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Homosexuality in Japan 2003/12/11 01:48
I apologize if this is considered poor taste, but how is homosexuality regarded in Japan? I know in several Asian countries it is almost as repressed as in Arabic countries. Is Japan like this? Would one see rainbow flags and pink triangles on cars or bikes? Are there laws prohibitting homosexuality, and are they enforced? Are there exclusively gay clubs/bars? Any information would be appreciated.
by Seanolan  

Re: Homosexuality in Japan 2003/12/11 17:54
If you do a google search for "Homosexuality in Japan" I think you'll find a lot of pages covering your questions.

When my Japanese wife came to live in Paris with me, she was surprised to see openly homosexual couples. A friend of a friend is a homosexual Japanese man who moved to Paris. According to him homosexuals in Japan are still hiding their preference and living a shadow life. Another Japanese man told me that there are no homosexuals in Japan, and I guess that that amounts to the same thing.

At the same time two Japanese women holding hands should not automaticaly be considered homosexuals. ^_^
by Kappa rate this post as useful

Well..... 2003/12/12 21:07
I'd say homosexuality is not banned as harshly as middle Africa, but is not as open as San Francisco or Bangkok. Many people enjoy going to gay clubs though, and a lot of the fashion industry population is either gay or bisexual. In any case, couples hugging and kissing is rarely seen in public even if it's a man and woman couple.
by Uco rate this post as useful

look again 2004/6/24 17:32
check out shimbashi and shinjuku nichome. Gay life is vibrant. people there arent living in shadows. a japanese friend of mine told me once that there are no gays in japan. i laughed.

-joji
by yoku mitte rate this post as useful

what is shimbashi? 2004/6/26 11:10
What is shimbashi and shinjuki nichome? I'm headed to Tokyo in three days and am hoping to observe SOME type of gay life.
by Josef rate this post as useful

To add... 2004/6/26 11:22
You will not see openly homosexual couples in town, but Ifve been to gay bars in Japan (AK is a female with gay friends) and have met some Japanese/non-Japanese gay guys there. From what they told me, some are not open about their homosexuality at their workplace, letfs say, if they work in traditional industries and not in fashion, but others were relatively open (or at least they did not go to great length to hide it or anything like that from their colleagues).

Shinjuku nichome (or 2-chome) is a section of Shinjuku area in Tokyo, where they seem to be gvibranth gay life (though Ifve never been there). Shimbashi is also an area of Tokyo.
by AK rate this post as useful

Shinjuku Ni-chome 2004/7/21 19:11
Shinjuku Ni-cho-me is a BEAUTIFUL little collection of alleys that pack almost all of Tokyo's gay pornshops, bars, and public baths (sex!). Its the gay capital of Japan, all squeezed in the space of a couple blocks. (Except for Osaka...;-) Head out of the east exit at Shinjuku station and ask for ni-cho-me.
by Muxushnax rate this post as useful

Homosexuality in Osaka 2004/7/21 21:38
I will be going to Osaka next month. Does anybody know whether where are the places where gay(women) used to hang out in Osaka? How is the gay (women) scene in Osaka comapred to Tokyo Any information would be appreciated.
by homosexual rate this post as useful

Hmmm 2004/7/22 12:09
Well it really depends on the area in which you live. Go to Osaka , Tokyo or any other major city and I find it's very open about homosexuality. However , In small areas like my city , It's viewed as a shady subject. People keep it under wrapps if you know what I mean.

On TV is another situation : It seems that certain presenters are openly homosexual yet don't actually say it. People seem to know he / she is homosexual but never actually comment on it.
by Azumi rate this post as useful

Homosexuality in Osaka 2004/7/23 20:48
Azumi - Thanks for the information.

I understand that most of the gay life in Tokyo centred around Shinjuku Ni-chome. However, there is not much information about Osaka.

If anybody has any ideas of the gay (women) hang out in Osaka, please let me know. I just hopet that I could make a few friends there when I am in Osaka next month.

by Homosexual rate this post as useful

GAY LIFE IN JAPAN 2004/8/12 21:28
I would suggest you type the words JguyUSguy (or was it USguyJguy?) on your search blank on the internet. You will find all you need to know about gay life and how foreigners are a part of it here in Japan.

