“No-pan kissa” no panties cafes in Japan

Japan’s “no panties cafes” are arguably one of the most unique and storied types of adult entertainment venues in the world. Called no-pan kissa by locals these places are exactly what they sound like. Set up like Japanese restaurants or pubs, they staff women who wear skirts without any panties on underneath. That might not sound all too intriguing on its own. Until you find out that the no-pan kissa have mirrors on the floors.

The women in the no panties cafes know why guys come. And why those guys will pay a premium on their food and beverage. Japanese porn is plentiful. But it is also censored. Vaginas are blurred in Japanese AV videos. So places like fully nude strip shows and these no pan kissa really scratch an itch. Especially when a waitress bends over to grab that napkin she accidentally dropped.

Working in a no-pan kissa

For the women the work is easier and better paying than many other jobs. Sex work is plentiful in Japan. But it is not always easy. In an interview published on this site a Japanese blowjob bar worker says she typically sucks off 10 guys a day. That is pretty labor intensive.

The no-pan kissa are typically hands off places where the customers can look but not touch. So for the staff it is something like working in a regular restaurant. Still not necessarily easy. But perhaps not as tough as working in a maid cafe. At the very least it cannot be as tough as blowing every Tom, Dick and Tanaka who comes through the door.

Discovering Japanese fuzoku

I first discovered no-pan kissa decades ago. In the 1980’s it seemed like Japan was poised to take over the world. Everything from Nintendo to Toyota was flooding the rest of the world. Tokyo was literally glowing with neon lights plastered from one end of the city to another. The Japanese economy was booming. Many people starting traveling to the land of the rising sun for business. And word of weird Japan got around quickly.

When I heard first word of these no panties cafes I was instantly interested. Unlike so many others who simply gossiped I wasn’t satisfied with just rumor and innuendo. I wanted to know all about these places. I wanted to find them and step inside. I wanted to know what it was like. I also wanted to know why this particular model of business arose. All of this years before the internet was a regular thing made the research tough. Some may even say it was unrewarding. But it did lead me on my never ending quest to examine the commercial sex industry around the world. Years later that lead directly to the creation of this website!

From no-pan kissa to the future

As it turned out no-pan kissa did exist. In the early part of the 80’s they weren’t difficult to find at all. Even for foreigners with next to no Japanese speaking ability at all. There were also no pan pubs, no pan restaurants and even no pan karaoke before karaoke became popular in the West. These places weren’t cheap. A visit to one of these places cost tens of thousands of Yen. Even in those days that amounted to several hundred dollars.

The places were certainly something. Filled with smoke and Japanese guys in suits they were like a scene out of another world. A flash of furry muff was fun to see. Then there were the places that bordered on nudist clubs with waitresses walking around with their tits out. Of course I heard about nyotaimori too. Though I never saw it in person. But even those naked sushi feasts had nothing on the various other sex shops on offer in Japan. Soaplands, pink salons, strip shows and more abounded. Back then there was probably even more adult entertainment around than can be found today!

Flashback to today

My attention quickly moved on from the no-pan kissa. When I found out guys were lining up to get cheap blowjobs in BJ bars I had to see for myself. That lead down a long and twisted rabbit hole to where I am today. At this point I have researched and reported on the commercial sex industry in dozens of countries scattered across four continents. While I have barely scratched the surface I do believe I have covered most of the major aspects. Hopefully I have also entertained readers since that was really my only goal.

Sadly it seems that no-pan kissa have disappeared from this world. I was sure that there would be at least one around somewhere. After all you can still find underground porn shops in Tokyo selling uncensored porn. And then there are those “happening bars” behind locked metal doors. But it truly does seem that the no-pan kissa have disappeared forever. I even contacted extremely knowledgeable people in the fuzoka field who promised they would ask around. None were able to locate a single upskirt club.

Perhaps there is no place for a no-pan kissa today. Nearly everyone in armed with an internet connected smart phone. Looking at a vagina is as easy pulling up a picture. Even for guys who are stuck behind the mosaic curtain in Japan. At least there are the memories. And the internet archives.

Of course it is all fairly logical. Who would pay hundreds of dollars to look at a wavy set of labia on a scratched mirror floor when they can watch a creampie gangbang for free? Strip clubs and paid porn are still hanging on. But the writing is on the wall for a lot of that too. This is the brave new world. We can either find our place in it or move on.