Shinjuku 2-chome & Asakusa: An Amazing Adventure into the LGTB History and Scene of Tokyo

Join us on an amazing adventure into the LGBT history and scene of Tokyo. Explore Shinjuku 2-chome, Japan’s largest gayborhood, and experience the vibrant culture of Asakusa. Discover the past and present of Japanese gay society on this inclusive tour.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 6 days
Highlights
  • Asakusa - Sensoji (Temple) forms the deeply historic heart of Asakusa, but the shopping, dining, and entertainment areas alongside its approach is also the center of Tokyo’s “elder gay” population. A century ago, Asakusa was in many ways what Shinjuku and Shibuya are like today. In fact, the Asakusa to Ueno stretch was so popular back in the early…
What's Included
  • 2 drinks included (choice of alcoholic or non-alcoholic)
  • Dinner provided
  • Gratuities included
  • Alcoholic beverages available
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup (please inquire – this may be available for an additional charge upon request)
  • Transportation (you’ll need 270 yen for the one subway ride we take)
Additional Information

Behind every stoic Japanese businessman face there is a secret, thus one aspect of ‘honne tatemae,’ which loosely translates to something along the lines of keeping the publicly acceptable face forward, and the true face within. This, combined with Japanese culture’s general disdain for public affection, might make Tokyo seem to not have as vibrant an…

Location
Kamiya Bar
Please meet on the corner outside this famous bar/restaurant. Easily accessible by two different subway lines.
Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(16 Ratings)
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577terrym
Sep 13, 2024
Do it!! - Toru was a fantastic host. He gave us a great overview of the past and present, all wrapped up with lots of fun, interesting info and photos. A fun small group of us listened, laughed, ate and drank our way around the old and new gaybourhood. Arigatou Gozaimasu Toru.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jedatsea2005
Sep 10, 2024
Need a jet lagged energy boost? Pick this tour! - Even though we were jet lagged, Toru brought the energy and was an incredible guide. We hit all the hotspots with some history, some laughter, and lots of “picture time!” Dinner was delicious, the drinks were strong, and the company was the best. 100/10!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brian
Aug 15, 2024
Fun tour - Fun tour. Our guide explained everything and itinerary was great. We also met interesting people from around the world.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S197whtammyl
Mar 11, 2024
The best tour! - I took many day tours during my visit to Japan and Cecilia is the absolute best guide. This tour covered historical sites, traditions, cultural insight, sampling of local bar food, and vibrant night scene. My other tours were interesting, but this one delved deeper in explaining the customs and culture which became alive with Cecelia's life experience and stories. After touring the area you aren't shuttled into the same place that everyone visits and actually get to pick which bar you want to visit. I highly recommend this experience to everyone, and a special thanks to Cecelia for her warm and personable guidance.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scott_s
Feb 28, 2024
Good Overview of the LGBT+ Scene - This was a nice little tour. Our guide, Mayo, did an excellent job pointing out various places and providing information as we walked. They answered all of the questions we had as they shared a bit of the local scene…which was a lot larger than we had imagined. We had a nice stop for dinner and went to a bar for a drink. I do wish we had been able to do the tour on a weekend instead of a Tuesday night because there would have been more venues open and active. I would recommend the tour for a snapshot of the local LGBT+ areas.
Review provided by Viator
Richard_n
Sep 11, 2023
Mayo the Magnificent - Our guide was Mayo. Fantastic! Very knowledgeable, articulate, helpful and friendly. A great evening. We we’re having such a great time we ran overtime. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Adam_a
Aug 24, 2023
Learn about the gay side of things - Since it was a Tuesday, it was just me and Lukas my friendly Belgian guide. Took me out and about, explained Japanese gay culture and how it all works. Learned a ton, and eventually wound up at fun spot popular with ex-pats. Highly recommend to see the gay side of things around town and decode a lot of the area and things you may see.
Review provided by Viator
Jack_l
Jul 5, 2023
Interesting and educational overview! - Lucasz was extremely knowledgeable about the areas we toured -- as a European who has been living in Japan for a number of years, he had a unique perspective on the Tokyo community. I wish we had booked this tour toward the beginning of our trip, rather than on our last night there.
Review provided by Viator
Aleph_c
Jul 18, 2024
Very cool, really nice and polite guide :) - Guide was really nice, polite and teached me a bunch of interesting stuff about Tokyo's LGBTQPIAN+ scene and history, I really learned quite a bit. My few criticisms would be: guide seemed just a little bit lost and unexperienced at times, and considering the price of the experience, I think they should offer more drinks during the Shinjuku bars part of the tour. Apart from that, really cool experience, I would totally recommend for people who can afford it. Really good for just-arriving-in-Tokyo folks (I did it the day I arrived and was totally worth it for gathering some useful tips for my stay in town).
Review provided by Viator
Pierre_p
Oct 12, 2024
Deception - Our guide, Toru, was kind and enthusiastic. However, we were disappointed with the content covered by the tour, which was advertised as LGBT-themed. We spent a lot of time in Asakusa where there are few gay venues and got little history on Tokyo’s LGBT scene. Instead, we visited places that all standard tours visit. The Shinjuku no-chome tour was pretty generic as well, just passing by some gay bars, without going in. Overall, the tour didn’t live up to its promise.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 8 guests
1
Adult
November 2024
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