Traveling to Tokyo: Enjoying Japanese Men

What to do on a short trip to Tokyo
Wesley wrote recently: "I will be traveling to Tokyo in May and would love to get some helpful tidbits about the city for a gay man traveling alone. I will be there only for five days. What hotels do you suggest, bars/clubs, restaurants, must see sites, etc."

My response is below.
You can start with this list of links -- some other are available from Cruisingforsex.com http://www.cruisingforsex.com

Then try to meet up with someone there before you go - to show you around and help you navigate. There are sites like: Gay Network Japan http://gnj.jp

I have not covered it all and probably cannot do the city justice - -but here is a start:

http://listings.cruisingforsex.com/cfs/index.php

If the URL does not work, then go to http://www.cruisingforsex.com/ Enter the site and then look for Sex Listings (then choose Metro Area Other Areas, Japan, Tokyo.)

Tokyo Visitors Bureau home page. http://www.tcvb.or.jp/en/index_en.htm

Tokyo Tourism Info http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/menu_siru.html


Gay Baths, Gay cruising spots (see CFS link above for more)

My favorite gay baths in Tokyo is 24-Kaikan in Shinjuku (between Shinjuku 3-chome and Shinjuku Gyoen-mae subway stations. (probably different than what I wrote about in 2003).
Actually, there are 4 different locations for this sauna (gay baths). The Shinjuku 2 chome branch is the nicest one and there are plenty of different types of guys (younger than some of the others) and also foreigners too.

24 Kaikan Bathhouse, Shinjuku 2-13-1, Tokyo. 3354-2424. Bathhouse with full facilities. Open 24 hours.
http://www.juno.dti.ne.jp/~kazuo24/english/english.htm

(There is also a 24-Kaikan Bathhouse (gay sauna) at Asakusa - just behind the Asakusa Kannon Temple grounds.

Sanja Matsuri
(Asakusa Temple Festival - May 19-21 or thereabouts)   This temple has one of the largest festivals in Tokyo -- this year on May 19-21 - begins on the temple grounds on Friday and then the floats are carried by men (almost nude in fundoshi (loincloths) through the streets of the neighboring communities until the 100 floats are paraded (hoisted in rhythm thrusts -- exotic and erotic too) back to the Temple on Sunday afternoon. It is a good chance to see a lot of sweaty Japanese men (some like the photos here) - they (and the spectators) like to get drunk too so you're sure to see some pranks, some naked butts and male bonding during the festivities. Great photo opp too.

Shinjuku 24-Kaikan (baths) It seems that there is no map on the English site to the Shinjuku
http://www.juno.dti.ne.jp/~kazuo24/map/map-shinjyuku.htm
Located just off of Shinjuku Dori (turn left just at Lawson's in Shinujuku 2-chome,
2-chome is about a 10-minute walk, go right out of Shinjuku JR Staion East (a main street level exit) and you will be on Shinjuku Dori. Follow passed Mitsukoshi and Marui Department Stores on your right and Isetan Dept Store on your left. Keep going passed two main intersection (one is Meiji-dori) and look for Lawson's on your left, turn left toward Shinjuku Park, 24-Kaikan is down on the left, at the second intersection (steps lead up to 2F entrance (entrance is visible from the street), car park is on ground floor.

A comment from CFS:
This is a wonderful place and not intimidating for gaijin. The sauna is easy to find, as it's near the Buddhist temple in Two-chome and not far from the Shinjuku garden. On maps you can see the inverted swastika for the Buddhist temple, and just remember that the Buddha is looking over the buildings at the sauna. Go up the outside stairs. Upon entry have a ten yen coin ready. You will take off your shoes at the top of the stairs, put in your ten yen, and take the key. Then to your left will be a ticket machine. Put in bills or coins for 2600 yen if you just want a locker and press the lit-up 2600 yen button. A ticket and change will come out. Take the ticket and your shoe locker key to the attendant who will take those from you and give you a new clothes locker key and a bag with two towels and a robe. They ask you for your name but don't check ID.
Bring condoms if you engage in hot sex. I was surprised that two Japanese guys wanted to engage in unprotected sex with me. You can have a lot of fun here - several levels - bath at the faucets before getting into the hot baths, sauna and dark rooms (very clean), also dry, wet and steam saunas. Enjoy safely.
=======================

About sightseeing in Tokyo -- any good guidebook or LonelyPlanet (online site) will have a list of the main sightseeing spots. I have included a few of the most famous ones here.

