A Personal Journey Through Japanese Pride
As the train sped along the dramatic Tanesashi Coast, the sunset casting a golden glow over the Pacific, travel writer Calum McSwiggan felt his heart ache with a familiar pain. The breathtaking scenery of Japan's eastern coast served as a poignant backdrop to a journey he'd hoped to share with someone special—a man he'd met a year earlier at Tokyo Pride.
An Unexpected Meeting at Tokyo Pride
It was during the Tokyo Pride Parade that everything changed. Amid colourful protesters chanting for equal marriage rights, a smiling man caught Calum's eye, waving his flag with pride. Despite the language barrier, their connection was immediate, leading to dinner dates and countless flights to Japan as Calum began learning Japanese.
When Calum embarked on his ambitious project to document Pride celebrations worldwide throughout 2025, he knew Japan had to feature prominently. He chose Sapporo in the north, imagining a full-circle moment walking in the parade alongside the man who had captured his heart. Sadly, their relationship hadn't endured, leaving Calum to make the emotional journey alone.
The Warmth of Sapporo's LGBTQ+ Community
Despite his heartbreak, Calum discovered the profound warmth of Japanese hospitality, known as omotenashi, within Sapporo's queer spaces. While browsing vibrant market stalls, a local approached him asking, "Are you here alone?" What might have seemed like flirtation elsewhere felt genuinely kind in this context.
Soon, Calum found himself welcomed into a circle of local drag queens and queer performers, who invited him to march at the front of the parade. The feeling of loneliness evaporated as he realised he still had family within the global LGBTQ+ community, even on the other side of the world.
The Sapporo Pride parade, though smaller than many Western events with less than 1,000 participants, radiated incredible energy. The drag queens' performances alone could rival a stadium show, creating a mighty presence despite the modest numbers.
The Complex Reality of LGBTQ+ Life in Japan
Calum observed that Pride in Japan differs significantly from celebrations in other countries. Marchers were confined to one side of the road while traffic continued around them, and few spectators came out to cheer them on. This was consistent across Tokyo, Osaka, and Sapporo—surprising given Tokyo's status as the world's largest urban area.
This paradox defines Japan's relationship with its LGBTQ+ community. Japan ranks 66th on Booking.com's 2025 equality index, reflecting significant challenges despite outward appearances of progressiveness. The country lacks equal rights for transgender people, maintains cultural taboos around being openly LGBTQ+, and continues to debate same-sex marriage, with the newly elected prime minister opposing legalisation.
Many of Calum's Japanese queer friends remain closeted to colleagues and family, and dating apps feature numerous blank profiles from people seeking discretion.
Reasons for Optimism
Despite these challenges, hope persists. Recent polls indicate approximately 70% of Japanese citizens accept LGBTQ+ identities, and courts in both Tokyo and Sapporo have ruled the ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.
Culturally, representation is improving. The groundbreaking gay dating show The Boyfriend made international headlines in 2024 for its tender depictions of same-sex intimacy, signalling shifting attitudes.
Sapporo's Pride celebration embodied this quiet optimism. Rather than an angry or politically charged event, it focused on queer joy, concluding with a mass bubble release that filled the sky with iridescent spheres—a powerful statement that the LGBTQ+ community makes the world brighter.
As one local queer resident told Calum, "Sapporo is a place where the warmth of people's hearts will always shine through. It might not be perfect, but you can be true to yourself here."
