Originally Posted by
edging
@Icegodofhungary Yes, you're right. That's exactly why Ginza wasn't included.
@Wayne Let me explain a little further, as I know Ginza has quite a few fans on this forum and some may wonder why it's missing.
There are a few reasons:
1. As mentioned in my original post, the list is limited to shops I've visited, can realistically travel to, or would consider visiting.
2. The list contains 16 shop mentions, but I've visited around 20 in the last two years. Some were deliberately excluded because, in my personal opinion, they were disappointing due to the roster, venue, service or a combination of these. Midnight Tokyo 8 and Roseville Rose are examples.
3. There are also places I personally like and visit, such as Kings Court and Secrets of Sydney, which aren't included because they don't get much discussion on this forum, and perhaps aren't of much interest to its members. They're also more expensive, and I've found other good R&T options nearby that offer better value.
As for Ginza specifically, I've never visited because it's in Surry Hills, an area I rarely travel to. More importantly, when I checked its website, I noticed it stated that Indians were not accepted. I found that offensive and, quite frankly, discriminatory.
I've lived half my life outside India and take pride in being well-presented, well-groomed, well-mannered and respectful. I never haggle over money, and I've always been treated well in my social and professional circles. I simply don't see why nationality should be a basis for a blanket exclusion. For that reason, I have no intention of visiting. Think about how you would feel if you walked into an establishment and someone immediately judged and rejected you purely on the basis of your skin colour or ethnicity, without knowing anything about you. Your personality, character, manners, upbringing, how you carry yourself and how you treat others would all be irrelevant. You would be judged before you even had the opportunity to demonstrate who you really are. Surely, that is disgraceful and deeply offensive.
That's precisely how I view this situation. punting is fun, enjoyable and important, but it never comes at the expense of respect and pride. No hobby or experience is worth compromising those things in my opinion..
I also personally prefer a natural build over particularly skinny girls, so Ginza isn't somewhere I'm particularly drawn to anyway.
Ultimately, this is a personal shortlist based on my experiences, preferences and willingness to visit. It's not intended to be a definitive ranking of every shop in Sydney.
I've made around 50 posts on this forum, mostly detailed reviews rather than questions, because I genuinely want to contribute and help others avoid dud punts and have better experiences. I'll continue contributing, but Ginza won't appear in my reviews..
Hopefully that clears things up.
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