Gay Kyoto
| The Kyoto gay scene is not much to speak of. Kyoto's proximity to Osaka makes it unnecessary to have too many gay venues. The local ones are quite small. Since I have not lived in Japan for a couple of years now, I cannot guarantee that all of these places still exists. Please check things out, and update me on any changes! |
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The only club of note in Kyoto is the Metro. Click here for more details on this month's events. Clubs generally have a cover charge that includes one or two drinks. Especially in Kyoto, bars are very small and cater to a primarily Japanese crowd. Some staff can manage in English, but if you don't speak Japanese, it's much harder to socialise. Most bars are open at 8pm. They usually have a 'set' menu of one drink and snacks for about 1500 yen.
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Be forewarned: most gay shops are little more than overpriced porn video shops, although this trend is changing as the market opens. Also, all Japanese porn is highly censored (with 'mosaics' or little pink smudges), which begs the question, "Why bother?" NOTE: Many shops also have 'video boxes' that double as cruising spaces, or else actual cruising spaces! If you go behind the wrong curtain, you may find yourself paying up to 2000 yen for an experience you didn't expect (which may not be such a bad thing...).
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I make no comment as to the safety and/or advisability of visiting these spots. I simply provide the information found in most of the gay Japanese literature.
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