Flat-lined economically for over two decades, Tokyo has seen much of its high-life luster worn away. Revealed beneath is a more friendly, welcoming, and relatively inexpensive holiday destination overflowing with superlative experiences for the senses.

There are many positive changes resulting from the doldrums. Bars are more mixed and friendly for foreign visitors (they need your business). English signage is now in common use, even on drink menus. With falling rental rates, savvy club owners have taken over neighboring venues, doubling or tripling the size of their formerly miniature premises. Open air concepts and corner bars spill customers out into the streets in the Shinjuku Ni-chome gayborhood.

With prices having barely risen over the last 20 years and no tipping, Tokyo has become more affordable than New York, London, Paris or Los Angeles! Taxis, once pure luxury rides -- with their lace doilies and white-gloved drivers who open the door for you -- have become affordable, comfortable alternatives to packed trains. Any tourist in their right mind should take advantage of this golden opportunity to discover the world wonders in the heart of this fascinating and friendlier-than-ever Imperial city. Tokyo may never be this cheap again!

You'll easily make friends using popular smart apps like 9 Monsters, Planet Romeo, Jack'd, and Blue'd. 9 Monsters and WeChat both built in excellent Japanese/English translation into their chat functions, opening the way for better (and hotter) intercultural exchanges.

The population of Tokyo is over 37 million (that's nearly 1.5 million Utopians!).

Click here for Tokyo hotels and accommodations.

Click here for Tokyo bars and clubs.

Comments from Utopians:

"Tobin Ohashi gallery has closed." -- Soren, Jun 5, 2024

Click here for Tokyo massage and spas for men.

• Facilities:

  • Hibiya Park

    The bench on stone walls at the back side of the Police box. The famous old facility has been taken away, but cruisers meet near this bench and run into other facilities or elsewhere.
    Add your review, comment, or correction

  • Ikebukuro Station

    East side, Exit 26 at ISP (Ikebukuro Shopping Park), under Meiji Dori St, just outside Parco and Seibu dapartment store. 10am-8pm. Very famous among young Jguys.
    Add your review, comment, or correction

  • Shibuya Station, near exits.

    Add your review, comment, or correction

  • Shibuya Station, Tokyu Toyoko-Ten Department Store.

    All levels from train station to the roof
    Add your review, comment, or correction

  • Shinjuku Station

    East Exit inside ticket gate, near JR ticketing office 1/F, and West Exit near ticket gate.
    Add your review, comment, or correction

• Gold's Gym

  Gold's has opened not one, but two gyms in Harajuku/Omotesando and so gay gym queens have made a bee line for these new and high profile clubs.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

• Sumida Park
  At the river in Asakusa

  Fetish Japanese costume cruising and late evening action
  Add your review, comment, or correction

• Ueno Okura Cinema
  2/F 2-13-6 Taito-ku, Ueno
  3831-0158

  Infamous for many decades. Crowd is mature Japanese men looking for the same in the G/F Theater, and the theater on 2/F attracts transgenders and their admirers.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Sekai Kessaku Gekijo Theater Is now called Ueno Okura Cinema オークラシアター, or simply the Okura. It costs around Y$1,700 to enter the cinema on the ground floor, and an additional Y$300 to gain access to the cinema on 2/F. The 2nd floor is favoured by cross-dressers and the men who love them." -- Steve K, Aug 11, 2024

SHIBUYA, HARAJUKU
• Las Chicas
  Near Omotesando subway station

  Fun restaurant, lively crowd, with many gays and lesbians. Favorite meeting place for activist lesbian gatherings.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

  
  SHINJUKU NI-CHOME, SAN-CHOME

  The easiest way to get to the gay area is to take the underground walkway from Shinjuku Station's East Exit (down one floor after the train exit ticket machines) or the Shinjuku Sanchome Subway Station (Marunouichi Line) to Exit C5, C7, or C8 (see map):

• Bistro Bleu UTOPIA VERIFIED MAY 2018
  Shinjuku San-Chome, Utopia Map
  03-5315-4511

  Excellent modern bistro with fine dining at a reasonable price and just two blocks from the gayborhood. Roasted game and premium meats, house-baked breads, hearty vegetables, fine wines and spirits. Top-notch, friendly staff. Open for lunch and dinner. Closed Mon.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

• Funabashiya (tempura)
  3-28-4 Shinjuku San-Chome
  3354-2751

  Located mid way between Shinjuku Station and Ni-Chome, south of Shinjuku-dori. This famous restraurant specializes in tempura of all sorts. Sit at the counter and watch the flame-retardant chefs do their crispy business. Order a set (vegentables, shrimp, etc.) which comes with salad, rice, miso soup, and tea.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

  Also, here's a great guide to restaurants around Ni-Chome: Shinjuku East Restaurants

  
  OTHER AREAS

• Kazu
  2/F Dai-Ni Kohei Bld, 3-34-22 Nakano
  3384-0423

  Nice and friendly gay restaurant in Nakano (lots of gays live in this neighborhood as evidenced in the local Tipness Gym). Very good home cooking by owner Kazuhiko. A nice, drop-in feeling here.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

• News Cafe UTOPIA VERIFIED OCT 2022
  #401 Hachikou Bld, 2-9-11 Jiyugaoka
  3725-6450

  A lovely LGBT-owned cafe in Jiyugaoka. Racchi is a terrific cook and makes both veggie and meat dishes. Closed Tue and Wed.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

Click here for Tokyo saunas for men.

HARAJUKU, AOYAMA

• Condomania UTOPIA VERIFIED MAY 2018
  Utopia Map

  Condom specialty shop at a major intersection. An easy-to-find landmark if you need to meet up with someone.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

• Harajuku UTOPIA VERIFIED JUN 2024
  Utopia Map

  Teen fashion heaven and claustrophobe hell. Part alive-action anime, part Turkish bazaar. Lots of hair dye, French maid and Alice in Wonderland outfits, mobile phone thumbing, and American pop culture. This mini-Melrose alley is worth a stroll down just to see hundreds of boy band wannabes and gothic-Lolita waifs who subsist on whip-cream crepes and Makudonarudo fries.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

  
  

  NAKANO

• Nakano Broadway UTOPIA VERIFIED MAY 2018
  Nakano, Utopia Map

  This densely packed shopping mall is host to many dozens of tiny specialty shops catering to a wide variety of cult collecting manias, from mid-century J-pop culture, movie posters, manga (comics), vintage clothing, model trains, and massage from young women dressed in gothic-Lolita costumes in a kindergarden play environment. Easy to get to by train - just a few stops from Shinjuku Station. Lots of food choices as well. Plus, a constant parade of geeky otaku (ardent maniac fans). Nakano neighborhood is also heavily populated by gay men.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

  
  

  SHINJUKU NI-CHOME, SAN-CHOME

• Free Man UTOPIA VERIFIED SEP 2012
  Shinjuku Ni-chome, Utopia Map

  Used gay videos and other novelties.
  Add your review, comment, or correction

• Lumiere UTOPIA VERIFIED MAY 2018
  Shinjuku Ni-chome, Utopia Map

  Name is in Japanese, but this gay shop is an easy landmark to locate at the very heart of the gay scene. Gay magazines, videos, pride gifts, toys, etc. Very busy and cruisy here.
  Add your review, comment, or correction