Asakusa Temple
Asakusa (old town with quaint shops, canals) - You can take a boat (passenger boat-bus) down the Sumida River (near the Asakusa Kannon Temple (largest in Tokyo) - get off at Takeshisanbashi, you can take boat-bus (a ferry) to Odaiba (manmade beach or also take the Yurikamome Train across the Tokyo Rainbow Bridge to Odaiba Marine Park (Fuji TV Station HQ is an interesting building to explore)
Shopping in Akihabara -- electronics town
Shinjuku - kind of metro 'center' but also not far from the 'gay' section - Shinjuku 2-chome (in fact you'll pass 2-chome Street a block before Lawson's (24H convenience store) on Shinjuku-dori.
By the way, a great out-of-town trip is Nikko -- there is a train from Asakusa Station (slower but less expensive than a bullet train (shinkansen). If you have a full day to spend for a day-trip out of Tokyo - -I recommend Nikko or if you might take a bus/guided tour of a hot springs resort (Hakone - out towards Mt. Fuji is one of the most popular) and you can do it in a day - but don't expect to get laid - although you may get to bathe (nude or semi-nude) with a group of men (probably older Japanese and curious foreigners).

Kabuki Theatre is a fun experience -- you can buy ticket for short performances and rent a English-narration player to help you enjoy. Full performances last hours and cost a lot, but there are short session performances (last 30-45 minutes) costing $8-10. Shows runs from 11:00am -9:00pm -- so it's a great way to squeeze in some culture between meals, sightseeing and cruising the baths .


Kabuki-za is located in Ginza and there is an English website: ttp://www.shochiku.co.jp/play/kabukiza/theater/

Meiji Shrine (near Harajuku Station (2 stops from Shinjuku on JR Yamate Line (Green Circular line) is a nice place for outdoor stroll in the gardens. Next door is Yoyogi Park -- where some cruising goes on .
Hibiya Park between Yurakucho (JR Yamate) Hibiya/Ginza stations (subway) and also Kasumigaseki Station (subway) is pretty cruisy -- especially the toilet just near the corner of th park - not far from the Imperial Hotel.

The Imperial Palace and the stroll around the moat can be nice. (not far from Hibiya Park a 10 walk)


It is too hard to tell you where to eat -- you almost can't go wrong because you can usually check out the menu (realistic plastic dishes and prices are displayed in the shop window or the menu (with pics) is posted. No tipping is needed in Japan.

However, be aware that in the gay section (or some 'gangster' type places) if there is no menu and no prices, ask before ordering. It is pretty rare nowadays but not completely unheard of being asked to pay 5 or more times the price for a glass of beer or some simple appetizers (if some shady -- backroom- establishments).

Lunch - by far - is your best for getting more for your money -- typically the same item ordered at night cost 1.5-3 times more (except at family-type restaurants / fastfood). Many places have lunch specials so I recommend eating well at lunch and then going light at night -- except when you want to splurge.

Well... hope this helps. If you have specific questions, I may be able to answer them.

By the way, I don't think it matters that you are African-American -- it some ways it may be as attractive to Japanese men as any other kind of foreigner. Japanese are respectful and polite -- but don't take their shyness or backwards for something it is not (although you are probably all too aware that ignorance can show its ugly face in almost every society). Prejudice is no more prevalent in Japan than other places and in fact may actually be less -- Japanese tend to be less assertive and easily intimidated so foreigners and visitors may sometimes mistake their timidity for an attitude that is not really there.

Have fun and I know you will enjoy the visit.

 

Traveling Alone -- Where to go, how to, and how not to go alone

[Part of several responses on a gay travel discussion board　]
The following is a collection of separate entries that I've made on gay travel .

Warm places to visit during winter (in North America):

 South Texas or San Antonio, New Mexico, San Diego or Arizona would probably feel very warm compared to those bitterly cold (but sometimes sunny) days where most people in North America live. Looking for a great travel destination - -to get away from the winter cold and blahs?

I always recommend Hawaii (of course)-- take in at least two of the islands (Oahu and the Big Island).  How about the Caribbean islands - -although I've never been. Mexico and points south could be great... I want to visit Belize, Costa Rica or Honduras. Brazil and Argentina also get high marks for warmth - both temperature and cultural and subcultural too. It does not get any 'gayer' than Rio or Sao Paulo during Carnival and Gay Carnival(s).

