Gay Marriage in Japan: Pride as a protest in Nagoya 🏳️‍🌈

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]Hey, it's Brian from Japan Gay Guide and welcome to Nagagoya Rainbow Pride. We're in Nagoya, Japan today, which is Japan's fourth largest city and we're here celebrating Nagoya Rainbow Pride. Nagoya Rainbow Pride only started a few years ago in 2019, but now it's grown to up to 50,000 people attending every year. So far, the vibes are really fun. I'm having a great time already. I'm really excited to see what today's going to be like. We have a parade. We have performances. There are booths. We're going to check out everything. So, come on, let's go. Here's a tip. After arriving in Nagoya, hop on the Higashiyama line to Sakai. It'll only take 5 minutes and cost 210 yen. And it'll save you 30 minutes of walking in Japan's heat. 31 booths, 20 live events, and one parade. But before heading to the parade, we wanted to know more about the people who came here today. Hi, what's your name?

[00:00:52]>> My name is Savannah.

[00:00:53]>> My name is Daria.

[00:00:54]>> Hinata.

[00:00:55]>> I'm Tiara.

[00:00:55]>> Nice to meet you all. Is it your first Pride festival?

[00:00:58]>> This is my first Pride festival ever. I come from a country where they aren't allowed. So, I felt so much pride and joy today to feel seen and be surrounded by people who feel joy to be a part of this community and I'm very very grateful for it.

[00:01:17]>> This is my second pride, but this is my first time as a volunteer.

[00:01:20]>> What inspired you to volunteer? I have many people in my family who identify with the LGBTQ label. So, I decided that I wanted to spread that support through Japan and came to help out here.

[00:01:33]>> Compared to Tokyo and Osaka, what do you think about Pride here?

[00:01:36]>> I think it is fantastic. Everyone here is just super friendly and supportive.

[00:01:41]Just working very closely with the volunteers. This year, I can see more of how much we are just loved in this city and it's an amazing thing to experience.

[00:01:49]really surprised because this is my first pride as well. We didn't expect this amount of people to come out. We thought it would just be like, oh, it will be a bit more lowkey and it's just really nice to see the the magnitude of people that are out and just walking saying like the whole pride. Good. I wasn't going to >> That's awesome. There were so many people waving at us and screaming at us like a happy pride and it felt just so safe and great. For a moment I forgot that Japan is considered to be conservative country because it felt so comfortable to be here.

[00:02:27]>> Also just feel like you know we don't care about whatever people thinks. We own the streets and we take the place and that is it.

[00:02:34]>> It was so nice to meet you all.

[00:02:35]>> Happy Pride. And now is the time that everyone's been waiting for, the parade.

[00:02:40]If you want to be a part of the parade, you have to register. And be careful.

[00:02:44]It's first come, first serve, and there are only 1400 spots, so come early. Here is the route that the parade is going to take. It's going to start at Oasis 21st, which is behind me. Go all the way south to Wakamia Odori Street, and walk back to Oasis 21. And luckily, we secured our spots in the parade, and it's about to begin. So, let's go. Okay, I'm in line.

[00:03:04]We're waiting for the parade to start.

[00:03:06]I'm really excited to march my first ever Pride in Japan. Very excited. Let's go. Over the years, Nagoya has emerged as a significant hub for LGBTQ plus rights legal action in Japan, evolving from a relatively quiet social environment to a key venue for challenging the lack of marriage equality. In 2023, the Nagoya District Court became the first to rule that the ban on same-sex marriage violated article 24 of the Japanese Constitution, as well as article 14. And in 2024, the Iichi Prefecture implemented a new familyship oath system. This system is notable for being the first in Japan to explicitly recognize same-sex couples and their children as families, allowing them access to public housing and enabling them to give consent for surgery at prefecture run hospitals. We are marching in Nagoya Rainbow Pride's parade. We've spent the day at Nagoya Rainbow Pride, which is a newer festival that started around 2019. Officially around 2012, they had a different pride festival, but Rainbow Pride has only been around since 2019. It started with only 800 people, but today there are 1,400 people marching in this parade.

[00:04:14]There were thousands of people attending the festival today, and it's really amazing to see what a pride parade is like in Japan. It is a conservative country, but people won't harass you for being gay, but there is still a social stigma that exists. We're walking down the street in a parade and you know, not everyone's stopping and waving. Most people are just continuing about their day. Very Japanese. It's very interesting to see what's happening here in 2026 with the fight for legalization in Japan. To see how that is being countered by parades and festivals like we're at today in Nagoya, a smaller city. It's not Tokyo. It's not Osaka.

