1950s Yamaya, Tokyo and Tobita-shinchi, Osaka: Lights of the Red-light District and Shadows of the Showa Era

1950s Yamaya, Tokyo and Tobita-shinchi, Osaka: Lights of the Red-light District and Shadows of the Showa Era

During the chaotic postwar period, the struggle to survive in a corner of the city was overflowing with anguish. The red-light districts of Yamaya and Tobita Shinchi were places where prostitutes lived between light and shadow. Women called "panpan," who dealt with soldiers of the Occupation Forces, struggled to support their families while walking through the devastated streets. The lights that lit up the red-light district were not just symbols of desire, but also lights of life that supported the local economy.

In 1956, the Anti-Prostitution Law was passed and the public prostitution system was abolished, but this did not end the struggles and discrimination of these women. Even as they continued to operate in the illegal world, these women survived to make a living. Their shadows reflect the contradictions of the Showa era.