I think Australia would be great -- in time for Gay Carnival (maybe it has another name) -- not only

Sydney but visit Cairns, or even Melbourne, Brisbane for their special features.
New Zealand is rated as one the best places to visit on the planet. There are also other great places in the South Pacific.

I'm dying to return to the Canary Islands - but it is not quite warm enough until March. However, South Africa would be a blast during our winter. Maybe West Africa -- Senegal or Ghana.


By the way, what about NOT traveling alone?

You could try finding a travel partner or join an organized trip or tour.  For example, sometimes your college or a university in your area or even across the country, sometimes offers organized study-tours that may fit your schedule, budget and choice of location as well as really getting you deeply into some aspect of the culture you visit.

They are generally set-up by the continuing education division and professional association and other types of groups/organization sometimes offer them too.

Gay-oriented tours/trips

Have you (or has anyone else) had experience with joining an organized group trip as a single (gay) man? How was it? Would you recommend it?
Does anyone know of how / where to connect with some good gay (or all male) travel groups or organized trips?

I have a partial list here but hope other can add more:

Kalani (Gay men's retreat during certain weeks at this Big Island Hawaii resort (add dot com to find the web site).
You can also stay there without participating in a retreat or conference.

Gay.com has a gay travel section that may have organized trips to some place warm during the winter.

Travelocity and Orbtiz seem to have a special Gay and Lesbian travel section with some organized tours.

There are Pride celebrations in warmer spots (some already mentioned).

You might find a travel buddy -- even here on Dudenudes.com or try one of the other such as Hardbuddies.com has a travelers and expanded invitation section so that you can try to hook up both BEFORE you go and also when you get there.

QTmagazine used to have ads for travel buddies, but I don't think it worked very well or was popular enough.

Is there another site that does these kinds of things to get travel partner together?

Craig's List lets you post ads -- but they may not be your cup of tea -- so to speak.

Specialized tours or adventure or sporting trips
Gaysports.com and gayoutdoors.com may have links to some possibilities.
Also, there are a couple of tour operators for gay cruises, guided tours and scuba diving or sail boat trips, such as, alysonadventures.com
and underseax.com. These latter types tend to be quite expensive.

=================================
Trips to Provincetown and to Croatia

Provincetown, MA (Cape Cod)

There is plenty to do in Provincetown, MA.  Herring Cove is THE hot spot -- it is a national/state (?) park but it's the mecca for most people who love the sun, sand and naked butts in Cape Cod and all kinds of people across the Northeast.  It is easy to drive to Provincetown from Boston, or you can take a ferry or high-speed ferry during the summer months directly from South Boston (a 10 minute walk the train station). There are also a couple of flights available daily with Cape Cod Air.

You can walk to Herring Cove from the town going down Commercial St, over to Bradford St, or ride a bike (NOT into the dunes, please) or drive a car (parking costs an entrance fee to the park), go left after the ranger station and park as far left as you can, then walk to the beach and to left about a half-mile or more - Provincetown is great in any season, but it's all the better with the hundreds of naked guys in the summer. The cruising in the dunes gets pretty hot too.



I'm not much into going to a gay bars, but there are some good ones in P-town; the streets are crowded and the restaurants are great -- the great one has long lines so plan accordingly. Renting a bike for a day and riding the National seashore park is fun. After 5 days you'll probably want to do something different -- if you have the time (and some $$ to burn), I recommend a day trip to Boston on the hydrofoil (or ferry). It's $55 round trip but you can basically walk (or take a subway) to downtown Boston and see a lot historical sights for free.

Anybody traveling to P-town may see me walking down Commercial St or Bradford in my see-thru shorts or jogging pants. Give me a hoot..
Otherwise, see you 'au poil' on the beach.. from Pensacola to Montreal this summer.

Update: I had a great trip to Provincetown in August. I stayed for 4 nights at Dune's Edge Campground, a family oriented but gay-friendly place just off Highway 6A as you approach P-town. You can find it via Google. It is a 10-minute walk from Commercial St. During the winter, you probably cannot camp -- although you might also try Coastal Acres Campground.  For stays during the winter, you could try some of the B&Bs or inns or look at Redweek.com or VRBO.com or a similar site to rent a timeshare or a vacation rental.

