In my recent research efforts, I was able to take some time to do observations in both Shibuya and Shinjuku. While doing some online research, I found that almost all of the top gay bars in Tokyo were located in Shinjuku. In Shinjuku, there is a two block area known as Ni-Chrome, which is the LGBTQ+ district. In this packed little area, there are locations for every member of the LGBTQ+ community. I was able to go to the Campy! Bar, a LGBT drag bar, to do some observation. It seems that community has expanded to include many types of people in the area, from LGBTQ+ people, to straight men, to women looking for a safe area to socialize. I was able to briefly converse with one of the drag queens, who told me that all sorts of people come to socialize. I was able to stay and chat with people at the bar for over 3 hours, feeling very comfortable and welcome.
While I wouldn’t have been able to tell at the time I was there, it seems that Ni-Chrome has actually been in decline in recent years. An article on The Independent describes the shrinking community of Ni-Chrome, possibly due to a greater acceptance of LGBTQ+ people and the advent of the internet. I hope to look into this more as I go back this week.
Shibuya, in contrast, seems to have more legal protections for LGBTQ+ people with a less concentrated night life. I was able to find an interview with Shibuya’s Diversity Lead for the Promotion of Gender Equality and Diversity, Ryutaro Nagata. He describes his goal to educate the citizens of Shibuya and provide grounds for change through art. Shibuya is the only ward in tokyo to have a diversity center, which helps reinforce the progressiveness of the city.
This week, I am going to try and do some research into the gay community of Shibuya. While both places are hubs for LGBTQ+ people, I think it will be interesting to compare the purposes they serve and how they contrast.