This is B/W real photo of Malay Street c. 1900 scene, when it was part of the Japanese karayuki-san 'red light' district, together with contiguous Hylam and Bencoolen Streets, was notorious for its Japanese karayuki-san brothels. The area was known to its Japanese residents as Suteretsu or 'street'. The Japanese prostitution industry began to wind down after World War I under pressure from the Japanese authorities. The area comprised many dilapidated two storey shop houses, the last of which were demolished in the early 1980s. Today the old street is incorporated within Bugis Junction, a pedestrian shopping mall made up of three streets - Malabar Street, Malay Street and Hylam Street.Malay Street in the early 1900s was a vibrant and bustling part of the Japanese karayuki-san 'red light' district in Singapore. The Japanese karayuki-san were women who were trafficked from Japan to work as prostitutes in Southeast Asia. This piece of history is captured in a rare collectible stamp from that era. The stamp features a scene from Malay Street, showing the bustling activity and rich cultural influences of the time. It is a unique and valuable addition to any philatelic collection, offering a glimpse into a little-known aspect of Singapore's history. This collectible stamp serves as a reminder of the complex and diverse history of the region.