=========== Croatia ===============

Croatia

I travelled by train from rainy Budapest but it was clear and sunny on the Croatian coast (here is a pic from Rijeka on Monday, Aug 29). It was drizzling in Zagreb that morning but clear by the time I got to Rijeka. So a cruise to some of the outer islands would have been fabulous (weather wise) if I had had more time.

I decided to return to Budapest where cruising for hot men was easier -- I also had a gorgeous day getting naked at Donau Island in Vienna on Aug 31.
So I think the weather is variable but there seems to be some likelihood for some good weather on the Croatian coast even when it is rainy inland - still locals should know better and take the advice to see local weather forecasts online.

I could not stay as long as I would have liked so I will just have to go back.
I went by train from Budapest -- of course flying would be cheaper or is there a quicker way to get to the Croatian coast. I've heard the ferries from Italy are good.. Anybody got a better idea?

Next time I want to go the supposedly great nude sunbathing beaches on the Croatian coast..
I gave up on doing so this time from Rovinj because the buses seemed to be so infrequent..where is the best place to find out gay guys interested in sun/fun and hopefully sex on the beach?

 

Hostel stays: Fond memories of male nudity among strangers

For those who are interested, here are our members' memories of youth hostelling, and the joys of naked boys on road or rail trips.

[ Note from Kelly (sunbuns), blog editor: The stories below are from email group exchanges on the YMNA, Young Men's Nudist Association, a Google group.  The longest ones are written by David or atitlan, moderator of the group. I also have written many times about this topic, and find the situations one encounters in hostels to be wonderful ways to get to know people and find out things about oneself in the process. ]

If you wanted to travel when I was a teenager, it was either unaffordable - and lonely - hotel rooms or it was youth hostels, which were cheap and always had people to talk to. I stayed in numerous youth hostels in Britain, Germany, Austria, Italy and Israel. No two were alike. They might be a 16-bedded farmhouse in the middle of nowhere or a huge city building with dorms each holding 100. A hot shower was a luxury only some offered; at other hostels it might be a cold-water morning wash from a basin. There were chores to be done. At one mountain hostel I had to go out and gather wood so in the evening we could huddle around a welcome fire with only gas lanterns to take us to bed.

A real feeling of camaraderie could build up. Strangers became fast friends, particularly if they met up again at another hostel later on. When I was 17, I hitch-hiked up to Scotland and found myself constantly bumping into a handsome dark-haired French lad of the same age. His name was Thierry and he wanted to be a brain surgeon. One evening I persuaded him and a girl to go for a walk in the forest outside our Scottish castle hostel. I still remember the intense look he gave me and the feeling of his hand on my shoulder but we were not alone, nothing happened and we never met again.

I am not sure why you were told all Americans slept nude because that was not my experience of Americans in youth hostels. I slept nude and so did some of the others in the male dorms but most seemed to wear what we in Britain call y-fronts. These did not hide much when it was time to get up, with morning erections producing tent poles. Lying on a bottom bunk, I would find it difficult not to laugh when the top bunk occupant clambered down, his tented underwear only inches from my face. I always preferred the top bunk to sleep naked.......

The oddest thing about the dorms was the casual nudity. Because we as strangers got to know each other so quickly, we would carry on conversations in the dorm. I remember in Italy a young cyclist with a pleasant but not handsome face getting undressed while talking to me, only for this ugly duckling to turn into a swan. He was hiding a spectacular swimmer's muscled physique. He then stood there naked and full-frontal until he had finished what he wanted to tell me.

My most eye-popping experience of youth hostel nudity came when I was backpacking around Israel.  I was staying next to the Dead Sea, alone in a long line of

inter-connected communal showers after a sticky day on a bus through the West Bank. Suddenly the shower room was invaded by a dozen American 16 year-olds looking very fit in their white towels. These were quickly discarded and it became clear they were far more dirty than me, covered in mud from a caving expedition. They were full of excited chatter about the events of the day. I was unsure where to look. With difficulty, I averted my gaze and got back to washing myself. Until that is I was aware of three of them crowding around and almost touching me. Please could I tell them how to turn the showers on, they had never seen a faucet like these. So I had to give them a demonstration. A testing time!

The attached pictures try to convey some of this. A few of the hostels could be old and basic, like the first photo, others might be more comfortable like the second.



