A Day in Nichome
For Tokyo’s LGBTQ community, the vibrant Nichome area in bustling Shinjuku is the place to go for nightlife that caters to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer clientele of all kinds. A kind of Mecca for LGBTQ locals, Nichome is also a hotspot for queer tourists. So, what should you do and where should you go if you only have as little as one day to spend here? How can you make the most of your morning, noon, and night in Shinjuku’s premier gay district? Well, whether you’re only visiting for a short trip, or you’re a local looking to make every second count, Japan Gay Guide is happy to take you through the kind of activities, eateries, and drinking holes that you can expect to find in Nichome.
Mornings in Nichome (10AM ~ 1PM)
While Nichome is known for its nightlife, there is plenty to do throughout the day, including in the morning. Of course, the best way to get the day started is with a nice, hearty breakfast. And given that the bars and clubs are often open until the early hours, there are plenty of options for those either starting their day or finishing their night.
Morning Cafes
While Japan is famous for its tea, it has long since embraced the virtues of coffee for perking you up, staving off fatigue, and just tasting great. As such, there are cafes spread across the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo, and Nichome in Shinjuku is no exception. There is a wealth of cafes that offer coffees and teas, both steaming hot for the winter or iced for the sweltering summer.
One of the cool things about Nichome, even when compared to the pretty cosmopolitan Shinjuku, is that its LGBTQ focus comes with other counter culture and niche interest eateries. As such, there are many cafes, like KiboKo or Shinjuku Dialogue, that are not just welcoming to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender customers, but also feature sustainable, vegan dishes – a relative rarity in meat-loving Japan. And, while there are a number of chain cafes, like Veloce or Tully’s, visiting these smaller places not only helps out the independent owners and workers, but often money is donated to a good cause, whether it be sustainable development in Japan or overseas, or helping out the local LGBTQ community.
Fun activities
Now that you’ve been caffeinated and had a tasty pastry or a light meal, it’s time to sample some of Nichome’s LGBTQ culture. As Shinjuku’s historical gay district, there are a number of places you can visit that can take you through the ups and downs of its decades as a queer hub, as well as more contemporary art and politics.
There are a number of places that you can visit if you want to get a sense of Nichome, Shinjuku, and Japan’s gay scenes and history. Pride House Tokyo Legacy is one such location, with an extensive library focused on Japanese LGBTQ issues through the ages, and helpful staff who can answer your questions about the current state of queer affairs in Japan – or just give you recommendations on places to go. For a more punk-rock feel, Irregular Rhythm Asylum is one of the few remaining stores that reflect the radicalism of 1960s Tokyo – but this doesn’t mean it’s stuck in the past. With modern art, writings, and music all available for your perusal, this is the place to go to get your alternative fix.
If you want to know more about daytime attractions in Shinjuku Nichome, check this article below!
Afternoons in Nichome (1PM ~ 6PM)
After spending your morning and early afternoon exploring Nichome – or possibly even venturing a little further afield in Shinjuku – your stomach might be starting to rumble once more. Luckily, there are many places to get a great lunch, brunch, or an early dinner in Tokyo’s gaybourhood.
Luckily, the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Shinjuku and the foreigner-friendly vibes mean that there are all kinds of restaurants to suit your needs. Italian, Chinese, American, Mexican, and – of course – Japanese cuisine are all represented on the streets of Nichome. Not only that, but many have lunch specials that allow you to enjoy a full meal for ¥1,000 or less, and many places will offer free tea or water. Gyoen Roan has a great reputation as a kaiseki restaurant that serves small Japanese dishes (with fish being a focus), and Jin Jin has a terrific Italian food selection.
Despite its popularity in US gay culture, brunch is not quite as well represented in Nichome as it might be in, say, San Francisco’s Castro district. Nevertheless, there are places where you can get some delicious eggs, pastries, and a stronger drink or two. District in Shinjuku’s Kimpton Hotel is a little pricey, but you can enjoy brunch classics like Eggs Benedict along with bottomless sparkling wine. In the LUMINE building attached to Shinjuku station, Sarabeth’s offer traditional brunch cocktails like Mimosas along with delectable, US-style brunch food. Not only that, but after their lunch break, many Nichome cafes will start serving booze for their afternoon shift, so if you liked your breakfast, why not return to that cafe to try their lunch menu with a glass of wine or two?
