As the first leg of the SJMC Japan trip drew to a close, I spent my free day to take part in my first pride festival at Tokyo Pride 2026!
Honestly, I had expected pride events in Japan to be more subdued, due to Japan not having some of the same legal protections and rights as other countries. On the walk to the park entrance, however, I encountered many people covered head-to-toe in rainbow themed accessories. Up until that point, I was unsure if I was even heading in the right direction. Encountering a crowd of that size, dressed so proudly in pride colors, all heading in the same direction, was enough to soothe my nerves.
I arrived at Yoyogi Park in Harajuku thirty minutes after the event’s start at 11 a.m., and the atmosphere was already electric. People went from booth to booth carrying or even wearing their pride flags. Everyone seemed so optimistic, and the feeling was infectious.
Tokyo Pride 2026 spanned two days in June, with the first day featuring performances by musicians and drag performers.
The first day’s masters of ceremonies were Durian Lollobrigida (ドリアン・ロロブリジーダ) and Thelma Aoyama (青山テルマ).
Durian Lollobrigida is a drag performer, singer and actor. He was a commentator on “The Boyfriend,” Japan’s first same-sex reality dating show.
Thelma Aoyama is a pop and R&B singer best known for her collaboration with SoulJa in the songs “Koko ni iru yo” and “Soba ni iru ne.” In September 2008, “Soba ni iru ne” was certified by the Guinness World Records as the best selling digital download single in Japan. At the time, it had over two million full track downloads.
Drag performers danced to songs like “Defying Gravity” from ”Wicked” and “Die with a Smile” by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga, providing stunning reveals and showstopping acrobatics, before musicians including YENO and Chun performed live.
The crowd’s enthusiasm was clearly communicated, even if i could not understand what exactly they were saying. Similarly, the performers’ dedication to their craft was obvious.
After they left the stage for the day, the drag performers mingled with the crowds near the food stalls.
There were multiple booths for festival-goers to purchase merchandise and companies to advertise and show their support.
Notable international companies that had booths at the festival included Spotify, Bloomberg and IKEA.
At the booth run by Bloomberg, I was given a marker and shown to a portion of wall where I could write my answer to various questions, one of which was “who has supported you most in your journey?” While I couldn’t read most of the other answers in their entirety, I recognized some words in Japanese, where people had mentioned their family members.
The festival provided comfort amidst a global backdrop of unrest over LGBTQ+ rights.
Assistant Professor Lifu Guo from the University of Tsukaba in Ikabara, Japan, said that she was worried, because she believes that Japanese universities are trying to follow the example of the United States.
Her concern is not unfounded. Japan is the only G7 nation that has never legally recognized same-sex marriage or civil unions. A number of courts since 2021 have made rulings on the matter, either against or in favor, though the law has yet to change.
While homosexuality is not illegal in Japan, it was for a short period between 1873 to 1881. Compared with the United States of America, where homosexuality has only been legal nation-wide since 2003.
In some prefectures and municipalities in Japan, same-sex couples may acquire certificates that confer some benefits, but do not amount to legal recognition.
Guo said that the LGBTQ+ student group at the University of Tsukaba does not receive much support from the university.
“It’s kind of sad,” she said. Nevertheless, she reiterated the importance of students having any place at all to go to for support and information.
Information seems to be in short supply. Natalie, a foreign exchange student from Germany, said that there was a lack of awareness of LGBTQ+ topics where she was studying.
“They didn’t even know about all this,” she said, gesturing at the asexual flag she wore around her shoulders.
Sintaro Fukutake, an anthropology professor from Sophia University in Tokyo, gave a more optimistic report. He said that the university has implemented gender neutral restrooms on campus. The university is also beginning to offer classes covering topics relating to gender and sexuality.
The second day of the festival featured a parade along a 1.86 mile (three kilometer) route through Harajuku and Shibuya, two of the most popular commercial areas of Tokyo.
The first Tokyo pride parade was held in 1994, as a political protest. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMP) was in the midst of a legal battle over its discrimination against an LGBTQ+ youth group; a battle it would lose in 1997, when the Tokyo High Court rejected the TMP’s appeal, affirming the original district courts decision that the TMP’s actions were discriminatory,
The pride parade surpassed 10,000 participants in 2019. This year, according to PR Times, the number of participants was estimated to be 15,000.
The total number of attendees over the weekend was around 270,000 people, including those participating in the parade, and there were 256 sponsoring groups present, according to the PR Times.
When I left Yoyogi Park, there was still a steady stream of people heading toward the festival. While I felt melancholy, I was also happy knowing that there was a place where the LGBTQ+ community could come together and strive towards progress.
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