In many parts of the world being queer is regarded as a bad thing because god, or the bible, or the prophet or some other spiritual authority says so. In Japan, there’s little recrimination on religious grounds, yet Japanese queers remain hidden and underground and there’s a lot of ignorance surrounding homosexuality.

Nevertheless, or maybe because of this, one of the most popular television celebrities of the moment is a character called Hard Gay, he’s a bit like The Only Gay in the Village, except the guy who plays him is straight and he’s pissed off a lot of people who are really gay. He’s on TV all the time. You can buy Hard Gay toys and accessories.

Some westerners point to the sharp delineation between a person’s family and public life, and their private sexual preferences, and there’s a feeling that people keep their sexuality hidden from view. Thus Tokyo has a vibrant queer village, but it’s dead in the daytime and only really comes alive at night, when the surrounding streets are full of homos holding hands and guys in gay little outfits. Queer life is different too, it’s more about sex than community, so I’m told.

Kay and I visit Kinswomyn, Tokyo’s most well-known dyke bar. It’s on the third floor of a block of flats, down a side street. It’s one tiny room, dominated by a circular bar. It’s run down, and filled to bursting with 25 dykes (I count). Average age? 28-ish. All but three are Japanese. It’s a friendly joint, and not long until Kay is getting hit on. When you are a dyke, you find yourself in the funniest places. We drink and get the last train home.

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