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Dec 07 2012 11 Comments

A Shinjuku girl doing her make-up in a red light district doorway

Girls doing their make-up on the train is a regular sight in Tokyo; young women who unabashedly go about their business despite the quiet but uncomfortable congestion around them.

Doing the same thing plonked down on the pavement, however, isn’t nearly so common, although in Kabukicho, Shinjuku’s infamous red light district, it perhaps shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise.

Kabukicho girl

Categorized: Photography

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Martin says

    12/7/2012 at 9:30 am

    Good picture. It gets the imagination going.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/7/2012 at 6:05 pm

      Cheers. Yeah, not sure what the story is/was.

      Reply
    • Paul says

      12/7/2012 at 10:32 pm

      Not in that way, I hope. 😉

      Reply
  2. winnie says

    12/7/2012 at 4:52 pm

    Cool!! I have not see this situation before! She going to make up there?!
    They seem to be capable of make up in anywhere. They also can do their make-up while standing in moving train.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/7/2012 at 6:09 pm

      It seemed that way. But why on the street I don’t know.

      Reply
  3. A Former Expat says

    12/8/2012 at 12:24 am

    Must be quite the classy place she works for. She say anything to you/notice when you snapped the photo?

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/8/2012 at 10:17 am

      It certainly seems that way…

      Nah, she didn’t even notice. I only stopped briefly, and she was too caught up in what she was doing.

      Reply
  4. Kathryn says

    12/9/2012 at 9:47 am

    She’s not doing her makeup, she’s looking for something in her handbag.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/9/2012 at 10:58 am

      True, but she was looking in her bag for more beauty products. Some of which, along with her cigarettes, she had already put on the pavement.

      Reply
  5. Iwao Yamamoto says

    12/14/2012 at 12:06 am

    Somehow a black and white picture reminds me of the past town like Ueno Station after the world war under the guard of Yamanote Line. I can understand she is going to make up there because it’s convieninent for her instead of getting into a building or a room. We feel sad for these young women. In Japan we learn morals in public at elementary schools or junior high schools but these days almost no one is going to say something to them directly. Regrettable indeed. As always your picture makes me say something! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Lee says

      12/14/2012 at 6:06 pm

      You are welcome. Good or bad, I’m happy to hear it caused a reaction.

      Reply

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