Shinjuku Nichome, the home of LGBTQ+ life in Tokyo — and by extension, Japan — is best known for its exciting nightlife and huge number of bars. However, what if you want to have a more lasting souvenir of your time in the biggest gay district in Asia than a hangover and a hickey? Or if you live here, where can you get something a little spicy to complement your sweetness?
Well, despite there being a fair few gay shops in and around the area, today we’re going to introduce you to the newest LGBTQ+ shop on the block (despite a touch of self-interest): JGG Pride Plaza!
LGBTQ+ Stores in Nichome
Japan can often be a somewhat conservative culture, when it comes to interpersonal issues. That’s what makes Nichome so liberating for so many queer people: the chance to meet with others from the LGBTQ+ community. This also goes for gay shops: although Akihabara has a number of high profile shops for those looking for something saucy, but it’s only here that you will find outlets specifically for queer people.
However, one thing that many foreign visitors and inexperienced residents often find difficult is finding a place that can not only explain the items on sale, but also give other advice in English. This is a niche that JGG Pride Plaza is amply filling.
What You Can Expect
At JGG Pride Plaza, customers can expect to find some of the sexiest and highest quality underwear, not widely available in other stores in Japan. These include both comfortable “vanilla” wear and things with a little more of a naughty touch to them.
For those keeping their pride PG, the Plaza stocks underwear from ES Collection. Founded in hot Barcelona as a textile company in 1958, the high quality of both the Europe-sourced materials and the designs made for men of any shape and size has seen ES Collection become a premier gay underwear brand around the world. Its push-up and U-shape technology creates underwear for men which is not just form-fitting, but flattering and fierce.
An offshoot of ES Collection started in 2009, going for more of an openly sexy, sensual, and seductive vibe. Getting more popular every year, the wildness of Addicted’s boxers, thongs, jockstraps and bikini briefs is enough to get people hot under the collar — even if your fella isn’t wearing any collar right now. Addicted also makes harnesses, jockstraps and bootyshorts for those who want to be even more daring and experiment a little!
It is also planning to expand its repertoire into Tenga toys and custom JGG condoms in the coming months.
Making Your Visit
Opened in November 2025, the store is open every weekday from 10am until 10pm, with plans to extend the opening times and open on the weekends in the future.
As for the location, you can find it on Google Maps here, but let us briefly talk you through arriving on foot.
If arriving from the closest subway station, which is Shinjuku-sanchome Station, you should ideally take exit C8, which brings you within a two minute (if that) to Nichome, the heart of queer Japanese culture. Turning left from the exit, walk along the side of the highway, crossing the road once. Keep walking, and you will come to a ramen restaurant, named Shinagawa Seimenjo (品川製麺所), and you should turn left, and begin walking into Nichome proper, down a road called Satsuki Dori.
As you continue to walk, you will pass the Shinjuku Pit Inn, Rocinante, and Mrpeach. After Mrpeach, you will see the JGG Pride Plaza on the ground floor on your left, and congratulations! You’re there!
What Makes JGG Pride Plaza Different?
As mentioned, there are other stores stocking LGBTQ+ products, but the central location of JGG Pride Plaza, right in the heart of Nichome, is a symbol of JGG’s dedication to the community. And in response, the community has shown its interest and enthusiasm, according to team member Pascale.
“It’s been very exciting,” she says. “In the days leading up to opening, many people have stopped to stare through the window — and one guy even yelled through the door to ask me when it was opening!”
A store manager also says “when we were still setting up, people were tugging at the door, trying to get in.”
He continued to explain that, “unlike a lot of other LGBTQ+ stores, we are extremely foreigner-friendly, in that we are fully able to speak English fluently and answer any questions that someone might have. Our very first customer was even from Hong Kong!”
The Future
This is just the beginning for JGG Pride Plaza, with a website coming soon to make ordering the available products easy for anyone, no matter where they live in Japan. Additionally, while at the launch the products available mainly cater to gay men, the store intends to expand its catalogue to include items for other members of the LGBTQ+ community.
[insidertip name=”Pascale” heading=”Staff Voices”]“I’m excited for the opening of the store, and the potential it carries in terms of future inclusivity with its items!” “JGG is expanding: we’re not just a media company, but with our tours and physical location, we’re a real part of Nichome,” the store manager added. “A lot is happening.”[/insidertip]“We’re hoping to shortly include tucking underwear for trans women, chest compressors for trans men, strap-ons for lesbians, and more,” says Pascale.
The Pride Plaza is open to everyone, and it’s open now. Come and see the newest addition to Shinjuku Nichome’s array of gay shops!