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Nights in Nichome (6PM~)
As the sun sets, Shinjuku’s Nichome really comes alive. As the city – and the nation’s – gay capital, the nightlife is a true highlight, whether you want to enjoy a sumptuous dinner, knock back a few drinks, hit the dance floor, or all three, there is always something going on from dusk ‘til dawn.
If you want to line your stomach before (or along with) your first drink of the night, even more restaurants come alive as the stars begin to light up the sky. Rainbow Burritos Doumo is a small California-Mexican style restaurant that offers a small menu of excellent, hearty burritos to give you plenty of cushion before things get boozy. It can only accommodate around ten people at a time, so get there early and get ready to make friends. Alternatively, if you just want a little nibble, Donden is an izakaya right on the doorstep of some of the best, most popular bars and clubs in Nichome. Get a couple of good snacks in before you start serious drinking – and don’t listen to anyone who says “eating is cheating”!
Bars (9 PM~)
Now the real draw of the nightlife: the bars and clubs. The first thing you’ll want to do is think about the kind of bar you want to go to. As you can imagine, there are gay bars that prefer ladies try somewhere different, and lesbian bars that would rather gentlemen find an alternative watering hole, but there are also more than a few “mix” bars. Mix bars are open to anyone: gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, agender, non-binary, straight, cisgender – if you’ve got a pulse and you’re a part of the community or an ally, you’re welcome!
Most bars of this description are also “shot bars”. This doesn’t mean they specialize in tequila slammers, but rather that they are Western-style where you pay for drinks as you go. There are snack bars that usually charge an entry fee and ask that you buy a bottle of liquor that you can keep behind the bar for a later visit, but these are usually invite-only, so for most tourists, and even the majority of regular Japanese residents, they can be thought of as being off-limits. That said, if you get an invite, go! It can be a totally unique experience, so if you charm someone at a shot bar and they offer to take you to a snack bar, don’t pass up the opportunity!
Some of the most popular mix bars in Nichome are King Tokyo and Eagle Tokyo Blue. Welcoming atmospheres, English-speaking staff and clientele, as well as enticing drink offers make these some prime places for first-timers to visit. Not only that, but the friendly drinkers are likely to give you great recommendations if you’re looking for a bar with a more specific feel or atmosphere to visit.
Bar Gold Finger is also a mix bar, but is very much geared towards lesbian and queer women. Although men are allowed in most nights, they will definitely be in the minority – and on Saturdays, are not permitted at all. Campy! Bar is also a great place if you’re in the mood for a quiet drink in the company of some fabulous drag queens. As a tip: buy your queen a drink! It will endear you to your hostess, and you’ll probably start up a fun conversation.
Clubs (9 PM~)
When it comes to clubbing, again there are again a huge number of options. One thing to remember is that, unlike most shot bars, many (but not all) clubs will ask for an entrance fee. It’s also worth checking a club’s schedule before going, as sometimes they have men only or women only nights, which could be an issue if you’re in a mixed group.
While there are a large number of clubs, perhaps two to highlight are the newcomer Kingdom and the mainstay AiSOTOPE. Kingdom opened in July 2024, and markets itself as the first fetish-focused club in Nichome, for people who like a dark edge to their nightlife. AiSOTOPE is a multi-storey club with almost nightly events, and is close by to several bars and restaurants, making it easy to jump into if you’re feeling a little more relaxed after a cocktail, or to decamp from if you need a second to rest or feet (or have a more intimate conversation with a new acquaintance).
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What a Day!
So there you have it: an at-a-glance profile of Shinjuku’s Nichome gay district, both for the daytime and the nightlife. But though Japan Gay Guide stands by these recommendations, there is still a LOT more on offer in Tokyo’s gayborhood, and there’s plenty of things to see, eat, or do that we haven’t been able to mention. So whether you follow this list to a ‘T’, or use it as a jumping off point, just make sure to go out and explore Nichome, its restaurants, and its nightlife! There’s really no other place like it.
For a more comprehensive guide on the activities you can do at Nichome, check out the article below.
