The following information has been gathered by current and former JET participants in Fukuoka:
Nightlife for Men
Gay bars in Fukuoka City are concentrated on a street block in Sumiyoshi, an area located roughly between Canal City and Tenjin. Leave your preconceptions at home — in Sumiyoshi, you won’t find any huge dance clubs or DJs.
Rather, you’ll find small, everyday Japanese-style bars, the only obvious difference being the lack of the opposite gender. High-priced drinks, snacks with names that make you read twice, and loud karaoke are the standard fare at these bars. Certain bars cater to certain types of people, with distinctions varying from hair length to age group. Though at first out of place, go in with an open attitude and the locals will embrace you.
Sumiyoshi is easily accessible on foot from Hakata Station. From the Hakata-guchi Exit. After a 10-15 minute walk, you’ll arrive at the heart of Fukuoka’s gay community.
Recommended Spots in Sumiyoshi:
- Overall. If you do a search of gay bars in Fukuoka, this is most likely the first (or only) one that shows up. As such, Overall is usually the starting point for most visiting foreigners or new ALTs. Drinks here run around 800 yen, plus a seating charge, but Overall is one of the cheaper places. Maps of the other bars in the area and some broken English are available, cementing it as a good first stop.
- Dai-Dai is half a block down and is a rather large venue. It gets packed for Friday’s Gay Bingo around midnight. Prizes range from a free drink to your very own keep of shochu. Dai-Dai is a good balance between price and popularity, hosting a pretty decent crowd on a normal night.
- Mugen is the place that most of the younger guys in Fukuoka visit. Despite its size, I’ve never seen it overcrowded. You can find it very close to Overall, though it is easy to miss (most of the bars are easy to miss).
- Bayo looks like an insurance office, but inside you’ll find welcoming staff and a bar that caters to guys on the bigger side. A very friendly spot; towards the end of the street on the left.
- There are several other mixed bars in this area as well for you to bring your lesbian friend or beard to. Personal experience puts Makeup, Glamorous, and Bar G Pop at the top of the list for such a situation. Just be wary, while most places would be fine with a girl coming in for a drink, your seating charge may be a tad higher. Bar G Pop also says on their website that women are welcome but should call in advance.
Note: On occasion, clubs in the Tenjin area of Fukuoka host LGBTQIA+ friendly events. Compared to sitting around listening to the same 10 songs at karaoke and the bartender asking you to buy him a drink, the club events are generally exciting. Drag shows, go-go dancers, and some decent dance music should give you a good night. Just stay safe, and bring some friends to enjoy the night with you.
Lesbian Fukuoka
Since alternative sexualities are typically closeted in Japan, there’s not much sense of gay pride and it’s often difficult to find out what’s going on in the community. Check out the bars listed below and you’ll discover that Fukuoka actually does have a thriving, if somewhat small, lesbian scene.
- @Home is for karaoke enthusiasts! You’ll be greeted by the @Home dog, no doubt wearing one of its many cute outfits. The staff speaks some English. On Thursdays men are allowed if accompanied by a lovely lady. Four times a year this bar hosts a night for queer ladies over the age of 30. The 1000-yen seating charge includes one drink, usually 600-700 yen. From the Apple store on Nishi-dori turn right. Walk past Mos Burger and the Core 21 sign. @Home is on 4F above 7- Eleven on the left.
- Doez Dose is a gay-friendly bar that is open to anyone and everyone. One of the only places in the city visually displaying their gay pride, the chic interior is decorated with rainbow flags and other trinkets. The owner speaks English and the bar has popular English queer magazines, papers and books for your perusal. They also host an annual Queer Film Festival, women’s weekends and have a float in the Hakata Dontaku festival. Once a month they hold a discussion group for sexual minorities of any age, providing a safe and supportive environment for the LGTBQ community. 300-yen seating charge and drinks 750-1100 yen. From the KFC on Nishi-dori continue straight towards the Apple store. Turn left at the 7-Eleven near the Diesel store. Doez Dose is in the basement of the building on the right-hand corner. Tel 092-752-3600.
