Kabukicho's Ichiban Street was bustling under the night sky, neon lights blazing, with streams of people coming and going. Among them were many flashy young people, whose stylish hair and unique vibe set them apart from ordinary office workers.
Shawn Young asked Zhou Tao, "Uh, who are these young people? Why are they always hanging around the street watching people? They're not pickpockets, are they?"
Zhou Tao shook his head. "Heh, they're pretty much the same as the hosts you saw earlier. These guys are pimps. The handsome men up front are hosts, but these pimps often moonlight as hosts too! It's totally normal here, nothing to fuss about, haha..."
The three of them wandered deeper into Kabukicho's Ichiban Street, passing by a dazzling array of host clubs. Up ahead, even more luxurious nightclubs appeared.
Outside those nightclubs, groups of young men stood in neat black suits and ties, observing the passing crowds with oddly intense gazes.
"Uh... Are these guys pimps too?" Shawn sensed something was off.
Zhou Tao pointed at the young men. "Nope, those guys are Yamaguchi-gumi members, but they're just low-level staff. They're out here drumming up business for the clubs controlled by the Yamaguchi-gumi. This place is pretty much the world's most open red-light district. Besides Yamaguchi-gumi, there's the Inagawa-kai, the Kyokuto-kai, and even Chinese triads tangled up here. Lots of underworld stuff is out in the open. Basically, it's a man's paradise, but also the most crime-ridden spot in all of Japan. Even the cops get headaches over this place."
Shawn asked curiously, "Uh, so they just let things develop like this? Doesn't the Japanese government crack down on these gangs?"
Zhou Tao replied, "Haha, nope. In Japan, there's a law called 'freedom of association,' so the gangs are actually legal. Plus, licensed adult entertainment businesses are legal too. A lot of places here even do e-commerce and offer 'online shopping.'"
"Online shopping? What's that supposed to mean?" Shawn asked.