Shogun (Singapore gay sauna)

Sauna in Singapore

Shogun started life as The Box in 2003. The Box was Singapore's first cruise club and was located in a shophouse at 182, Telok Ayer Street, near Tanjong Pagar; telephone number 6221-0367. It was set up by the owner of Big Boys Bar & Restaurant, a chub and chaser club which later rebranded itself as Xposé Bar.

Entry to Shogun is gained by heading up the staircase from Trengganu Street, on the corner opposite Ten Men's Club. The reception desk is located on level 2 up a flight of steps from the street level entrance.

Level 2 has lockers, a TV lounge, a dark maze, and a very clever glass-enclosed smoking room so that patrons can still cruise those taking a cigarette break.

Level 3 has a large air-conditioned lounge with futons, dark rooms, cabins, an external non-air-conditioned enclosure with wooden platforms and futons, an outdoor shower, a toilet, a pool of tropical fish and a smaller television set around which chairs are arranged along a corridor.

Shogun is one of the most popular gay saunas and one of the last 4 currently still operating (as at 2018) because of the reasonable entry charge of $13 (formerly only $10, then $12), welcoming staff and friendly, unpretentious crowd which tends to be the masculine, Chinese-educated, mature chub and bear types and their admirers. It open 24 hours daily with free re-entry within the same day and there are theme nights. No membership fee required.