Lost In Tokyo: Part 1 - Lucie Blackman

In the first episode of Lost in Tokyo, we are introduced to Lucie Blackman, a young woman from England. Lucie's journey begins with a 13-hour flight from London to Tokyo. Little does she know that two months later, her life will take a tragic turn as she vanishes into the bustling streets of Tokyo.

Join us as we explore the captivating and mysterious story of Lucie Blackman's life in Tokyo, where cultures collide, secrets emerge, and the destiny of a young woman's future is dramatically altered.

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Transcript

Lost in Tokyo a story in 6 parts: this is part one: Lucie Blackman

[Underscore Music]

The 13-hour Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Tokyo touched down, this was a city Lucie Blackman had never visited, two months later Lucie will vanish into the Tokyo night.

[Theme Music Start]

We dance round in a ring and suppose, but the Secret Sits in the middle and knows.

[Theme Music Play Out]

[Under Score Music]

Lucie Blackman was born on a Friday, September 1st, 1978, to be exact, her parents, Tim and Jane named her Lucie, derived from the Latin word for light and light was something that Lucie held a strong affinity for in her life.  Lucie was uncomfortable in darkened rooms, and she would always turn on every light in a room, she even slept at night with a lamp on in her bedroom.  Lucie was Jane and Tim’s first child; the couple had married when Jane was 22 years old.  Tim had been the older brother of one of Jane’s girlfriends, he was 23 at the time.  In 1980 the couple welcomed their second bundle of joy, another girl, this one they named Sophie and then three short years later, the couple had their final child, Rupert.  Tim began a new career in property development, and he started his own company with a business partner, the family moved from their Laura Ashley-style cottage to the town of Sevenoaks, in Kent.  Sevenoaks sits south-east of London, England and it serves as somewhat of a commuter town, the main line railway cuts through the town so it is easy for businessmen and women to travel back and forth to work by way of public transportation.  The late, Diana, Princess of Wales also attended the West Heath School in Sevenoaks.

Jane had not had a perfect childhood, far from it, to say the least and because of that Jane was determined to make the best life she could for the three humans she had brought into this world.  Jane would warm her kid’s slippers against the front of the stove, that way, when they came in the house, their house slippers would be all warm and cozy.  Jane’s greatest fear in her life was losing one of her precious babies and this made her into a protective mother, quite possibly an overprotective mother.

Families are complicated things, they come with a sordid history, many characters float in and out of the familiar stories and because of this, it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact moment a family gets torn asunder.  This was not the case for the Blackman family and Jane can expressly identify the moment their family fell to pieces.  The Blackman family were all together, enjoying a Sunday afternoon as a family, there was a fire flickering in the fireplace, the children were enjoying tricolor toast, that is toast stripped with three different color spreads, Marmite, apricot jam, and strawberry jam, if you would like to try it yourself.  And the family was watching the latest episode of The Wonder Years, one of their favorite shows.  Rupert was sitting in his father’s lap and Tim looked around the room at his Norman Rockwell like family and he said, “I love being family”, just one simple phrase to capture this moment, “I love being family.”  The following day, the Blackman family would be torn apart, forever.

Monday morning, Jane Blackman’s phone rang, when she answered there was a man on the other end of the line, whom Jane did not know.  The man informed Jane that her husband Tim had been sleeping with his wife.  Jane waited on Tim to return home from work and then she confronted him about the call.  Tim attempted to deny the accusation, but he eventually gave in and confessed his transgressions.  Jane told her husband to move out immediately.  The couple who had been together for 19 years did not end their relationship amicably, the couple shouted at one another for the rest of the evening, while black trash bags were filled with Tim’s clothing and belongings and then those bags were catapulted out of the windows by Jane, coming to rest on the lawn below.  

Jane remained in the giant Edwardian style house with her three children, through the Christmas season.  Tim’s property development business had been under performing and Tim was forced to liquidize the business.  Jane and Tim sold their large home in Sevenoaks when they could no longer afford the payments and Jane moved, with the kids, into a smaller home still located within Sevenoaks.  This new home was far from the opulent Edwardian Style home they were used to, this home was a simple construction block home, and it had its own checkered past.

The home’s former owner was a woman named Diana Goldsmith, Diana had been a 44-year-old woman with a substance abuse problem, who had dropped her children off at school one day and then she just vanished.  The house still contained traces of the investigation into the woman’s disappearance, like the black fingerprint powder still clinging to the window ledges.  Diana Goldsmith’s body was found the next year buried in a garden in the village of Bromley, Diana’s ex was put on trial for her murder, but he was acquitted of the charges.  Every one of the Blackmans hated this house, especially Lucie.  No one knew that this would be the last home Lucie ever had.

