Times Square, Manhattan (late 1960s). Photographed by Eiichiro Sakata.
Sakata was a Japanese photographer who worked with famed photographer Richard Avedon while he was on trip for Vogue in 1965. Avedon invited him to New York the following year and became his darkroom printer. On weekends, he roamed around Manhattan, taking portraits in Times Square from 1966-1969.
Times Square, known for its theatres and hotels in the early 20th century, was in rapid decline by the mid-1960s. The Great Depression and city decline brought more adult forms of entertainment, such as burlesque shows and dance halls. Sex work started to become prevalent in the area. The introduction of the 25-cent peep-show in 1966 brought even more explicit forms of entertainment and commerce, like porn theatres and shops. The Port Authority Bus Terminal became a known pipeline for runaways coming to the city and the sex work industry.