New Stonewall Members
Since there were quite a few new members who have signed up after Tokyo Rainbow Pride.
Block 3 is composed of the following prefectures: Chiba (1), Tokyo (15), Kanagawa (2), Yamanashi(1), Shizuoka(9), Ibaraki(5), Saitama(7) The number beside your prefecture is how many of you are there.There are 6 blocks in Japan. Block 3 has the 2nd most amount of people in it. There are 43 of us living in these 7 prefectures. I want to make a group list so you guys can contact each other, but I need your permission. Stonewall takes privacy very seriously [which is why the Facebook group is closed], and why I BCC these emails to you, rather than CC. If you like to be added to the group list, please respond. Those 6 of you who have already done it in the last email, no worries, you're already on it.
Stonewall is a non-exclusive, non-judgmental, network and community of support for ALTs and others desiring an outlet for sexual expression in a very closeted Japan. Stonewall is open to ANYONE regardless of sexual orientation, gender, nationality, occupation.
Feel free to invite your queer and queer friendly friends interested. We'd love for more Japanese to join our group, as they often have great advice and perspective on what's going on. Stonewall uses the FACEBOOK PAGE, MONTHLY MAILINGS, and EVENTS, AND SKYPE MEETINGS to get together and ask for and offer support. Feel free to post on any topic you'd like and ask for advice on any of these forums. If there's something specifically that you'd like to discuss, send me an email and I'll throw the topic up on the Facebook page or schedule a skype event. Just feel free to ask questions and get involved whenever you have time.
Twitter no doubt has big power in spreading messages. For example in this article , one lesbian tweeted about how TOKYO DISNEYLAND denied her and her partner to hold a wedding ceremony in Cinderella's castle, a privilege that straight people could have if they paid the fee. After tweeting about it, the news spread, created controversy and TOKYO DISNEYLAND changed their policy and allowed this same sex wedding ceremonies. The POWER of TWITTER!!!!! Stonewall's name is @stonewalljapan
Recent Block 3 Events
These past couple of weeks have been jammed packed with LGBT events. If you'd like to see some photos I took from TRP and DWE, click here.
Tokyo Rainbow Pride at Yoyogi Park on April 29th, 2012
For those of you who couldn't make it, it was a perfect sunny day and the mood was very happy around Yoyogi park and Harajuku streets where we marched. Almost everyone was sporting rainbow attire or crazy costumes. It was pretty successful in that it had higher numbers of attendants that previous prides recently. The official number given by the Tokyo Rainbow Pride organizers were 4500 people. Much thanks to those of you who approached the INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION BOOTH powered by Stonewall AJET as well as those of you who volunteered in it. The leadership hopes that they could answer any questions that you had about Pride, after-events or LGBT life in Japan.
Stonewall's NYAN cat float
Dyke Weekend 2012 at Saitama Women's Center from May 4-6, 2012 About 40 women gathered together in the countryside of MusashiRanzan station in Saitama ken. We enjoyed workshops on art visualization, dreams, massage, reiki, yoga, a hug version of Rugby [Hugby], a BIG Barbecue by the river, and 2 nights of late night after-parties with various games. It was a 3 day weekend of chilled out fun for ladies.
Box Social in Nakano, Minamidai [Weekly Wednesday Cafe Get-togethers [7pm-1am] A LGBT Wednesday night box social which happens weekly had it's debut on May 9th, 2012. Modeled after the Wednesday night International Lesbian bar, Chestnut and Squirrel, in Shibuya which closed in 2010, it is open to all spectrums of the LGBT rainbow who wish to enjoy "hump day" together. The nearest station is NakanoFujimiCho station on the Marunouchi line [the red metro line which runs to Shinjuku Sanchome], near Nichome gaytown. Feel free to add yourself to the ever-present Facebook Event Page. And for a map to the JUNK COFFEE All drinks are only 500 yen and there is outdoor seating at a picnic table in the front of the shop. There's also yummy niblets there as well.
Events Besides Bars and Clubs Feel free to invite some Stonewall members along, if you'd like some company to one of these events in and around Tokyo.
Takarazuka These stage shows feature all women casts who play both the male and female roles. You can find out more about what play or musical is out by clicking here. This month it's Don Carlos.
SUMO This is the last weekend in May for SUMO. It'll be back in July and September. You can get more information here.
Minato Mirai Ride a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, play in arcades, go shopping, take a boat ride around Yokohama bay then off for a fancy spa bath, which has Dr. Fish, a foot treatment where small fish eat the dead skin from feet. A day you won't forget, I'm sure. Minato Mirai is a great place to visit with a group of friends, or take a date, or take someone sightseeing. There's so much all in one place.
Summer Sonic Fuji Rock Festival
FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL 2012
Bar/Club Events
WOMEN
May 12th La Nina http://lanina.04-01.jp/
May 19th Goldfinger http://www.goldfingerparty.com/top.html
June 1st Diamond Cutter http://diamondcutter.jp/index_pc.html
May 26th Grand Panache http://grand-panache.fem.jp/index.shtml
MEN
MAY 19th DANCE DANCE DANCE http://www.warehouse702.com/sche/201205/20120519.php May 26th THE RING http://www.warehouse702.com/sche/201205/20120526.php
June 02 [Not Gay but cool nonetheless] http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?338759
The Gay Afterparty http://www.warehouse702.com/sche/201206/20120602.php
Miscellaneous News
Cool Biz is starting early this year http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nb20120502a2.html
News on Gaijin Cards http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120429a2.html
Tokyo will get to see an eclipse http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120504f2.html
Spring Recipes
Takenoko 竹の子, Bamboo Rice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_WrQF_qVk8 Bamboo is now in season, this is a traditional recipe for the season
Umeshuu 梅酒、Plum "wine" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlBNdRKNhJI
Once Rainy season starts, you might see the ingredients for Umeshu in the supermarket. If you'd like to make your own Umeshu, here's a recipe.
ENJOY May....