Lucie and her younger sister Sophie were very close sisters as they made their way through adolescence. It was commonplace for people to mention how much the two girls resembled one another, partly in a physical way, but more about the way they spoke and their physical mannerisms, you could just tell that these two girls spent a lot of time together.  No one understood Lucie Blackman like her sister Sophie.  After Jane and Tim’s divorce and the subsequent move into their more meager accommodations, things in the Blackman’s home took a turn.  Jane began acting like her children were more like close friends, or as if Jane herself was one of the siblings, rather than their mother.  Jane got along great with her kids, but it was always Lucie who acted as the peacemaker in the home when things went awry.  One close friend of the family stated, “When Sophie used to scream and shout at Jane, it was always Lucie who would be the one to sort the problems out.  She grew up quickly after Tim left.  She became the mother, and Jane was the child.”

As Lucie grew into herself, she discovered one of her great pleasures was to take care of her own grooming, Lucie always fixed her hair and applied makeup, even if she was only going out for one quick errand.  She had long naturally blond hair and Lucie was quite tall herself; these two things alone drew the attention of others around her.  Lucie was also charismatic, she loved to laugh and as she did, she would throw her head back and her shoulders would shake, Lucie loved to laugh.  She also loved shopping and new cloths and painting her nails, with all of this in mind, Lucie was also quite smart.  She had done very well in school, however; Lucie chose not to move on to a college or University, instead she obtained a job with Banque de Societe Generale, a French investment bank in London.

For this job, Lucie would assist dealers on the trading floor, this was primarily a male dominated job and the new tall, buxom, blond 18-year-old girl on the floor was quite a lot for these men to deal with.  They called Lucie “Baps”, this was in reference to her breast size, because adult men are never truly adults, they are eternal children who can be triggered by anything out of the ordinary.  Having a real job at 18-years-old afforded Lucie opportunities that her contemporaries could not understand.  Lucie purchased a car, a black Renault Clio to drive back and forth to work each day, she loved going on expensive shopping trips, one time Lucie and a friend visited the exclusive Rigby & Peller shop and she purchased 10 of their handmade bras, Rigby & Peller is a UK based luxury lingerie brand and retailer who specializes in corset work, they were also the corsetieres to the former queen of England.  

Even though Lucie was living an adult life, she did not make the money to cover her new extravagant lifestyle, and this is when Lucie began descending into the dark spiral of debt.  After a year of this life, Lucie decided to move on, she had also been dating a young man who also worked at the bank, but they had gone their separate ways and Lucie had somewhat of a hard time with that.

After leaving her job at the bank, Lucie had to take stock of her life, what would be her next move?  What made the most since?  Lucie loved to travel, but as we already talked about, Lucie was more of a luxury traveler and not quite a backpacking, granola style traveler.  If the destination did not have a plug for Lucie’s hair dryer, she was not on board.  After taking all these things into consideration, Lucie decided to apply to become an air stewardess for British airways.  

Lucie embarked on this new job in May of 1998, the training lasted 21 days, these were long days of arduous training which included lessons like, how to deliver a baby at 36,000 feet in the air, how to handcuff unruly passengers, and how to deal with an onboard bomb mid-flight.  During Lucie’s first year and a half as a stewardess she worked short flights, quick jaunts around Europe, back and forth, back and forth, all the while Lucie’s mother Jane tracked every one of Lucie’s flights to make sure they landed safely, she also gave Lucie express instructions for her to call her after every flight.  

