Rokku, the sixth district of Asakusa, has been known as one of downtown Tokyo’s major entertainment districts since the late 19th century. Lit by garish neon signs, the streets were crammed with a variety of cabarets, comedy venues, strip clubs, and numerous theatres including the very first cinema in Japan. Its popularity started to decline by the so-called bubble era of the late 1980s, and very few of the old venues are in operation today. That does not mean Rokku has lost its erstwhile charm, however, as it gradually transformed…