Daytime community spaces
HACO community centre is an LGBTQ+ community space located in Sumiyoshi, Fukuoka City. It functions as “an open space for sexual minorities to use freely” and you may use it to meet friends and make new friends, charge your phone, eat your lunch, hold a meeting, do some work… anything you’d like to do while in a space where you can comfortably be yourself. They also offer confidential tests for HIV/AIDS and other STIs.
Stonewall Japan
Stonewall Japan is the name of the community organization for LGBTQIA+ individuals in Japan. Originally starting in the early 1990s, Stonewall Japan has developed into an nation-wide community that provides an outlet for sexuality and gender expression in Japan. The organization has now grown to a Facebook group following of more than 3,000 JET Programme Participants and others. If you have any questions or are looking for support, this is likely the best place to start. Just send a message, and you should be invited without any trouble.
Kyushu Rainbow Pride
Being the seventh city in Japan to recognize same-sex partnerships, Fukuoka does have a generally accepting air, particularly in the city. This is culminated by the Fukuoka Rainbow Pride Parade annually held around November which began in 2014. Having hosted more than 7000 people in 2017, the event is growing, a great deal of effort and energy is put into the planning of the parade, and you are more than welcome to walk in it.
Kyushu Rainbow Pride also welcomes foreign volunteers each year. The brieifng meetings are all conducted in Japanese, so if you’d like to volunteer then it would help if you or a person in your group is able to translate! There are different roles available on the day, from handing out information packs to helping people sign in for the parade. There are many foreign visitors each year, so bilingual abilities are highly valued. Check out their website to express your interest and sign up!
Testing
Free HIV testing is available at 中央区保健福祉センター chūō hoken fukushi sentā or the Fukuoka-shi Chuo-ku Public Health Center every Tuesday from 9am to 11am and every second Sunday of the month (unclear if Sundays are all day or mornings only). Foreigners are welcome, just be prepared to show your Residence Card. The staff does not speak English but information and results can be provided in written English upon request. This service is open to all genders. Note that this service only provides information on HIV. For testing of any other STI’s or STD’s, please see a clinic. If you think there’s a clinic closer to you, or if you’re traveling around the country, visit hivkensa.com to search for your closest testing facility, or to seek counseling.
Out or In?
That is the question indeed. Coming out to your neighbors, coworkers, students, or even fellow JETs is something that takes self-reflection, and is completely up to you.
A JET participant offers some advice in the form of his own personal experience:
I am a gay man who works at an all boys’ high school, and while I never held a staff meeting over it, I do make a point to correct anyone who asks if I have a girlfriend or other such questions. Everyone is always surprised or intrigued at first, but I’ve never been met with any sort of hostility. Even with the students I’ve told, after their initial shock, just ask the same vulgar questions they were going to ask only with boyfriend substituted for girlfriend. My reason for being “out” or rather, open about my sexuality, is because I know what it was like to be “in” during those crucial developmental stages of high school. So, if a potentially queer student can see that I am confident and comfortable with my sexuality, maybe it will inspire them to be comfortable with their own. Again, every situation is different yada yada, but ultimately the decision is solely yours to make.
A JET participant shares her experience:
While I’m happily out to other ALTs, I made the decision when I moved here that I would not come out to my colleagues. I did not want any potential tensions getting in the way of my work or befriending other teachers. I gladly answer the inevitable “Do you have a boyfriend?” question very easily with “No.” Originally, I had planned not to come out to any Japanese people while I was here because I know that word gets around very fast in Japan, and gossip is rife in every office or work environment. I did eventually end up coming out to a few non-colleague Japanese friends who have no connection to my schools, and it was a huge relief. However, at school, I do speak freely in favour of the LGBT+ community and I have taught about issues such as misgendering and gender norms and same-sex partnership in my classes. My JTEs and students always seem interested and supportive, so I’m confident that the perception of the LGBT+ community in Japan is improving. It really is a personal choice, and although I’m “in”, I think you’ll be met with open arms if you decide to come out.
Healthy Life Recovery
This is a link to ‘Healthy Life Recovery’ which provides mental health services for LGBTQ+ individuals. Although based in San Diego, they offer an online blog and resources specifically for members of the LGBTQ+ community who are dealing with mental health issues. https://healthyliferecovery.com/mental-health-addiction-in-lgbtq/