Roppongi Rumors

Filed by: The Author of tIoGT

In general, I tend to look down my nose at girls who are willing to sell themselves. I’m not just referring to prostitutes, but also hostesses, escorts, strippers, exotic dancers etc. etc. I can help but feel uncomfortable in their presence and am always amazed and confused at their boundless levels of self-confidence.

Although hostesses and escorts perform an entertainment based role markedly different from that provided by a prostitute, obviously everybody has a price, and like most thinking people I would wager that many of the poor creatures in buffer area roles do eventually cross over into prostitution. Even if only for the benefit of an important client or very select clientele.

I was therefore quite confused to recently find myself in admiration of their ingenuity and business acumen. Ill tell you why in a minute.

Like most people I have always found the large pet emporium just off Roppongi Crossing quite odd.


After all, the area is an adult entertainment precinct populated by sleazy bars, hostess clubs, all night disco techs, flashy restaurants, ‘Gentlemans’ Clubs, and lots, and lots of other things.

The commercial rents in that area must appalling high, especially after the Midtown Complex opened in 2007. How could an ordinary pet shop possibly hold its ground? It also keeps really weird hours, opening to all hours of the night. Getting back to the girls.


In Japan it is customary for regulars to offer their favorite hostess a present each time they visit. Although this is normally only a cheap, shiny trinket, sometimes it can extend to expensive items like jewelry. Mostly the girls drop hints as to something they have had their eye on. At the height of the bubble economy it was not unheard of for the best girls to even receive apartments, cars and overseas travel.

While jewelry, fur coats, and weekend trips to Paris are all very well, everybody knows that a working girl’s best friend is cash. And this is where the pet shop comes in.

If rumors are to be believed, recently it seems, many enterprising young ladies are increasingly likely to ask their besotted visitors to buy them a cute little puppy or kitten from the pet shop, often for as much as JPY10,000-200,000. They then return them in exchange for a cash sum renegotiated with the pet shop in advance of the purchase.


Not bad if its true.

It sure would be interesting to find out who actually owns that pet shop. Care to hazard a guess?