This is a very, very gay country, and while few people are in-your-face openly gay, gays are left alone so long as they are good citizens.
by anonymous rate this post as useful

My thoughts 2004/8/13 06:22
I donr think that being a Homosexualy in Japan is a big issue.I live in Las Vegas and am around all types of people.Its not a big deal hear but in other citys it would be.I like Japanese people and I dont think there would care.
by kenny Warren rate this post as useful

Asia Gay Information (including Japan) 2004/10/28 15:18
Check out url www.utopia-asia.com. This website has information on gay venues throughout asia.
by Scott rate this post as useful

gay 2005/11/29 10:09
Currently there is a man who is a comedian and not gay whos character is called hard gay and hes on tv all the time here. I guess if people thought it was that bad then he wouldnt be allowed to do his act on tv. There is a huge homosexual presence in Japan, its jsut so in your face as in places like san francisco. There are gay "talento" on tv every night on variety shows, and the man who plays abarenbo shogun is gay. The famous author mishima was gay, and homoseuality was very present in buddhist monasteries. In Japanese woodblcok prints of the floating world there are depcitions of gays and lesbians.
by HG rate this post as useful

also 2005/11/29 10:13
many foreign men who are scholars of Japan and write about it are also gay. I read that in a book written by an american man who is an author and scholar.
by HG rate this post as useful

gay 2005/11/29 17:48
I dont know of any laws against homosexuality, although they arent allowed to marry each other. I havent seen any rainbow stickers or pins or that type of thing calling for equal treatment. There are gay clubs. There are even gay manga or comic books that are aimed at teenaged girls. http://www.graphicnovels.brodart.com/manga.htm
by ax rate this post as useful

Gay Life in Japan 2005/12/10 07:29
I am a Canadian gay man, and I lived in Japan for nearly six years. I have a website with information about gay life in Japan, and I hope to update it soon with a research paper I have recently written on the subject. Please visit: http://www.geocities.com/bjcjapan
I hope this will be of some help to those who are interested. If you post on my guestbook, I will get back to you.
Cheers!
by Bradley rate this post as useful

Shoveler 2005/12/14 15:29
I am a Canadian gay man, and I lived in Japan for nearly six years. I have a website with information about gay life in Japan, and I hope to update it soon with a research paper I have recently written on the subject. Please visit: http://www.geocities.com/bjcjapan
I hope this will be of some help to those who are interested. If you post on my guestbook, I will get back to you. Cheers!

Shouldnt this read, ''Post in my guestbook and I will get behind you''

So what exactly are you researching, How to pick up men and how far they bend over? Touting for fudgers on here is bit much.
by Backoff rate this post as useful

repressed 2005/12/15 01:19
If you're looking for a place to feel natural in public expressing affection Japan is not the place. Especially if you don't have and an Asian face. I'm a heterosexual and feel stares holding my husband's hand in church. And there aren't any laws to prevent you from being fired for being homosexual either. If want-ads can ask for women under 30 only, you're not talking about a place with a big anti-discrimination policy.
by m rate this post as useful

Homosexual Comfort 2006/12/15 17:43
I've lived in Japan for several years and I find this country a comfortable place to be a homosexual. If you look closely at Japanese society you will notice that it's actually very homocentric. Meaning, that it's historical roots in a gender divided society still survive.

The kind of affection that men show each other (straight, gay or bisexual) is quite disarming to a Western sensibility. There was a time in Japanese history when homosexual behavior was the norm. Buddhist monks and Samurai warriors sent the standard for Japanese society and as they were male oriented organizations they favored same-sex sexual encounters.

Unlike Western culture, Eastern cultures didn't romanticize heterosexuality to the same extent. After all, one didn't really desire to be reincarnated. And since the physical world is considered an illusion so is gender considered ambiguous and mutable. It was only when the Victorians arrived that the Japanese superficially adopted a condescending attitude towards homosexuality.

Historically they really don't have any prejudice against same sex relationships. The real difficulty for Japanese homosexuals is notion of family perpetuation, which leads many men to live bisexual lives.

Women fulfill a role to procreate and men fulfill a role to bond. Japan still carries a romantic ideal of wisdom shared esoterically within age-differentiated relationships. So younger/older type coupling is commonly pursued.
by Jasper rate this post as useful

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