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Gay Guides in Japan
About the LGBT Scene in Osaka
The centre of Osaka's queer scene is Dōyama-chō in the Kita ward, just east of Umeda and close to Osaka Station. It is one of the city's big entertainment districts, full of restaurants, izakaya and karaoke bars, and among them are many gay and lesbian bars, with more in Kamiyama-chō. The scene is smaller than Shinjuku Ni-chōme in Tokyo but is considered the second largest in Japan.
A good place to start is EAGLE OSAKA in Dōyama-chō, a bar spread over three floors with plenty of space and a straightforward system. Two neighbouring buildings house GRAND SLAM, a mixed dance bar with international staff, and DENGMANG, a cocktail bar that also hosts board game nights and workshops. In the basement of the Sanyo Kaikan is the club EXPLOSION, which labels each of its events as mixed, men only or women only.
A spot where women and men are equally welcome is do with cafe in the Juraku Building in Togano-chō. The restaurant is run by a drag queen trained in traditional Japanese cooking and puts on drag shows on its opening nights. Guests under 20 are not admitted.
Away from the nightlife, the non-profit QWRC is an important point of contact. It offers counselling via LINE and one-to-one sessions at Pride Center Osaka, along with support groups and evening café meet-ups at its office in the Abeno district. Couples can apply to Osaka Prefecture for a partnership certificate, which some public bodies and companies recognise.
Every October the city celebrates Pride in Ōgimachi Park with Rainbow Festa! and the Kansai Rainbow Parade.
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