Japan - more than just cherry blossom in pink!

4th June 2008

Tokyo’s burgeoning gay scene has to be seen to be believed

Japan doesn’t automatically spring to mind as a popular destination for gay travellers yet Tokyo is fast gaining an international reputation for its flourishing gay scene.

Tokyo’s most famous district of Shinjuku is home to just about anything and everything. With the world’s busiest train station handling three million passengers daily and with over 200 exits, visitors find themselves intoxicated by Shinjuku’s bright neon lights, gleaming skyscrapers, designer shops, bustling restaurants and pretty gardens – this is a business district and entertainment area rolled into one. It is arguably the beating heart of Tokyo and it is no surprise that Shinjuku’s Ni-cho-me is host to Japan’s most famous gay district.

Although compact, the gaybourhood of Ni-cho-me is home to hundreds of small clubs, bars, cafés, restaurants and shops, all helping to make a lively and varied gay scene. In fact, Ni-cho-me has been referred to as having the highest concentration of gay bars anywhere in the world, an impressive claim to fame.

The Ni-cho-me matsuri or festival is a cross between the Pride Parade and a traditional Matsuri or festival and is staged by the local gay community every August. The bars, clubs and neighbourhood of Ni-cho-me join together and invite people to celebrate and show some appreciation to the gods, as patrons of the area proudly carry the one-ton weight mikoshi (portable shrine) through the streets wearing traditional fundoshi (loin cloths). But, rather than the flutes and folk songs that accompany the mikoshi carriers at most other traditional festivals, the slightly less traditional camp classics of Madonna and Kylie play over the speakers in the background. As the mikoshi passes, fireworks add to the neon of Shinjuku to light up the sky and the party continues long into the night with everyone enjoying food and drink in the streets.

Of course the gay scene is not strictly limited to Tokyo; there is also a well established and lively gay scene in Osaka’s Doyama-cho - Japan’s second city. Always keen to give Tokyo a run for its money, Osaka has its own celebration with the Rainbow Parade due to run for the third time in October 2008. The event is the Kansai region’s chance to show that Tokyo is not the only city with a loud and proud gay community, with over 1,300 people joining the party in 2007 showing support for each other.

InsideJapan Tours runs a number of tours to both Tokyo and Osaka in addition to tailor-made trips. For example, there’s an eight night tour staying in Tokyo’s Shinjuku, sampling the atmosphere of Ni-cho-me before moving on to Kyoto, home of the Geisha and known for its abundance of history and culture as well as being just a short ride to Osaka’s Doyama-cho. Before returning to Tokyo for a final night, stay in one of Japan’s most famous hot spring resorts, Hakone, in the foothills of the iconic Mt. Fuji with your own private hot spring bath in your room. Prices from Ł754 per person (excluding flights) two sharing. InsideJapan Tours also has a “Tokyo Nights” Self Guided package staying in Shinjuku for 2 nights, perfect for a stopover and offering just a taste of the fun to be had.

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS: Launched in 2000, Inside Japan Tours is a small, dedicated team of specialists, all of whom have first-hand experience of living, working and travelling in Japan. The company offers a range of original, affordable packages for small groups and independent travellers. Inside Japan Tours has offices in the UK and Japan. It is a member of AITO, and is fully bonded via AITO Trust and ATOL.

PRESS: For more details, please contact James Mundy, PR Manager, tel. 0117 314 4633, email james@insidejapantours.com. Issued on behalf of Inside Japan Tours by Travel PR, tel. 020 8891 4440, email s.ockwell@travelpr.co.uk or i.bradley@travelpr.co.uk.