Japan has several kinds of adult entertainment shops. You may have heard words like "deriheru", "hoteheru", "herusu" or "soap", but the differences are not obvious, especially for visitors. This article explains the main types, how they differ, and what Japanese law says about them.
1. The differences at a glance
| Type | Japanese | Where you spend the time | In short |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery health | デリヘル (deriheru) | Your hotel room or home | A woman visits you. The most common type today |
| Hotel health | ホテヘル (hoteheru) | A hotel near the shop's reception office | Check in at a reception office, then go to a nearby hotel |
| Fashion health (shop-based) | 店舗型ヘルス (tenpo-gata herusu) | A private room in the shop | You visit the shop. Includes role-play shops (imekura) |
| Soapland | ソープランド (sōpurando) | A private room with a bathroom, in the shop | Bath-house style shop, centred on bathing services |
2. Delivery health (デリヘル)
A woman comes to where you are — usually a hotel room or your home. This is the most common type in Japan today.
- No need to travel; you can use it in your hotel or home
- You pay the hotel fee yourself
- Many ordinary hotels do not allow visitors, so check in advance — a love hotel is the most reliable choice
3. Hotel health (ホテヘル)
You check in at the shop's reception office, then meet the woman at a nearby love hotel. It works like delivery health, with a reception desk added.
- You can talk to staff in person, which makes it easier for first-timers
- The hotels are close to the reception office, so there is usually no travel fee
4. Fashion health and other shop-based types (店舗型ヘルス)
You visit the shop and receive the service in a private room inside. Role-play shops ("imekura") are also in this group.
- No hotel fee
- The shop's location is fixed and easy to find
- The law strictly limits where these shops may operate and makes it hard to open new ones, so there are few of them today
5. Soapland (ソープランド)
A shop where you spend the time in a private room with a bathroom. It is one of the oldest types of adult shop in Japan, and the service centres on bathing.
- No hotel fee
- Like fashion health shops, soaplands may only operate in limited areas, so they are concentrated in specific districts (for example Yoshiwara in Tokyo, Kawasaki in Kanagawa, Ogoto in Shiga)
- The price is often split into a "bathing fee" and a "service fee"
Our sister site Soap Times Japan covers soaplands across Japan, including a guide for international visitors.
6. What Japanese law says
All of these shops operate legally by notifying the authorities under the Adult Entertainment Business Act (風営法). Important points:
- Nobody under 18 may work at or use these shops.
- Sexual intercourse in exchange for money is illegal under Japan's Anti-Prostitution Act (売春防止法). It is not part of the service at any of the shop types described above. Do not ask for it — doing so breaks both the law and the shop's rules
- Shop-based businesses (fashion health and soapland) may only operate in strictly limited areas
- Every shop sets its own list of prohibited acts, usually published on its official website. Always follow it
7. Which one is right for you?
- Staying at a hotel or want to use it at home → Delivery health (check that your hotel allows visitors, or use a love hotel)
- First time, and want to talk to staff in person → Hotel health
- Want to spend the time at the shop, without a hotel fee → Fashion health or soapland
- Also want to enjoy a relaxing bath → Soapland (Soap Times Japan)
Remember that most shops do not accept international customers, and many require Japanese. Shops that have said they welcome international customers are listed on our Shops accepting international customers page.
Summary
Japan's adult shops fall into two main groups: visiting types, where a woman comes to you (delivery health and hotel health), and shop-based types, where you go to the shop (fashion health and soapland). Shop-based types are limited by law to certain areas, so visiting types are now the most common. In every case, intercourse for payment is illegal and not part of the service.
See also: Using a Delivery Health Service in Japan as a Foreign Visitor, How to Use a Love Hotel in Japan, Beware of Street Touts and Rip-offs.
Note: Services, prices and rules differ between shops. Always check each shop's official website before using its services.