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For visitors
Is it safe to visit Japan as a trans person?
Yes. I'm going on the assumption here that if you are visiting Japan, you're a) not living in Japan and b) don't speak Japanese. If you're non-asian, you'll be clocked as a "foreigner" before being clocked as a trans person. If you are asian, you may experience the awkward dance of someone speaking to you in Japanese and wondering why you won't speak Japanese back.
In general, Japan is pretty tourist-friendly. It is not as English friendly as you'd expect, as some tourists have pointed out to me. Most tourist-friendly areas in Tokyo will have English signs or menus; this does not necessarily mean the staff speaks English.
There are many other helpful guides on how to navigate Japan; this will go over the basics of trans-specific concerns.
Are there trans-friendly restrooms?
Toilets are pretty gendered here, so be aware of that. In Tokyo, there are "daredemo toilet" (universal toilets) but they are less common than gendered toilets. Men's toilets are blue, while women's are red; the universal toilets often have green signage on them and have a wheelchair-accessible push button on them.
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The door uh...takes a while to close and lock, so make sure that the door makes a "click" noise for locked before you pee.
Cafés like Tully's, Starbucks, Komeda, Doutor and Excelsior in Tokyo typically have single-stall restrooms for those who are looking for a more private place to go. Make sure you buy a drink before you use the restroom.
Hot springs are still highly-gendered, though. I recommend you book a kashikiri onsen if you want to visit hot springs, since this allows you and your partner(s) of any gender to exclusively use the hot spring for a certain period of time, without worrying about male/female or social norms.
Please read up on hot spring ettiquete in Japan before you go.
As a personal recommendation, Nyuto Onsen (乳糖温泉) and in particular Ganiba Onsen's Karakonoyu in Akita is mixed-gender. It's one of my favorite places to go to in Japan in winter.
Ni-chome in Shinjuku is Tokyo's LGBTQ district. Some places are strict about gender codes; others are not. Places that are English-friendly will be less strict about gender codes.
- If you can catch the WAIFU Party while you're here, it is the gender-free party to be at. They usually do events once a month. Check their Instagram for event dates.
- Dragon Men, Aiiro Cafe and Arty Farty are where I've seen the majority of English-speaking folks hang out.
- GOLDFINGER, a lesbian bar in Tokyo, is women (trans women inclusive) only on Saturdays. On Mondays FTM staff are working. I've been there on Mondays and it's nice.
WAIFU, in fact, was made as an alternative space to GOLDFINGER, as some years ago they caused a stir in the trans community by barring a trans woman entry from a "women-only" party. The owner has since acknowledged her mistake, apologized, and changed the bar policy to include trans folks.
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For residents
According to a study by Asher & Lyric, Japan ranks 88 on the list of protections of employment, legal and medical trans rights.
What this means for residents:
- gender-affirming health care is available, but is not covered by national insurance
- to change your gender marker in Japan, you need to be a) never been married, b) over 18 c) require sterilization
- As of October 2023, required sterilization has been ruled as unconstitutional—but that doesn't mean the law has been overturned yet.
- in principle, there exist single-stall restrooms or "daredemo toilet" in most places, but most restrooms are still gendered anyway
- hot springs are still highly gendered. Personally, I've known pre-GRS (gender reassignment surgery) trans men to go to the women's side or avoid hot springs altogether and heard from cis male friends pre-GRS trans women go to the men's side
- people are generally accepting of gender androgynous or non-passing individuals, particularly if they are foreign. This can be difficult for non-foreign folks or folks outside of Tokyo.
Thank you for your time, and we'll see you again this week!