What We Want to Know
When we’re travelling to a new destination as a lesbian couple, there are a few things we take into consideration to figure out how lesbian friendly it is. We like to know what the LGBTQ+ laws are in that country, as well as what the social climate is. In some places the laws and the feelings of the local people don’t necessarily match. We also like to know if there are any “gaybourhoods” or areas that are especially lesbian friendly. This blog series is meant to inform other lesbian travellers about different destinations around the world, and help empower them to travel more openly when it is safe to do so. We will be sharing our experiences in each country as well as our recommendations, but as always we encourage everyone to do their own research. We can only speak to our own experiences, and everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to being out and open while travelling. The travel destinations that an LGBTQ+ person chooses, and the way in which they travel is a very personal decision, and we encourage everyone to only do what feels right to them.
Keep reading to find how out lesbian friendly Japan is!
LGBTQ+ Laws
The laws regarding LGBTQ+ people in Japan are quite progressive for an Asian country, and things are continuing to move forward. Same-sex sexual activity is legal and has been since 1880. Same-sex marriage is not legal in Japan, but Japanese citizens are allowed to marry same-sex partners in other countries. As well, seven cities in Japan along with two districts in Tokyo, offer partnership certificates to same-sex couples to help grant them housing and hospital visitation rights. This is a major step toward equal rights for LGBTQ+ people in Japan! As of 2018, there are no federal laws protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, but the city of Tokyo passed a law this year prohibiting any discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Last year, the Ministry of Education added sexual orientation and gender identity to their national anti-bullying policy, and cases of discrimination in Japan are quite uncommon. Overall, Japan’s laws are fairly progressive and hopefully they will continue to make strides in the coming years.
Social Climate
The public opinion in Japan, especially among younger generations of Japanese people, is in favour of the LGBTQ+ community. Recent polls show that more than half of the Japanese population support the idea of marriage equality, and acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. There are several LGBTQ+ politicians serving openly, and Tokyo has been hosting a Pride celebration since 2012 that grows each year. Things are certainly moving in the right direction in Japan.
Gaybourhoods
The best gay area in Japan is called the Ni-chome district in Shinjuku, Tokyo. This gaybourhood is lively and out in the open, and is full of bars for every subculture you could imagine. The main lesbian bar is Goldfinger, along with other lesbian establishments such as Dorobune, and Adezakura. If you’re looking for gay nightlife in Japan, the best LGBTQ+ scene is definitely Ni-chome!
Our Experience
We loved our visit to Japan! We spent our time in Tokyo, and found the city to be quite lesbian friendly. Tokyo feels very safe, and we were comfortable being there as a lesbian couple. Japanese people are extremely polite, and we felt welcomed by everyone we met. We stayed in a hotel in Shinjuku and the hotel staff made no comment that we booked a small room with only one bed. We held hands and showed some affection to one another while we were out, although PDA is not a common practice in Japanese culture, so we remained respectful of that. We didn’t receive any unwanted attention from men, and we didn’t feel like anyone took real notice of us as a couple. We only had positive interactions with the local people, and when we mentioned that we were married, everyone responded kindly. We spent a night out in the Ni-chome district of Tokyo, and went to a lesbian karaoke bar. We were the only non-Japanese people there, and it was amazing to see the local LGBTQ+ scene. We highly recommend Japan as a lesbian friendly country in Asia, and especially Tokyo!
Have you been to Japan? Share your experience in the comments below!
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