March is Women’s History Month, the perfect time to hit play on any one of these amazing songs made for, by, or about Asian women. But please note: this is in no way the definitive […]
LGBTQ+
Kiyoshi Hikawa—“Prince of Enka” Gifted End-of-Year Award, Stuns Fans with Their New “Genderless” Style at Kōhaku Uta Gassen
Not long ago, Japan ushered in the new year with a slew of year-end programs. One of them was “Kōhaku Uta Gassen” (紅白歌合戦), more commonly known simply as Kōhaku, an annual New Year’s Eve television […]
5 Best Japanese Gay Anthems to Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride
Last year, the Japanese-American gay icon (aka “lesbian Jesus”) Hayley Kiyoko’s viral hashtag #20GAYTEEN kicked off a year of LGBTQ visibility like never before. Janelle Monáe opened up about her being pansexual this April and […]
2019 Tokyo Rainbow Pride Report Part II
The stage events at Yoyogi Park on Sunday, April 28 and Monday April 29 had an impressive line-up and many gathered to witness the performances by celebrities promoting diversity. Many prominent figures in the Japanese […]
2019 Tokyo Rainbow Parade Report Part I
Tokyo Rainbow Parade (TRP), the Japan’s largest annual weeklong celebration of diversity in sexuality marked 25-year anniversary this year with the first promoting LGBTQ+ rights took place in 1994. The festivities stretched on for the […]
2019—Japan, Still Lagging Behind in LGBTQ+ Issues
Japan, the only member of the G7 that does not recognize same-sex unions, is slowly expanding rights protection for LGBTQ+ citizens in recent years. In 2015, Shibuya district started issuing partnership certificates to same-sex couples. […]