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The Doyamacho area, located just east of Umeda, is known as one of Japan's leading gay towns, with many LGBTQ+ (sexual minority) friendly restaurants. This time, we'll be guided by femminina, a popular drag queen who appears in various media, to some restaurants that are enjoyable for foreigners as well.
Doyama is a hot spot in Kita, within walking distance of Osaka's largest terminal area, where a diverse range of people gather. There are a wide variety of businesses and ways to enjoy yourself, from bars and clubs where you can enjoy music and socializing to dining bars where you can watch drag queen shows. This time, femminina, who has been active in Osaka for a long time, will be our guide, showing us around the town at night, where you can enjoy yourself naturally! She will teach us the basic rules and how to enjoy it.
Guide
A drag queen born in Osaka. Nicknamed "Femi-chan," she is popular for her performances that make the most of her 178cm height and her friendly personality. While regularly appearing in shows, mainly on weekends, she also appears on television and radio, based in Kansai, and does location shoots around the city. She also shows her unpretentious side on her own YouTube channel, making her an iconic presence that brings Kansai drag culture closer to you.
The Doyama tour starts at EAGLE OSAKA, which is popular among foreigners!
As evening approaches, the city lights come on and the number of people walking on the streets gradually increases. "It's a perfect place for a meeting," femminina tells us about EAGLE OSAKA, a bar that opened in Doyamacho in March 2024. Utilizing an entire building, the bar has three floors with different concepts.
This is a branch of EAGLE TOKYO GROUP, one of Japan's largest gay bar groups. Entry is free from Monday to Thursday, and payment is cashless only, making it a popular choice for its simplicity and quickly establishing itself as a large establishment that is easy for foreigners to enter.
The first floor is a dance floor where music events are held regularly on weekends. There is an admission fee, but you can move between all floors and re-enter.
The bar area on the second floor is a standing-style bar, but it has a Japanese atmosphere reminiscent of a food stall street or alley. In the early hours, many people use it as their first stop for a light drink or to meet up with friends. At the counter, we were recommended an original Osaka-inspired cocktail, "Mixed Juice Punch," and we toasted with the staff.
The third floor, themed around an amusement park, is decorated in the image of Shinsekai, Osaka, and is equipped with a darts machine. There is also a mini gallery, and lanterns and Japanese-style signs are scattered throughout, creating a natural environment for communication and commemorative photo opportunities.
The restaurant's system is easy to understand, and the atmosphere is welcoming, so it's a recommended place to start for people who are visiting Doyama for the first time or tourists. Conversations often break out between people sitting next to each other, and the spaciousness and ample seating make it suitable for groups. Customers who come for weekend events also have a great time, regardless of nationality!
DENGMANG, where urban style and hospitality intersect
Next we visited DENGMANG, a bar also in Doyamacho. In stark contrast to the Japanese modern design of the first bar, this one has a club-like atmosphere with dazzling lighting. Though it's located in a corner of a tenant building, the bar is spacious, with the main counter measuring over 7m in width. It's designed to be comfortable for both solo diners and groups of 4-5.
femminina immediately ordered a drink. She had a Japanese gin-based cocktail with glitter added. "The cocktails made with matcha green tea, which we prepare at the counter, are especially popular with our overseas customers," explained the bar owner, Hokuto Shiratori.
The first order set includes either one drink and an appetizer or two drinks, making it easy to understand even for foreign tourists who are unfamiliar with cover charges. On Saturday nights, the bar switches to an all-you-can-drink system (prices may vary when events are held). There is a wide variety of food, from classic snacks like edamame to hearty dishes like iron pot omelet rice, and desserts.
They offer around 100 types of drinks, mainly authentic cocktails. They also have a wide selection of non-alcoholic drinks. The menu, which is decorated with numerous illustrations to make it easy to visualize, was apparently designed by the owner himself. This too shows consideration that transcends language and cultural boundaries.
DENGMANG is known for its excellent karaoke acoustics and is often used for large banquets or as a private space. It can also accommodate a variety of events, including DJ events and live performances. It's not just a night club, but also a popular social event during the day, such as board game parties and workshops. Hokuto's hospitality is evident in the menu design and in every aspect of the establishment.
