Chihiro hopes to find a way to break the spell on her parents, and enlists the help of those she meets along the way: fellow worker Lin, henchman Haku, boiler operator Kamaji, and enigmatic spirit No Face, who keeps offering her gifts of bath tokens and gold. After consuming the food, they’re turned into pigs, prompting Chihiro to beg the head of the bathhouse, Yubaba, to give her a job. Chihiro’s parents get lost on their journey to their new home and fall upon some food set out at a curious abandoned shop. After all, a woman giving a man a bath and a handjob isn’t a prostitute – this woman is a worker engaging a service within the letter of the law.Įnter Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi, which is literally set in an otherworldly bathhouse dominated by male spirits and female bathers.
Effectively, soaplands skirted around the legal definition of prostitution by providing a service that was sexual, entertaining, for sale, and within the limits of legal activity.
Namely, the mizu shōbai (literally, “water trade”) popped up, earning itself the nickname “soapland.” You guessed it – this was a sento(bathhouse that charges for entry) that offered a good bath and companionship for its male customers by women. The fūzoku, or sex industry (which is not to be confused with prostitution), has gotten creative since prostitution was banned in 1958, particularly by relying upon the marriage of entertainment with non-vaginal sexual activity to attract customers. This is a limited but important piece of information to remember, because other sex acts, such as oral sex, anal sex and mammary sex, do not fall under the definition of prostitution therefore, those acts are fair game for payment. Before we go into the many channels of sexual activity, Japan gets narrow about what it considers sexual intercourse: penis-in-vagina penetration. Prostitution has a pretty loose yet specific definition in Japan: it’s the payment of money for sexual intercourse. Uplifting stuff, non? Like most fairy tales, this wonderful, affirmative piece houses a darker side – one of prostitution and child slavery mixed with lost identity and exploitation.īefore we start looking at the thematic dark side of this film, let’s first take a step back and consider the basics of prostitution in Japan. Plus, there’s the traditional Miyazaki slams against pollution and wastefulness, not to mention adorable spirits, harrowing chases and gorgeous artwork. The tale of young Chihiro and her quest to save her transformed parents by working in a bathhouse for spirits boasts wonderful values: before our eyes, a whiny, scared child gains independence, fortitude and communal acceptance in a culture alien from her own. Over the years, Hiyao Miyazaki’s Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi ( Spirited Away, 2001) has garnered a reputation for being the Thinking Person’s Fairy Tale: smart, cultured, and lacking any sign of that pesky Disney castle and musical numbers about wanting just the right guy to marry you.