This LGBTQ+ Osaka Eating and Drinking Tour starts in Shinsekai, which is known for its classic Osaka street foods and flashy sights. Deep in this nostalgic district, which evokes both Paris and New York’s Coney Island, the LGBTQ+ community secretly thrives. In the past (and perhaps even today) closeted gay men who found themselves married to women (as society expected) could enjoy their private lives at the bars and saunas here. We’ll take a gander at some of these sights, camouflaged by the neon lights, and maybe even stop at one of the bars for a drink.

Trying the food in Shinsekai is, of course, mandatory, as the area is famous for street foods like kushikatsu (battered and deep-fried skewers of vegetables and meat). Many kushikatsu restaurants are open 24/7 here, the perfect places to refuel after a whirlwind at the bar or saunas. A light dinner and drink in Shinsekai is included, and you can choose from small plates like miso beef tendon, tempura, tofu, and grilled chicken.

After dipping a toe into the hidden gay scene at Shinsekai, you’ll be ready to tackle the beast that is Doyama. The equivalent of Shinjuku Nichome, Doyama is loud and proud and full of gay youth and the young-at-heart, home to over 100 bears -- oh -- we meant bars. Here you can find anything you’re looking for, from hole-in-the-wall bars to dance clubs where you can bust a move, as well as some genre-nonconforming establishments. Once you’ve seen it all, we’ll enter one of the bars for a drink. The language barrier dissolves, as the bilingual tour guide can assist you.

The tour will be over before you know it, but the night doesn’t have to end. Our guide is equipped with recommendations for all tastes and will make sure you get where you want to go.