Lucie dated around a bit, she had strict rules she followed when it came to men, Lucie wanted to be careful with her heart and then Sophie spotted a man for Lucie at the Royal Oak Hotel, he was gorgeous, he was working as a bartender and his name was Marco.  Marco told Lucie that he was 30, and he worked as a model when he was not at the hotel bar.  Lucie began spending all her free time with Marco, she was falling fast for this guy, even though her friends found him vain and aloof.  One weekend when Lucie had an overnight flight to work, Marco dropped her off at the airport and then left in her little black Renault Clio, he told her that he would be there the next day when she landed.  But when the following day arrived and Lucie walked out of the Heathrow airport, Marco was no where to be found.  Lucie began calling around looking for Marco, and when she contacted one of Marco’s cousins he told Lucie, “I was hoping this wouldn’t happen again.  This is what Marco does, you see.  What exactly has he told you?”  In this moment, Lucie learned that everything Marco had told her had been a lie, or at least not the whole truth.  It turns out Marco had never worked as a model, and he was severely addicted to cocaine.  Sophie went to Marco’s apartment, where she found him passed out in his bed, the keys to Lucie’s car were sitting on his bedside table.  Sophie picked up the keys and stormed out of the flat, but before she left, she gave Marco a good smack for being such a shithead.  As Sophie left the apartment to get her sister’s car, she saw that Lucie’s car now had some fresh scrapes and dents it had not had the day before.  Sophie knew this would upset Lucie, she loved this car as much as she loved her hair and fingernails.  This was obviously the end of Marco in Lucie Blackman’s life.  After a few months went by, Lucie and Sophie received some troubling news, Marco was dead, it was unclear if he had committed suicide or if he had accidentally overdosed, either way, it was still upsetting news.

[Music Change]

It turned out that the life of a commercial flight attendant was not the glamourous life Lucie had hoped for.  The short haul flights from London to other airports around Europe were not exciting and the pay was abysmal, but Lucie had just received a promotion that allowed her to start taking international flights out of Gatwick.  The longer flights came with more money and bonuses for a myriad of reasons, these flights also came with stipends for things like meals and hotel rooms.  The most profitable trip Lucie could be scheduled was to Tokyo, Japan.  Even with the increase to Lucie’s salary, she was still slowly sinking into a sandpit of debt, her monthly expenses outweighed what she was making, even with this increase.  The long-haul flights were exhausting, everyday Lucie went to work on an airplane with a crew of stewards she had never met, and she quickly realized that the inside of a hotel room looked the same if you were in London, Dubai, or Tokyo.  She was too tired and jetlagged to go out and enjoy any of the cities she traveled to.

And then in early 2000, Lucie’s best friend, Louise Phillips had a completely brilliant plan, “lets move to Japan.”  The two girls had been close friends ever since they were 13 years old.  Louise was the opposite of Lucie, she was short and slim with dark hair, but the girls bonded over their love of makeup and nail polish, Lucie’s mother even referred to Louise as Lucie’s soulmate.  One stark contrast between these two young ladies was Louise’s aptitude to be a leader.  Louise always seemed to be the leader of the duo, she left school at 16 and obtained a job at an investment bank, Lucie followed this same path 2 years later, Louise left her banking job to become a stewardess for British Airways and Lucie soon did the same, and it was Louise who instigated the idea of moving to Tokyo so the two girls could work and pay off their debts.

Louise’s older sister Emma had done the same thing just a few years back, Emma spent 2 years in Tokyo earning money, what she had done for the money she earned was somewhat of a quagmire.  When Emma spoke of her time in Tokyo, it was shrouded with ambiguity, some people thought she worked in bars, others thought she was a typical waitress and there was even mention that Emma worked with a dance troupe.  What Emma had actually been doing was a fairly common job in Japan, hostessing, we will get more into this profession later in our story, but at this point all Lucie and Louise knew about the job was that it involved pouring people drinks, singing karaoke and listening to people talk.  As Lucie explained this plan to her mother Jane, all Jane could think about was how to prevent her daughter from going through with this cockamamie plan.  

Lucie was dating a young man at this time called Jamie and Jamie was as distraught as Lucie’s mother about her leaving, they had only been dating a few months, but he truly cared for Lucie.  One evening, while the young couple were in line at a local movie theatre, Lucie told Jamie that she did not want to carry her attachment to him with her to Japan and she broke up with him right in that moment.  Jamie was aghast, they had not been arguing or anything, he did not understand why Lucie would just drop him like this.  Jamie had noticed over the past week that Lucie’s personality had been changing ever so slightly and it seemed like someone else was instructing Lucie on how to conduct her personal life.  I could say that this perception is simply from a boy she was breaking up with and maybe it was nothing, but there were other people in Lucie’s life that also noticed the changes in her leading up to her move to Japan.  Lucie’s mother said that Lucie went through her room and threw away a lot of her personal belongings, it was as if Lucie never planned on coming home.  Lucie went out of her way to spend time with all of her family members before she left, specifically her father, Tim and his new wife, Josephine Burr.