The appeal of GRAND SLAM is the high density of communication
Located just a short distance from DENGMANG, GRAND SLAM is a popular bar where the majority of its clientele are foreigners. It's located on the first floor of the building adjacent to the one where DENGMANG is located, and is marked by the rainbow flags displayed outside the storefront. It was opened in 2009 by Masa, who had a career as a go-go boy (a male performer who entertains the audience, mainly at gay clubs).
"No matter when we come, there are always a lot of customers and it's always bustling," says femminina, and on this day, despite it being a weekday, the bar was almost full to capacity. The bar employs staff from overseas, and word of mouth seems to be spreading as a place where people can enjoy a drink in peace even if they don't speak Japanese.
Although they also hold events for men only, the bar has established itself as a mixed-dance bar, attracting a relatively large number of female customers. The owners, Masa and femminina, are old friends who once performed on the same stage together. They had a great time catching up on their recent activities.
The bar is popular not only with English-speaking people, but also with customers from East Asia, including China and Korea. Many people use it like a pub, so it's easy to drop in as your first stop or in the middle of a bar crawl. The staff and customers are close to each other, so communication naturally becomes closer. It was also nice to see Masa, who has now moved to his own bar, continuing to be active as the gateway to Doyama!
femminina will also be performing at do with cafe!
We moved from Doyamacho to Usanocho and arrived at "do with cafe," where femminina regularly performs. With over 20 years of history, the restaurant is a dining bar where you can enjoy authentic cuisine while watching a drag queen show. It is said to be "the only place in Japan where a show is held every night."
A photo frame set up at the entrance is crammed with cards of the drag queens who perform at do with cafe. According to femminina, "Many perform once or twice a week." The monthly performance schedule is posted on the official website.
While the show is great, many people also visit for the food. The restaurant is run by a drag queen who has experience training at a traditional Japanese restaurant, and offers a full menu centered around Japanese cuisine, including Osaka's famous "nikusui" (simmered meat soup) and snacks made with seasonal ingredients.
At the appointed time, the lights in the floor were dimmed and the show began (the start time and number of shows vary depending on the day of the week). As the audience sat in their seats, facing the stage, waiting for Queen to appear, the volume of the background music suddenly increased and the long-awaited show began.
At the end, all the performers came on stage for a curtain call. The audience enjoyed the spectacular show, pointing their smartphones at the stage and cheering.
There are many table seats, so many people come as a group after work. Each queen has their own style, and they often change the program depending on the atmosphere of the audience that day. It's an entertainment space that can be enjoyed in many different ways, so I hope people will come again and again.
End the night with drinks, singing, and dancing at the long-established club EXPLOSION
Returning to Doyama, they arrived at their final destination, the club EXPLOSION. It was open for bar hours on a weekday. The first order was a set price including a charm, and subsequent drinks were charged separately. As soon as femminina entered the bar, she spotted some acquaintances and exchanged toasts.
Behind the counter was Angelina Juriko, a good friend of femminina's and also an active drag queen.
As you'd expect from a club, the floor is spacious, with a stage and box seats in the back. It's a long-established venue that has been open for about 30 years, and hosts a wide range of events on weekends, mainly aimed at gay people. Be sure to check the official website in advance to find out what events are available and what their target audience is (event pages are marked as MIX (open to both men), MEN ONLY (open to men only), and WOMEN ONLY (open to women only).
femminina took to the stage to conclude the Navigate. By the way, you can sing karaoke for free.
As the only club on this route, it's an interesting spot whose atmosphere changes completely on weekends. It mainly hosts LGBTQ+ events, but sometimes also holds anime song events. If you want to party until the morning while experiencing the intersection of club culture, this is the place to go. The prices are easy to understand even on weekdays, so it should be easy for those who have never been to a gay bar or foreigners to enter.
The secret to enjoying the city is to immerse yourself in Osaka's unique "introduction culture"
As times change, Doyama has come to accept a diverse range of people, and in recent years has become a popular destination for foreign tourists. This time, we traveled a little further south to Ugano, visiting a variety of different types of spots in one night, but this route was just the beginning. "Find a place, a community, where you can enjoy being yourself," femminina urges.
When asked what the secret to enjoying this area is, she replied, "Don't be too tense, just ask the shop staff." She continued, "There's a culture in this area where shops introduce each other to other shops, and the shop owners and staff will tell you, 'If you enjoy XX, you'll probably like shop △△.' The shop I showed you this time is especially new, so just be honest and tell them how you feel."
Photo: Motoki Ninomiya
Edit: Satoshi Atake
Direction: Ningen Henshusha