The third image illustrates the camaaderie. The fourth an impression of what it was like huddled together in those open showers.

atitlan

On Wed, 13 Apr 2011 22:03 +0200, "Fred Stein" <fredstein3@hotmail.com> wrote:

Bring back happy memories. I was very young in the early 70´s - before the interail - lifting around Europe - living in Youth Hostels! In a way when the world still was innocent for a young man. Think of some stories but probably a bit off-topic - f.i. how I was taught that all Americans sleep nude (at the Youth Hostel in Hannover) .... I would love to hear stories from your days meeting guys a bit more simple as today...
Sorry for my English - not my native language ....

---

  Same experience here, Atitlan. I traveled much of Europe via International Youth Hostel Association. In more cases than not, the hostels were reasonably modern with large dorm areas -- a dozen or more sleeping areas in a room. Even those which were older, and re-structured from former usages (large homes, etc.) had shared accommodation with "total strangers". Nudity -- and by that, I mean, non-sexual and comfortable nudity -- was common: changing clothing, sleeping, showering and traveling to-from the showers. Conversations like, "I have 60 Swedish kroner. They're worth just a little more than a French franc. I'm leaving early in the morning on the ferry and won't be able to get to a bank. Do you have enough francs to exchange for me?" were conducted nude, and the exchange made.
Admittedly, this was in the 1960's and 70's. It was definitely a "different time" from today's common "shame in nudity".
Alic

---------- Another Forwarded response to the above messages ----------

Well, thank you Fred! For those who are interested, here is my memory of youth hostelling.

If you wanted to travel when I was a teenager, it was either unaffordable - and lonely - hotel rooms or it was youth hostels, which were cheap and always had people to talk to. I stayed in numerous youth hostels in Britain, Germany, Austria, Italy and Israel. No two were alike. They might be a 16-bedded farmhouse in the middle of nowhere or a huge city building with dorms each holding 100. A hot shower was a luxury only some offered; at other hostels it might be a cold-water morning wash from a basin. There were chores to be done. At one mountain hostel I had to go out and gather wood so in the evening we could huddle around a welcome fire with only gas lanterns to take us to bed.

A real feeling of camaraderie could build up. Strangers became fast friends, particularly if they met up again at another hostel later on. When I was 17, I hitch-hiked up to Scotland and found myself constantly bumping into a handsome dark-haired French lad of the same age. His name was Thierry and he wanted to be a brain surgeon. One evening I persuaded him and a girl to go for a walk in the forest outside our Scottish castle hostel. I still remember the intense look he gave me and the feeling of his hand on my shoulder but we were not alone, nothing happened and we never met again.

I am not sure why you were told all Americans slept nude because that was not my experience of Americans in youth hostels. I slept nude and so did some of the others in the male dorms but most seemed to wear what we in Britain call y-fronts. These did not hide much when it was time to get up, with morning erections producing tent poles. Lying on a bottom bunk, I would find it difficult not to laugh when the top bunk occupant clambered down, his tented underwear only inches from my face. I always preferred the top bunk to sleep naked.......

The oddest thing about the dorms was the casual nudity. Because we as strangers got to know each other so quickly, we would carry on conversations in the dorm. I remember in Italy a young cyclist with a pleasant but not handsome face getting undressed while talking to me, only for this ugly duckling to turn into a swan. He was hiding a spectacular swimmer's muscled physique. He then stood there naked and full-frontal until he had finished what he wanted to tell me.

My most eye-popping experience of youth hostel nudity came when I was backpacking around Israel. I was staying next to the Dead Sea, alone in a long line of

inter-connected communal showers after a sticky day on a bus through the West Bank. Suddenly the shower room was invaded by a dozen American 16 year-olds looking very fit in their white towels. These were quickly discarded and it became clear they were far more dirty than me, covered in mud from a caving expedition. They were full of excited chatter about the events of the day. I was unsure where to look. With difficulty, I averted my gaze and got back to washing myself. Until that is I was aware of three of them crowding around and almost touching me. Please could I tell them how to turn the showers on, they had never seen a faucet like these. So I had to give them a demonstration. A testing time!

The attached pictures try to convey some of this. A few of the hostels could be old and basic, like the first photo, others might be more comfortable like the second. The third image illustrates the camaraderie. The fourth an impression of what it was like huddled together in those open showers.

Stay bare
atitlan