Shinjuku Ni-chōme

[4] The history of Ni-chōme as a gay neighborhood generally begins around the time of the American Occupation of Japan (1945–1952) and ties strongly to the fall of its red-light districts (akasen).

[6] Before 1957, Tokyo's red-light districts had flourished as legally-licensed centers for sex workers but, armed with a new constitution and an Equal Rights amendment, post-occupation Japanese women's Christian groups and the like successfully lobbied the Diet to pass the Prostitution Prevention Law in 1956.

Today Shinjuku Ni-chōme continues to provide a home base for many milestones in the history of Japan's LGBT community.

The decline was attributed to the construction of the nearby Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line, which has pushed up property values in the area, and the rise of the Internet.

In a society where traditionally most of the population was expected to marry, many LGBT Japanese choose to privately express their sexuality within the anonymity of specialty clubs in areas like Ni-chōme.

[11] Although few gay clubs in Ni-chōme can hold more than 100 customers, large gay events held throughout the year attract up to several thousand people to the area: The Shinjuku City (the Shinjuku Ward) Board of Education (新宿区教育委員会) operates public elementary and junior high schools.