The golden glow of yellow lanterns illuminates this five-foot way of century old shop houses on Lebuh Cintra, George Town, Penang.

This street was once home to the Japanese ‘Karayuki-san’ or women of the night who left their homeland to escape extreme hardship.

Many were sold off by their families and ended up as domestic helpers or prostitutes in far away lands.

Most never returned home. The ‘Karayuki-san’ who died in Penang are buried in the Penang Japanese cemetary on Jalan P.Ramlee.