Jane knew that her daughter was an adult and that she could and would make her own decisions, but Jane put in all the effort she could to dissuade her daughter from moving away from home.  Jane left articles which she had clipped from the paper on Lucie’s bed, these articles usually pertained to the bad economy in Japan during this time.  When this did not work, Jane made an appointment for Lucie to visit a spiritual medium, Lucie then cancelled this appointment.  In a final moment of desperation, Jane ruminated on what would happen if she simply hid Lucie’s passport, but ultimately Jane knew that she could not hold back the tides and she did not hide her daughter’s passport.

On May 4th of the year 2000, Louise’s mother drove both girls to the Heathrow airport during the early morning hours.  Lucie and Louise’s flight from London to Tokyo was scheduled to take off at noon.  Lucie Blackman was 21 years old, and she was leaving the home she had always known for the mystery that awaited her in Tokyo, Japan.  The flight from London to Tokyo lasts around 12 hours, a majority of this flight takes place high above Siberia, the view from the window was a breathtaking sight to behold.  Miles upon miles of snow-capped mountains stretched out towards the horizon, their jagged peaks piercing the clouds above.  The landscape below was a patchwork of frozen rivers, dense forests, and barren tundra, all bathed in a soft, ethereal light that seemed to emanate from the very air itself.  The sheer scale of the Siberian wilderness was awe-inspiring, a reminder of the raw power and beauty of nature that could be found in even the most remote corners of the world.

As their plane approached the Narita airport in Tokyo, the first thing that catches the girl’s eyes is the sprawling cityscape, with towering skyscrapers and a seemingly endless sea of buildings stretching out as far as the eye can see.  As the plane descends, they notice the intricate network of highways and railways, with trains zipping by at dizzying speeds.  But amidst the urban jungle, there are also pockets of green, with parks and gardens providing a much-needed reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city.  Tall iconic buildings like the Tokyo Tower and the Tokyo Sky tree stand as symbols of the city’s progress and modernism.  The sight of the city from above is a testament to the city’s unique blend of tradition and innovation, and this was exactly what Lucie and Louise were looking for.

Back home in England it had just turned to midnight and the girls could already feel the jet lag as they stepped off the plane, they were ready for bed, but stepping into the bright light of a fresh Japanese morning.  It was 9:13 am when Lucie made her first diary entry in Japan: “I am sitting on a suitcase at the railway underground feeling completely overwhelmed.  I am very tired, also afraid, anxious & lost & very hot!  I only hope that I will look back at this with hindsight & laugh at my innocence – of how I was so unaware of what was in store for me.”  Being a gaijin, or a foreigner, in Japan is a unique experience filled with a blend of fascination, challenges, and cultural exploration. From the moment you set foot in the country, the sense of being an outsider is palpable, with language barriers and unfamiliar customs creating a constant reminder that you are the one who is different. Yet, amidst the occasional stares and curious glances, there is a warmth and genuine curiosity from the Japanese people, who often go out of their way to assist and engage with foreigners. By embracing the rich traditions, vibrant festivals, and exquisite cuisine, the gaijin in Japan gains a profound appreciation for the country's deep-rooted culture and the unique perspectives that come with being an outsider in this captivating land.  

That is, if you are actually in Japan as a foreign tourist, but tourism was the last thing on Lucie and Louise’s minds, they had not come to Japan for culture or food, they had come to make money and for the next 59 days, Lucie will live and work in this massive city, but she will stay, primarily within the few hundred square yards built to entertain gaijin tourists, an area of Tokyo built for pleasure and profit, an area of Tokyo known as Roppongi, or High Touch Town.

[Music Change]

Roppongi, located in the heart of Tokyo, is a district that embodies both historical significance and vibrant contemporary culture. With a fascinating history dating back to the Edo period, Roppongi has transformed over time, becoming a melting pot of international influences. Following World War II, Roppongi gained prominence as a popular entertainment hub for US military personnel stationed in Japan, with its bars, clubs, and nightlife catering specifically to their presence. This connection to the US military left an indelible mark on the area, shaping its character and creating a unique blend of Japanese and Western influences. This is where the nickname, High Touch Town, came from, the US military men, always observed giving high fives to each other.  During the daytime, Roppongi showcases its cosmopolitan charm, with modern architecture, high-end shopping, and international cuisine, my favorite thing to eat in Roppongi are the kabab sandwiches, these spicy pita sandwiches have gained popularity among locals and tourists alike, offering a taste of the flavors from the Levant region of the middle east. Operating these Kabab sandwich shops are a diverse group of entrepreneurs, both from the Middle East and local Japanese owners who have developed a deep appreciation for the cuisine. 

