Nestled between the embassies, historic publishing houses and the Tokyo American Club stands an odd, castle-like building. A giant penis statue rest on top of the lobby bar. These pay-by-the-hour hotels have a gaudy, hedonistic aesthetic with interiors that are beyond kitsch.
Each dungeon room has a bath, a bed and is dimly lit. If a slipper is tucked in the door, leaving it slightly open, it means that anyone can come in and watch or join the activities. While Alpha Inn once relied on word of mouth, today many guests initially meet on Twitter, then convene for an hour or two of debauchery with strangers.
Entering the first room, we find a group of men who met on Twitter: one is cross-dressed and tied up to a St. Andrews Cross, while two others play with him and another watches. Brett explains that much that occurs in Japan goes on beneath the surface of acceptable behaviour. The narrative is about being humble and suffering for the group. Japan is famous for its low birth rates and aging population.
Young people are increasingly less interested in sex and relationships, reporting high rates of celibacy. A survey found that more than half of Japanese twenty-somethings are not in a relationship: Alpha Inn remains a relic of retro kink but its clientele has changed over the years.
But nowadays, it is young people in their 20s meeting on apps, so I feel the era has changed. Saori says that around half of his clients today are amateurs, while the other half are professionals. A recent trend is the rise in male escorts using the hotel to cater to women. Despite the clear demand for the expression and freedom it provides to its guests, recreating Alpha Inn would be impossible today.
