Shju Nichome: Stretchg Your Yen Tokyo's Gay District | Tokyo Cheapo

Contents:

• GAY TOKYO TOUR
• THE 10 BEST TOKYO GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS TOKYO
• TOKYO GAY BARS
• SHJU NICHOME: STRETCHG YOUR YEN THE GAYBORHOOD
• A GAY GUI TO NI-CHOME, SHJU
• JAPAN GAY TRAVEL

GAY TOKYO TOUR

Rints range om outrageoly out-there, alien, and genr-bent to culturally tradnal and polilly nservative (though 's worth notg that the past few years have seen LGBTQ activists elected to ernment offic cludg Kanako Otsuji, the first openly gay member of the Hoe of Reprentativ, and 2019, Taiga Ishikawa to Japan's Hoe of Councillors).

To w, some of the most popular genr of manga and anime are gay-themed "yaoi" and "BL" (short for "boylove") romanc, which sell like gangbters among Japane femal and have spired dozens of live-actn movi the same ve. " about a gay uple and the wonrful food they nsume (which has spired viewers to create those dish at home). The center of Japan's gay universe his pla sight, smack dab the 7-square-e district (or ward) of Shju, Tokyo.

THE 10 BEST TOKYO GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS TOKYO

A 10 or 15-mute walk om btlg Shju Statn brgs you to a quieter, more rintial feelg sectn of the cy lled Shju Ni-chome, which is home to at least a hundred LGBTQ bars and clubs, a sna plex, and gay-centric shops brimmg wh clothg, accsori, paraphernalia, and adult goods. 2, " which offer a ep dive to Shju Ni-chome's history and how beme the "gayborhood" is today, wh glimps behd the closed doors.

And 2019, Queer Eye dispatched s Fab Five to Tokyo for a season to dig to the culture and gay life. Queer men n also get the si sop on Tokyo gay life, and possibly make a iend (or more), via the app 9Monsters: s chat functn nveniently to translat English to Japane and vice versa, and there's a b of Pokemon cutens to the way assigns a kd of creature (or Monster) to the er and the type of guy they seem to like.

GaijPot Travel, a webse for English-speakg expats (and would-be expats, also featur a helpful page of Tokyo LGBTQ plac to check out, om f to nightlife, pl Japane gay bar etiquette and other helpful cultural hts. ), and Shju Ni-chome's 24 Kaikan Shju adds a whole lot of gay cisg and actn to the mix, wh eight floors of facili cludg steam room, dark rooms, and private bs (for a premium).

TOKYO GAY BARS

Kick thgs off wh the misleadgly named New Sazae, which is actually Tokyo's olst gay bar— opened 1966—and pays plenty of homage to s past wh s r and "funky dis" and soul mic nights. AiSOTOPE Lounge, possibly the district's biggt gay venue, boasts two dance floors, a stage, and mix thgs up wh men-only (and very cisy!

For more sual fare, some gay bars and f also offer food cludg Alamas Cafe and women-only Dorobune. But there’s a big gay world unknown even to most lol Japane. Though not very large, this is the most historic but still active gay area Tokyo.

Please jo on this gay Tokyo tour for an eveng of LGBTQ herage, prent and jt a pla ol’ fun night out!

SHJU NICHOME: STRETCHG YOUR YEN THE GAYBORHOOD

Historic LandmarksThough is subdued, the gay cultural herage of Asakura is palpable. Once we’re Shu 2-Chome, ’s jt flat out about gay culture NOW.

It’s hard to image young gay men gog out for a good night of revelry Asaka, but the olr generatn (as 60s+) still has que a solid home difference between Asaka and Shju isn’t jt age group, but also format. Gay bars are hard to intify. Then there’s the gay snas, and the cisg park too.

A GAY GUI TO NI-CHOME, SHJU

They only know of 2-Chome, if of the people at the var gay venu have somethg mon: Extreme closeted livg.

Nowadays, slowly but surely, if not acceptable to be openly gay, is beg acceptable to at least not be married (of urse I mean to someone of the oppose sex). Of urse your gay Tokyo tour go to 2-ChomePart three of our eveng together fally tak to where all together today, Shju 2-Chome. Also, should be noted that whereas Asaka’s scene is really only directed at olr gay men, the 2-Chome scene clus not only somethg for men of varyg ag and tegori, but also somethg for women lookg for the pany of another woman.

2-Chome is the most openly gay district Japan.

JAPAN GAY TRAVEL

Although our gay Tokyo tour don’t vis the areas, Shibuya has a sprklg of gay bars and the Shimbashi area has a sizeable gay scene oriented towards the (generally closeted) Japane bsen type.

Tour IteraryDes ago this was a major gay playground. About 60 mut of exploratn and adjacent to Shju 2-Chome gay district is 3-Chome, and we like the atmosphere here que a b.