“Semiotics of Gay Life Japan” an insight of “Japanese Gay Culture” is established from a group of student at Keio Shonan Fujisawa Campus, active in David Freedman’s Queer Studies Research Group. This website was created to share our knowledge and understanding of Japanese gay culture in the global networking system, the Internet.
Over the years, various Japanese gay cultures were introduced on blogs and other mass communication websites. However, some sources were outdated, while others were not resourceful.
“Semiotics of Gay Life Japan” introduces the Japanese gay cultures in 7 different categories of
1) Fashion 2) Comics 3) Music 4) Life Planning 5) Object 6) Idols 7) Interview
Each category carefully analyzed by members, exposes the uniqueness of Japanese gay culture worldwide. Our research team proudly presents you the up-to-date resources of Japanese gay culture, providing the reader a deeper understanding about “Gay Life in Japan.” Moreover, we strongly believe our research can help individuals and organization build a gay friendly environment, allowing the sexual minorities their right to be gay.
9 members from David Freedman’s Queer Study Research Group participated in the making of this website. Our research team, a mix of gay and straight students, has succeeded in capturing the real aspect of Japanese gay life style.
Shinjuku Ni-chome, a gay town in Tokyo, is the birthplace for many gay cultures in Japan. Ni-chome, a hot spot for most gay night owls, is crowded with homosexuals and (few) heterosexuals enjoying their nightlife. For fieldwork we have visited Ni-chome capturing the colors and flavors of this particular district in pictures. We were able to take snap shots of gay individuals with fashionable outfits.
As we walked along Ni-chome (gay town) we spotted bars and clubs with rainbow flags, representing their status as a gay friendly shop. Apart from the flags, other symbols and items representing the gay society were spotted throughout the district. Click
In Japan, gay traits are also seen in “Otaku culture”, a unique Japanese culture in which individuals are obsessed over anime, manga, or Japanese Idol groups. AKB48, a popular idol group now leading the Japanese music industry, represents homoerotism. Moreover, manga and anime in the category of “boys love, Yaoi, June, etc…” also represents the gay culture in Japan. Click
Gay social application on Smart phones are common to 180, 000,000+ gay individuals around the world, serving as a tool for communication. Applications such as “Jack’d” allow the user to detect other opponent (gay) distance as well as, view their updated profile. From the help of “Jack’d” we were able to gain data’s in field of gay music. Click
Shinjuku Ni-chome and gay district in Japan are celebrated with homosexuals from the age of 18 to 60. And the question is, what happens when you grow old? What is happening to the senior citizens who are gay in Japan? Our research team took the liberty of researching and analyzing the future of Japanese gay elderly. Click
This website will be updated and active by the members of Keio SFC’s David Freedman Research Group (only when the continuing student decides to take over). Updates will vary and our research members will change, as the senior’s graduates collage and new members join the group. Furthermore Keio SFC Queer Studies official homepage is also available at the link bellow:
When you step in to the Shinjuku Ni-chome area, which is Tokyo's hub of gay culture, rainbow flags frequently appear in bars and clubs. Since the rainbow flag is also called the LGBT(Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) pride flag or the gay pride flag, it is common in the area which is considered the center of the LGBT sub culture in Japan. Other objects can also be seen in the Ni-chome area.
The rainbow flag The Rainbow flag (as it is stated in the introduction) is also called the LGBT pride flag, or the gay pride flag. It was created in California by Gilbert Baker in 1978. The original colors of the fag were pink, red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo, and Violet. Baker made each color have it's own meaning. Pink Sexuality Red Life Orange Healing Yellow Sunlight Green Nature Turquoise Magic/Art Indigo Serenity/Harmony Violet Spirit Baker stated that he got his inspiration for the flag from the song "Over the Rainbow" sung by the Gay Icon Judy Garland, and the hippie movement that was taking place around the same time. The original rainbow flag was first used in the Fay Freedom Day parade that took place on June 25th, 1978. On November 27th of the same year the San Francisco City Supervisor, Harvey Milk, who was openly gay, got assassinated. Due to this tragedy the demand for the rainbow flag greatly increased. To meet the demand the Paramount company started to sell a seven color striped fag consisting of red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, indigo, and violet was created. The color pink was was dropped because the pink fabric that was originally used was unavailable. The six stripped versing of the flag was created at the San Francisco's Market Street. When the seven striped rainbow flag was hung vertically hun from the lamp posts, the center stripe was obscured by the post. Then design of the flag got modified again and the color turquoise was removed and the rainbow flag that we see today was created. This fag was of course used in the Tokyo Lesbian,Gay Parade that took place in 1994~1999, the Tokyo Lesbian and Gay Parade that took place in 2000~2002, 2005~2007 and 2010. Due to these uses of the flag not only the flag but the rainbow colors has also come to represent the LGBT community itself.
シャンデリア A Chandelier is an decorative lighting that is branched with two or more arms bearing lights. The earliest form of a chandelier can be found during the medieval times. It generally was two pieces of wood in a form of a cross with a number of spikes on which candles could be secured and it was often used to light up large halls in churches. The decorative chandeliers with glass we commonly see today in modern buildings with was created during the 15th century. Since Glass and metals that were used were very expensive during this time, only people of the upper class were able to own them in their homes. Thanks to the development of the glassmaking industry in the 18th century, allowed the cheaper production of chandeliers. In the gay society the word fabulous is frequently used. This word of course is used to mean "exceedingly great". Many of gay people call their lives a "fabulous life". In this phrase it is meant to mean a great life, but it also has another meaning. It also means fashionable, and gorgeous life like what a drag queen would have or would like to have. This means that many people like to have or they are dreaming of their own "fabulous life" . Since the chandelier used to be only affordable for the upper class, it has an gorgeous image. There fore just having it in the room will create a fabulous atmosphere. Making it a common interior/lighting that can bee seen in the Ni-chome area.
