-Prostitution laws introduced in 1958 led to the brothels continuing their trade as restaurants to skirt laws that prohibit direct transactions for sex that have been tolerated to this day. What occurs in these restaurants isn’t seen by the government as explicit prostitution but free love being made, making them completely legal.

💡 What is Matsushima Shinchi?

The brothels of Matsushima Shinchi are one of the 5 areas in Osaka where these types of brothels proliferate, coming in second to Tobita Shinchi by sheer shop count.

There are roughly 80 to 100 brothels in Matsushima Shinchi that do business at any given time, just over half the number of brothels you would find at Tobita Shinchi.

🚃 Getting to Matsushima Shinchi

The area is a 5-minute walk from Kujō Station. It is accessible by public transport on the following lines, which have two separate stations with the same name.

• Chuo Line ( Exit 6 )
• Hanshin Namba Line ( Exit 1 )

Both stations are easy to access from central Osaka, 30 minutes away from Umeda and only 20 minutes from Namba.

Station Name	Time Required	First Train to Kujō	Last Train from Kujō
Kansai-Airport	1 hour	05:38	23:44
Tennōji	25 minutes	04:52	00:01
Namba	25 minutes	04:52	00:01
Umeda	30 minutes	04:49	00:01
Shin-Osaka	30 minutes	05:08	23:58
Kyoto	75 minutes	05:02	23:31

If visiting by taxi, enter and use the following address to make your way to the Matsushima Restaurant Association as the starting point for your visit.

Car parking is readily available in the area, and certain streets within Matsushima Shinchi, including the main street, can also be driven through.

Matsushima Shinchi is open for business from midday to midnight, seven days a week. Business hours vary by brothel, with some opening earlier or later in the day. All brothels are in full operation by 5PM for the peak hour rush that starts between 6pm and 9 pm.

🌐 Are foreigners welcome to Matsushima Shinchi?

Foreigners are welcome to visit and play at Matsushima Shinchi, though not all brothels are foreigner-friendly, with the providers having the final say on whether or not they will service you.

If the provider makes eye contact and smiles at you, it is a good indicator that she is open and willing to serve you, giving you the green light.

Foreigners of Asian descent will have the easiest run in the area, with all other ethnicities having higher rejection rates. Looking approachable and friendly and knowing a few words in Japanese will go a long way in getting yourself accepted to the majority of brothels in Matsushima Shinichi.

🙆‍♂️ What services are offered at Matsushima Shinchi?

The brothels of Matsushima Shinchi offer full-service sex like all the other brothels in Osaka and Soaplands across Japan. The only difference with this area is the availability of showers within the brothels, which are non-existent at Tobita Shinchi.

Additionally, brothels in Matsushima Shinchi are famous for providing raw service, referred to as “NS,” standing for “No Skin” in Japanese, especially at brothels with older providers who can’t compete with their looks alone.

💴 How much does Matsushima Shinchi cost?

Prices for sex in Matsushima Shinchi are slightly lower than in Tobita Shinchi, though the savings are more or less redundant when you factor in the showering time during your session.

Prices were increased in early 2024 by ¥2,000 to the current prices listed below by association supposedly due to the increase in tourists visiting the area.

Course Length	Price
20 minutes	¥13,000
30 minutes	¥18,000
40 minutes	¥23,000
50 minutes	¥28,000
60 minutes	¥33,000
10 minutes Extension	¥5,000

The recommended course length, at minimum, is 30 minutes and over, giving you enough time to shower before and after the session.

❓ What are the differences in Matsushima Shinchi?

Brothels in Matsushima Shinchi operate in their own way, different from what you would expect at Tobita Shinchi.

• Multiple providers are shown at the front of the brothels instead of just one.
• Providers can be found seated on chairs with a barrier only exposing the upper portion of their bodies
• No lollipop given after service to signal to other brothels you’ve already had your fun when making your way out of the area

Main Street

The busiest street in Matsushima Shinchi, with over 30 brothels that make up a large chunk of the brothels doing business in Matsushima Shinchi. The providers here are of the highest tier of all the streets, good looking and in their early 20s.

 This street is also wide enough to be driven through on both sides of the road.

Post Office Street

When making your way from Kujo station, this is the first section of Matsushima Shinchi you will enter past the Post Office. There are over 10 brothels that are not part of the main street’s offerings. Providers here are of a lower tier compared to what’s available on Main Street.

Matsumoto Kiyoshi Street

This street intersects the Main Street towards the Restaurant Association St when making your way from shopping street where you will find the Japanese Pharmacy chain named Matsumoto Kiyoshi. The providers found here are slightly older in their 30’s.

Main Back Street

A quiet backstreet with over ten brothels. Providers seeking privacy out of sight from the main street can be found working here. The providers here are slightly older from their 20s to early 30s.

Milf Street

The MILF street of Matsushima Shinchi where the providers are much older. Here, you can meet providers in their 30s to 40s. Towards Ibarasumiyoshi Shrine.

Honda/Intersection Area

There are over 20 brothels to be found in this area, all scattered apart, with no brothels located on opposite sides of each other. Hosting providers in their early 20s of the same caliber as Main Street. Being secluded from the rest of Matsushima Shinchi gives workers here a discreet post to work out of.

👧 What kind of sex workers can I meet at Matsushima Shinchi?

Tobita Shinchi is known for having some of the most attractive women, but beauty is subjective. It’s important not to make assumptions before visiting, as the women you encounter in Matsushima Shinchi may not necessarily be of lower quality than those in Tobita Shinchi.

The providers working in the brothels along the Main street, where foot traffic is highest, are considered the most attractive in the area. In contrast, the brothels on the smaller, less frequented streets tend to offer providers of a lower grade.

🔞 What to expect visiting Matsushima Shinchi?

Finding a Girl

Stroll around Matsushima Shinchi to explore what’s available, but don’t spend too much time deliberating, as you might miss your opportunity. When you spot someone who catches your eye, trust your instincts and approach the brothel with confidence and a smile.

Enter The Store and Book

Initiate contact with the staff member, not the provider directly. Ask if the provider you are interested in will accept you as a foreigner. If negotiations go smoothly, pay the fee upfront in cash for the time you would like to spend with your chosen provider.

Go Upstairs to Play Rooms

The play rooms are upstairs of the brothel, where you will be showered and receive the services paid for, being full-service sex. Once you have done your business, you will prepare to leave the store within the timeframe you have paid for. 

Finish

After the final shower, you will get dressed and leave the store the same way you came in. No lollipop is given like at Tobita Shinchi, where sucking on one signals to other brothels when leaving the area that you’ve had your fun already.

👣 First time visitor to Matsushima Shinchi?

• No smartphones to be used at any time when roaming the streets of Matsushima Shinchi. If you need to check your phone at any point, make sure you are not in the vicinity of any of the brothels when doing so. Having your phone out and pointed towards the brothels will not be received well.
• Don’t take your kids or loved ones through Matsushima Shinchi; the area is not for sightseeing and is a serious Red-Light-District
• Best time to visit the best-looking providers is between 6 PM to 8 PM on Friday and Saturday evenings

🔎 Other areas like Matsushima Shinchi in Osaka

There are four other areas in Osaka where brothels like Matsushima Shinchi proliferate in, they include :

• Tobita Shinchi
• Shinodayama Shinchi Shinodayama Station
• Imazato Shinchi Shōji Station
• Takii Shinchi Takii Station