[Niyusu]

"Tokyo Pride Parade," the capital of Japan's annual gay extravaganza, was held this year in August. And, for the first time, the Japanese gay pride event received official endorsements from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Being gay or lesbian in Japan is not the stigma it once was and an increasing number of Japanese gays have been coming out in recent years. Kureichi Matsuzawa examines how these changes have impacted on the bars, boutiques and other establishments in Shinjuku Ni-chome, believed to number upwards of 400, which cater to the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi, trans) crowd.

With the new trend toward openness, gay-oriented places have become more dispersed around the metropolitan area, threatening Ni-chome's status as the center of gay culture in Japan...

Source: Ni-chome: Shinjuku's ever-evolving gay enclave | Japan Times