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However, my favorite bar where I always end up is Grand Slam because it is colorful and gaudy, everyone stops there, and is a great place to run into friends and regulars. Osaka is known for having a tight yet diverse community, and there are a multitude of bars and spots to hang out at that are almost too numerous to count. Osaka’s night life, including its gay scene, can largely be divided into two areas: the Kita (north) side including Doyama near Umeda Station, and the Minami (south) side with Namba and the Dotonbori Canal. Tokyo’s Nichome is large and receives many visitors, but Osaka’s Doyama is definitely special in its character and scope. 1.I have lived in Japan for a few years now, and I can say with certainty that Osaka has one of the most unique gay scenes in Japan. for a delightful evening of debauchery by hitting up the bars recommended below - and then exploring where the night takes you. If you’re up for an allnighter, you’re in the right spot! We recommend arriving no earlier than 9 p.m. Just a note: trans and bi folks, while underrepresented as far as venues go, are more than welcome almost everywhere, including at the bars and clubs we mention.Įvery night of the week is a party in Doyama but the main events - like drag shows and live DJ or dance performances - are on Saturdays. Though Doyamacho is an LGBT-friendly district in much the same vein as Shinjuku’s Ni-Chome, the emphasis here is on the “G” - since most Doyama bars cater to homosexual men. Luckily, there are plenty of friendly places to grab a drink and maybe meet a cutie or two. Many of the less seedy gay venues can be exclusive and not welcoming to new or foreign visitors. Gay bars and clubs are sprinkled among seedier venues like massage parlors and brothels, many advertised at “free information” kiosks (remember, nothing in life is “free”).ĭoyama is a small but energetic area near central downtown Umeda. Besides Hokuoukan, there are many exciting - and sometimes questionable - venues on the main drag and hidden down narrow alleyways. This popular sauna has long been a gay cruising spot for steamy encounters. Doyama has also gained another reputation over the last 30 years or so - it’s regarded by many as the gayest district in western Japan.Ī major reason for the area’s infamy is Hokuoukan. The area prospers from an abundance of izakaya (informal Japanese pubs), love hotels, karaoke bars and whatever other diversions those who populate the area by day need to let off steam. It has a long reputation as a party district. Doyama (as it’s known locally) is where the ties come off (or end up around someone’s head) as business people shake away their work personas and let loose.ĭoyama is a small but energetic area near central downtown Umeda - a criss-cross patchwork of narrow alleys filled with nocturnal venues catering to all manner of entertainment. Here, they often go all out with the drinking - even on work nights. This electric neighborhood is just east of the bustling Umeda business district, where workers go to party after a long day of overtime. Tourists tend to flood nightlife districts like Namba and Umeda, but where do the notoriously crazy Osakans go to get down? The answer for many is Doyamacho, which is also the premiere spot for LGBT travel in Japan, outside of Tokyo. Nowhere in Japan is like Osaka, where every night the bright, neon streets come alive with the brashest, wackiest and quirkiest individuals in the nation.