Derelict brothel gets a new lease on life, opening the doors to its unchanged interiors and attracting a new type of visitor.
Walk around any neighbourhood in Japan and you’ll find nods to the distant past in the form of temples, shrines, and sometimes, abandoned “girou” or “brothels“. Usually located in former “yukaku” (red-light districts), these brothels fell into disuse after World War II, when the Allied military abolished licensed prostitution, bringing about an end to the pleasure districts. Now, they stand as a relic of times past, like hidden ruins of an ancient city, but in the central district of Atami City in Shizuoka Prefecture, one old building has found a new life as part of a special art project called Glound Atami.
▼ The art event gives you the opportunity to step inside a former brothel that went by the name “Tsutaya“.
After arriving at Atami Station and going down the slope to the southwest, you’ll come to a seaside area lined with old buildings. This is the former “Itokawa Beri” red light district, although it’s written in Japanese on Google Maps as “Itokawa Former Special Drinking District“.
▼ The old brothel is located off the main road, in a quiet alley devoid of tourists.
“Old Tsutaya”, as it’s now known, is said to be about 70 years old, and for the most part, it’s been left abandoned. So although it’s old and rickety in parts, it’s also like a time capsule, unchanged from its time as a brothel.
▼ If these tiles could talk, what stories they would tell.
Normally, a place like this would be off-limits to the public, but we were able to step inside as we were visiting for the Glound Atami art project. Entry was free, and you could even take photos inside the unique space.
After entering the building, though, something felt off and we couldn’t quite put our finger on it.
▼ It wasn’t the high wooden step in the genkan entrance where we left our shoes…
▼ It wasn’t the steep, dark wooden stairs…
It was something about the vibe of the place, as it seemed much darker than what we’d imagined for a place that was once in the business of indulgence.
It seemed moody and slightly depressing, and that’s when we were finally able to put our finger on it. The place was so tiny and cramped that it was difficult for any light to pass through. Having seen brothels in red light districts depicted in anime like Demon Slayer, we’d come to think of them as grand, sprawling places filled with rooms, endless corridors, and high ceilings, almost like a small community. Old Tsutaya, however, was the complete opposite – the entrance, hallways, stairs, bath, and rooms were all tightly squeezed together, evoking a feeling of oppression.
We realised we’d been foolish to romanticise these places as lively institutions where people were able to buy and sell happiness.
Anime isn’t always like reality, and here in Old Tsutaya, the reality was dark, cramped, and slightly broken.
While the place was slightly unsettling, it was also strangely fascinating, with all the rooms on the second floor still displaying individual names.
▼ The “Ayame” (“Iris”) room
▼ In one corner of the building, a small washbasin had been set up against a stone wall, making us wonder what it was doing there.
▼ For some reason, we got strange vibes in this area…
▼ … and the room at the very end, which was marked with stains and peeling paint.
▼ While some places were obviously in a grave state of disrepair, other places were surprising in their relative neatness.
As we moved through the building, we couldn’t help but wonder what happened to the people who frequented these rooms and maybe even peered out from the windows.
Ordinarily, a building like this would normally remain closed off to time and the curious public. However, the dark, moody vibe and chequered history makes it an ideal site for art exhibitions, especially the Glound Atami event, which has video installations cleverly set up in some of the unlit rooms.
▼ The relationship between the space and the artworks makes for a mysterious, thought-provoking experience.
It’s intriguing to think that the seven small, individually named rooms on the second floor where physical relations once took place are now being used as art spaces.
Though we visited on the last day of the pop-up gallery, Glound Atami is just one part of a larger project to revive Old Tsutaya. Ultimately, the goal is to gather unique stores in this building as a way of creating a new base to attract visitors.
The Old Tsutaya revival project, to create a store tentatively named “Tsutaya General Store”, recently smashed the target amount on its crowdfunding page, so the dream of reviving the old building for a longer period is well and truly in the pipeline. With many more abandoned buildings standing vacant around Japan, creative initiatives like this may soon breathe new life into them, so their stories can continue to be told throughout the ages.
Related: Glound Atami
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