[00:04:52]Still a big city, but it's very interesting. We just finished marching in the Nagoya Rainbow Pride parade. It was awesome. It was so amazing to see a parade of that size. And the party is not done. The event is not over. There are still performances. There are parties tonight. Performances happening right now. All the booths are open until 6:00. So, make sure you come check it out.

[00:05:22]Baby, >> hi.

[00:05:31]>> My name is Gadango and I am from the House of Gishoku.

[00:05:35]>> Hello, my name is Shinichi. I'm organizing House of Gishoku.

[00:05:38]>> Is it your first Nagoya Pride?

[00:05:40]>> No, it's like a number four, at least fourth time.

[00:05:43]>> It is our third or fourth time here at Nagoya Rainbow Fest. I absolutely love it. If you haven't looked at the ground yet, let's look at it now. There is not a speck of dirt in the entire arena. So we love Nagoya Rainbow Fest.

[00:05:56]>> What did you think of Nagagoya Rainbow Pride today?

[00:05:58]>> So many people like it's a more than last year.

[00:06:01]>> It's so powerful. It's so international.

[00:06:03]I was always surprised, impressed. Tokyo is also a very very big pride and Nagua is like so powerful. I'm always love this pride. It's amazing.

[00:06:12]>> Can you tell me about your look today?

[00:06:14]This is a uh gay uh gay Louis >> gay.

[00:06:27]>> Yes. Yes.

[00:06:28]>> In your time in Japan, have you seen pride change? Has it grown?

[00:06:33]>> Some city prides have gotten a lot bigger. Some city prides have actually shrunken down a little bit. Not for bad reasons, but for reasons of concentration on specific purpose. And so it's nice that everyone's kind of being mindful about the people that are behind Pride, about the thoughts and feelings they're putting into the event.

[00:06:49]>> In that sense, yeah, I've definitely seen a lot of change, some for the good, some for the bad, but it's always moving forward on an upwards incline, which is quite nice. Can you tell me about House of Gishoku? House of Gishoku is an NPO here in Tokyo, Japan and we do events and prides and shows and we do it all over the country and we just want to support the community but also have a good time, be a little messy, show everyone's different kinds of art and just ideas on the stage. It's a good time.

[00:07:16]>> And you're doing a show in Tokyo June 6th, 7th at Queendom.

[00:07:20]>> Yes.

[00:07:20]>> Is that right? For Tokyo Pride.

[00:07:22]>> Yes. Yes.

[00:07:22]>> You know, >> I'm a big fan. on took pride we have two days the June 6th and 7th and after June the Saturday night and we are doing the show in uh Shinjuk Queen. Yes. We have a dra king and dra queen. Yes.

[00:07:36]>> Oh amazing.

[00:07:36]>> Yes.

[00:07:37]>> Do you have anything to say about like the political landscape of Japan this year specifically around gay marriage?

[00:07:43]>> Let's hurry up.

[00:07:45]>> Let's hurry it up. Japan is typically 10 to 15 behind a lot of, you know, progressive ideas when it comes to comparing with the West. Yeah.

[00:07:54]>> So, let's hurry it up a little bit. Is there anything else you want to say?

[00:07:56]>> The one day in the future, like if you have a chance, please come to NEGA Pride. It's amazing Pride and you should come one day and please celebrate Pride and you know, like yourself. Yes.

[00:08:05]>> You have anything else you want to say?

[00:08:06]You have a show coming up at Tokyo Pride, right?

[00:08:08]>> Absolutely. We got a show coming up at Tokyo Pride. We have a booth at Tokyo Pride on June 6th and June 7th.

[00:08:12]>> We have a booth.

[00:08:13]>> We have a booth. We got a booth here at Nagoya. You got a booth in Tokyo?

[00:08:16]>> I will be in Saporro in September. We do the Pride Circuit.

[00:08:19]>> Are you going to go to Okinawa Pink Dot?

[00:08:21]>> Are you buying my ticket?

[00:08:23]>> Sure.

[00:08:24]>> I will be there.

[00:08:27]>> Happy Pride.

[00:08:28]>> Well, what do you think? We had a great day here at Nagoya Rainbow Pride. Make sure you come check it out next year.

[00:08:34]Highly recommend. It was such a great vibe, such great people, great performances, great booths, and stay tuned because next we're going to Osaka for an Osaka Gay District tour. And you don't want to miss that. Leave a comment below and tell us what your favorite part of the day was. And subscribe and we'll see you later.