 As the sun sets, Roppongi transforms into a lively nightlife destination, with its streets illuminated by neon signs and a myriad of bars, clubs, and entertainment venues beckoning visitors to immerse themselves in the energetic atmosphere. The stark contrast between Roppongi during the day and its electrifying nightlife highlights the district's dynamic nature, offering an array of experiences to suit every preference.  

The people who inhabit the area of Roppongi are as diverse as the cuisine.  There are three main groups of people who stand out, the first of these are known as the Africans.  Black men in Japan are an entire gaijin category all to their own and these men from Ghana, Nigeria and Gambia worked for clubs in Roppongi, their job is to lure men, Japanese men, and gaijin men, into the clubs they work for.  These men have lived in Japan for years and they speak Japanese very well.  These men are not threatening in any way, as you walk down the street, they may approach you, you may notice as they slip an arm around your shoulder as you walk, they may pull out a sexually explicit photo to entice you and they will walk with you for several yards as they offer you topless bars, sexy girls, titties and ass, ass and titties.  In the end, if this is not what you are looking for, you can just say no thank you and keep walking, they are just trying to make a living.  These men are all legally married to Japanese women, so the police can not remove them from the country, no matter how much they would like to.

The second group of inhabitants in Roppongi who stand out are a subculture of Japanese women known as "Roppongi girls" who have a particular interest in foreign men. These women are often seen at nightclubs, bars, and restaurants frequented by foreigners, dressed in trendy outfits that showcase their style and confidence. These women typically wear tight-fitting dresses, high heels, and bold makeup, often featuring Western fashion trends mixed with Japanese sensibilities.

During the 1990s, the fashion trend of bodycon, or body-conscious clothing, emerged in Japan and quickly became popular among the Roppongi girls. The bodycon style emphasized form-fitting clothes that hugged the body, showcasing curves and emphasizing femininity. The trend was influenced by Western fashion, particularly American fashion, and was characterized by bold prints, bright colors, and tight silhouettes, this fashion trend became a symbol of confidence, independence, and followed a desire to stand out in a crowded and competitive city.

By the beginning of 2000, as Lucie and Louise arrived in the city, bodycon had given way to Ganguro.  The word "ganguro" translates to "black face," but it doesn't refer to the literal color of the skin. Instead, ganguro fashion is characterized by its unique and extreme tanning, often achieved through heavy use of artificial tanning products or sunbathing.  The ganguro style features dark, deeply tanned skin, contrasted with bleached or brightly colored hair. Women who embrace ganguro fashion often sport vibrant shades of blonde, pink, or blue hair, accompanied by dramatic and colorful makeup. The makeup typically includes heavy eyeliner, false eyelashes, bright eyeshadow, and glossy or glittery lip colors.  This look is not what people in the US think of as black face, these girls look more like Oompa Loopmas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  But hey, to each their own.

In addition to their distinctive tans and colorful hair, ganguro girls often wear extravagant and provocative outfits. This can include brightly colored and oversized clothing, platform shoes, and accessories like feather boas, ribbons, and chokers. The fashion style is characterized by a mix of elements from various subcultures, including hip-hop, beach culture, and even traditional Japanese clothing.  Ganguro fashion emerged as a rebellious response to the societal norms of beauty and femininity in Japan. It aimed to challenge traditional standards of beauty by embracing an alternative and unconventional aesthetic. 

The third distinctive group that inhabits Roppongi just so happen to be the group we are going to discuss during this story, young Caucasian women.  These women travel to Tokyo from all over the world, they hail from Australia and France and England, just to name a few and they come to Japan to work as hostesses. Their style of dress reflects a fusion of international influences, often combining elements of Western fashion with Japanese trends. As the evening hours commence, they don elegant cocktail dresses and high heels to attract attention and create an air of sophistication.  As club hostesses, their work entails creating a lively and entertaining atmosphere for their clients, typically consisting of Japanese businessmen and tourists. Hostesses engage in conversation, pour drinks, light cigarettes, and ensure their clients have a memorable experience. Alongside their social interactions, hostesses also entertain their clients by playing games and singing karaoke. Their role is to provide companionship and an enjoyable environment for clients to unwind after a long day.  These were the girls Lucie and Louise had traveled to Japan to join.  The girls had told Lucie’s mother, Jane a bit of a lie to relive her anxiety over the girl’s move.  Lucie told her mother that they would be staying with Louise’s aunt, who was Japanese by birth.  The thing was, that this aunt lived in south London, and not in Japan.  Louise’s sister Emma still had friends from the time she had spent in Tokyo, and she used one of these connections to book a room for the two girls at Sasaki House.  