Underwear
In the 1970s and the 1980s the fashion industry came up with an ad for underwear that emphasized not only the comfort of it, but also sex appeal that it has. The celebrities form the 80s like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper took their lingerie as part of their fashion and showed it off. In the 90s the hip-hop/street fashion became popular and many wore oversized pants and lowered their pants to show their underwear. In many of the bars of the Sinjuku Ni-chome area have underwear as a interior decoration. Those that are used for sports can be commonly found and are favored by the customers that go there. Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and other "fabulous" stars are fancied by the gay poplutaion. Many gays are interested in fashion there fore the underwear they see and wear may be directly connected to their sex appeal.
Uniforms cucullus non facit monachum. ---William Shakespeare Then Thousand leaves
Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor; For 'tis the mind that makes the body rich; ---William Shakespeare Taming of the Shrew
unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor bare, forked animal as thou art. ---William Shakespeare King Lear
レインボーフラッグ レインボーフラッグとはレズビアン、ゲイ、バイセクシャル、トランスジェンダーの尊厳や社会運動を象徴する旗のことである。この旗はアメリカ合衆国のカリフォルニア州に発祥を持つ。 オリジナルの旗は１９７８年にギルバート・ベイカーが手染めで作成した。1960年当時の物はピンク、赤、橙、黄、緑、ターコイズ、藍、紫の８色で構成されていてベイカーは色にそれぞれ意味を込める。ピンクはセクシャリティ、赤は生命、橙は癒し、黄は太陽、緑は自然、ターコイズは魔法と美術、藍は平穏と調和、そして紫が精神を意味している。このフラッグは当時のヒッピームーブメントからこの色合いを得たとベイカー答えている。そして当時LGBTの中で流行っていたジュディー・ガーランドが歌う「虹の彼方に」から着想を得て提案されたとされている。 このフラッグは1960年代に大学キャンパスなどで行われていた世界平和の運動に使われていた”Flag of the Races”にかけて”Flag of the Human Race”とも呼ばれていた。そして1978年6月25日にサンフランシスコで行われたGay Freedom Day Paradeにて初めて使用された。同年の11月27日に同性愛者を公表していたサンフランシスコ市の市会議員（ハーヴェイ・ミルク）が暗殺されさらにレインボーフラッグの需要がさらに高まった。このニーズに答えるためにベイカーは勤務先だったParamount Flag Company にて虹色の旗を制作した。この時ピンクの記事の調達が出来なかったため、ピンクを除いた７色場ジョンの物が制作された。 そして現在の６色バージョンはサンフランシスコのマーケット・ストリート街灯に旗を垂直に下げた際に中心にあった一色が柱で見えなくなったため、修正が加えられターコイズが削られ生まれた。現在ではLGBTのみならず、ゲイフレンドリーを示すシンボルとしても利用されている。 日本では1994年から1999年に行われ東京レズビアン・ゲイ・パレート、2000年～2002年2005年～2007年、２０１０年東京レズビアン＆ゲイパレードやレインボーマーチ札幌にてももちろん利用されている。そして旗だけではなく、レインボーという物がLGBTを象徴する色となっている。 「レインボーフラッグの意味」 Red Life Orange Healing Yellow Sunlight Green Nature Blue Serenity/Harmony Purple Spirit
制服とゲイ 「衣服を見て人を知るあたわず」 cucullus non facit monachum. ---シェイクスピア『十二夜』第１幕第５場*
胸のうちにゆたかな誇りがあれば、身にまとうのは ボロでかまわぬ、肉体を美しくするのは精神なのだ。 Our purses shall be proud, our garments poor; For 'tis the mind that makes the body rich; ---シェイクスピア『じゃじゃ馬ならし』第４幕第３場
人間、衣裳を剥ぎ取れば、おまえのように、あわれな裸の二本足の動物にすぎぬ。 unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor bare, forked animal as thou art. ---シェイクスピア『リア王』第３幕第４場
古今東西を問わず衣服はその人の人間性そして地位を表してきた。ではゲイにとっての服装とはなんなのだろうか？ここではゲイに人気の警察黒帽子に焦点をあててみたい。『Angels in America』では黒い警察帽子を被ったセックス相手の人物が登場した。異性の関係においても警察帽子や学校の制服などを性的興奮と捉えることが多々ある。しかし、同性愛間では特にその傾向が強いとみられている。その理由の一つには、多くのゲイが思春期において性的欲求を内に秘めていたことが考えられる。性的な興味が盛んな思春期では、学校の制服が直接的に性的対象となり得る。学校で見るのは制服のみだが、警察官やサラリーマンなどはどうだろうか。これらの制服により人間は「性」を表している。異性愛者に比べ、ゲイにとって「性」はより重要なコンセプトである。自身が幸せになる為にはパートナーを見つけなければならない。そのパートナーは外見の「性」では判断できない。この「判断できない」という曖昧な概念によってゲイ達はより他人の外見を注視する傾向になるのだ。