[Music Change – Back to the Train Station]

Now that Lucie had finished her first journal entry in Japan, the girls made their way to the train station.  The trip from Narita Airport to anywhere in Japan can be quite complicated if you have never been to the country before, and Lucie had not anticipated all the train changes and long flights of stairs in and out of the train stations, all while lugging her heavy luggage with her.  On top of this, both girls were wearing high-heeled shoes, this was a big mistake.  Finally, the girls made the decision to take a taxi the rest of the way to the Sasaki House, this would cost the girls a pretty penny, taxi cabs in Japan are not cheap whatsoever.  As the taxi dropped the girls off, they stood outside of the house staring at their future, a future they had envisioned very differently in their minds.  Sasaki House was not the hostel the girls were expecting, there were no freshly pressed sheets, no mama-san to take care of the house, no, instead what Lucie and Louise walked into was a Japanese accommodation known as a gaijin house.  A gaijin house is a house of singular rooms rented out to the transient population of Tokyo, the rooms are rented to English teachers, backpackers, and night workers.  The girls realized immediately that this house was disgusting, Louise said, “We were just in shock. We looked in the lounge, and there were two people stoned on a sofa.  We came up to the room and Christa was in there doing her hair.  She was putting this thick, gloopy oil all over it – it looked like fat.  And they were all smoking spliffs.  The room stank.  You could hardly see inside with the smoke.”

The small bedroom would be shared between Lucie and Louise, there was a tiny window that the girls covered with Indian sarongs to keep out the light.  There was a futon mattress with no sheets, a broken mirror and to the girl’s literal nightmare, the only toilet in the house was a traditional Japanese squat toilet, something to try on your first trip to Japan, you will not forget it.  Lucie would only refer to this house as the “shithouse”, but they worked together to improve their room to a somewhat livable condition.  They hung posters to cover the darkened walls and they bought nice smelling candles to cover the stench of smoke that permeated the entire house.  After their quick refresh of their living accommodations, the girls went to sleep, and they slept for most of the following day.  

When they woke it was already getting late on Friday night and they decided to travel into Roppongi, the girls borrowed some bikes from others who were staying at the shithouse, and they rode into Roppongi with a half-baked desire to find jobs.  Christa, who also lived in the shithouse, already worked as a club hostess and she gave the girls the names of a couple of clubs they could go to.  As the girls arrived in Roppongi the energetic atmosphere was almost more than they could take in, neon signs flashed everywhere and the streets and sidewalks were packed with people, it was difficult for the girls to get their bearings and figure out exactly where they were and where they could find the clubs Christa had suggested.  As they stood, looking around and trying to make sense of everything around them, a young attractive Japanese man approached the girls, he asked if he could provide any assistance and he asked if the girls were interested in working as hostesses.  The man told the girls, if their intention was to become hostesses, he could introduce them to some people who might be able to help.  Lucie and Louise were trepidatious, but they decided to take the man up on his offer and they began following the man up Outer Moat East Avenue and into a building with a neon-lit signboard out front.  This first club had no availability for a new hostess and so they moved on to another club.  The second club the girls visited with their new tour guide was warm and welcoming to the girls, the owner of this club obviously knew their gentlemanly escort and so he introduced himself to the girls, he was Mr. Nishi and after a few rudimentary questions, he offered both Lucie and Louise jobs on the spot.  The girls felt ecstatic, they had only just arrived in Japan, and they had already secured jobs, they were now the two newest club hostesses of the Casablanca club in Roppongi.  

[Music Change]

Lucie Blackman and Louise Phillips had no idea that their decision to work as hostesses in Roppongi would forever alter the course of their lives. As they embraced the thrilling chaos of the city, a chance encounter had led them to the doorstep of opportunity. But as they stepped into the Casablanca club, unaware of the challenges that awaited them, the girls could not anticipate the dark secrets lurking beneath the surface. Join us next week as we delve deeper into Lucie’s journey as a club hostess, where glitz and glamour intertwine with danger and deception. We dance round in a ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and knows.

To preserve the confidentiality of those affected, certain names and nationalities have been modified.

Full Sources:

All descriptions of Tokyo, Japan, observations about Japanese culture, and impressions of the warmth of the Japanese people stem from my extensive travel experiences in Japan and are reflective of my personal insights. – John W. Dodson
 
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