The Ultimate Gay Travel Guide
The Gay Passport is your complete Gay Travel Guide. Looking to Drink, Play or Sleep we have reviews to help. Award-winning & Updated 2025.
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Tokyo is one of Asia’s gay capitals and there are awesome gay venues spread throughout the city, but the uncontested gay area in town is Shinjuku Ni-chome. This gay village east of Shinjuku Station has over 300 bars, clubs, and cruise bars, and is an unmissable stop for gay visitors to Japan.
Most hotels in Tokyo could be described a gay-friendly. Culturally Japan has no religious hostility towards homosexuality, and same-sex sexual activity has been legal for over 130 years. But while Japan may be culturally accepting legally same-sex marriage, equality laws are still lacking in the country. Tokyo city has made some positive steps in legalizing same-sex partnerships, providing some limited marriage benefits.
The hotels recommended on this list are located in Shinjuku, central Tokyo. Home to Tokyo’s entertainment district and also the city’s largest concentration of LGBT venues.
Many gay travelers who want to party choose to stay near Shinjuku Ni-Chome, the center of Tokyo’s gay scene. Shinjuku is well connected to the rest of Tokyo with three metro stations and Shinjuku station, the world’s busiest railway station.
All of the gay-friendly hotels in this list are within walking distance of Ni-Chome, although the higher-end ones tend to be a bit further away. Look out for hotels in Kabukicho, Tokyo’s infamous red-light district, which is just a short 10-minute walk from Ni-chome.
If you are staying at one of the hotels within the Shinjuku wider gayborhood, you should be able to reach the main gay nightlife within a 15-25 minute walk.
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Why we love it
♥ Couldn’t be closer to Shinjuku gay nightlife
♥ Spacious and comfy single rooms available
♥ Nice complimentary light breakfast
♥ Mini-fridge in every room
This hotel is right in the middle of the Ni-chome gay area, with venues like EAGLE, AiSOTOPE, Kinsmen, DOCK, and Campy all within a minute’s walk. Single, double, and twin rooms are available, with the Deluxe Single category being very spacious compared to similar offerings. The rooms come with all the basic toiletries, plus a mini-fridge for your personal use. The complimentary breakfast is simple, consisting of baked goods, juice, tea, and coffee, but is a welcome addition nonetheless.
Why we love it
♥ Classic Hilton comfort
♥ Traditional Japanese decor
♥ Full range of facilities
♥ Walking distance to Shinjuku gay nightlife
This hotel blends Hilton’s timeless commitment to comfort and luxury with a uniquely Japanese design. The interiors are soothing and understated, with Japanese touches like shoji screens, fusuma sliding doors, and high-tech TOTO toilets. The facilities are extensive, including an indoor pool, gym, tennis court, barbershop, four excellent restaurants, and three bars. Hilton Tokyo is located a few blocks west of Shinjuku station, meaning it is about a 20-minute walk from the main gay nightlife. Hilton Tokyo is one of the most booked luxury gay hotels in Tokyo.
Why we love it
♥ Perfect location for Ni-chome gay village
♥ Simple comfortable rooms
♥ Good-value single rooms for solo travelers
♥ Traditional onsen spa
This gay-friendly Tokyo hotel is located right next to the gorgeous Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, while also being just a couple of minutes from the Ni-chome gay nightlife. It features comfortable, simply decorated single and double rooms, with great beds and all the basic amenities. The single room is fairly spacious, and very good value. There’s an on-site restaurant that serves a good Western breakfast in the mornings and traditional onsen facilities where you can also book massage treatments. APA Hotel Shinjuku Gyoemmae is one of the most popular gay hotels in Tokyo Shinjuku.
Why we love it
♥ Located in the Ni-chome gay village
♥ Excellent public transport links
♥ Microwaves and washer-dryers in several rooms
♥ Tasty buffet breakfast
This hotel is popular with gay visitors to Tokyo, mostly due to its unbeatable location in the heart of the Ni-chome gay village. It is also just a minute from Shinjuku San-chome station (Fukutoshin, Marunouchi, and Shinjuku lines), making it really easy to get around Tokyo’s expanse. Rooms are simply decorated in an all-white color scheme, and many of them have microwaves and washer-dryers. Some of the rooms also have kitchenettes. A tasty Japanese and Western breakfast is served in the mornings, and there are vending machines in the lobby.
Why we love it
♥ Very popular with gay travelers
♥ Stylish designer rooms
♥ Western and Japanese buffet breakfasts
♥ Practical and convenient facilities
This is one of the most popular gay-friendly hotels in Tokyo, located just 10 minutes from Shinjuku’s gay nightlife. The hotel features cool rooms with Japanese contemporary decor and original art – the Loft triple rooms are a great choice for groups. Both the rooftop bar and the restaurant have exceptional panoramic city views, and the latter offers a choice of Western or Japanese buffet for breakfast. A few convenient facilities include a self-service laundry room, vending machines, and a money exchange machine. Shinjuku Granbell Hotel is one of the most booked gay hotels in Tokyo.
Why we love it
♥ Very good Japanese and Western breakfast
♥ Clean comfortable rooms with all the basic amenities
♥ Good value for solo travelers
♥ Great location for Kabuki-cho and Ni-chome nightlife
As the name indicates, this hotel is located in the red light area of Kabuki-cho, 10 minutes from the main gay nightlife. Like its sister hotel (see above), it offers clean, comfortable, and good value accommodation in the form of simply-decorated rooms. The “Cloud Fit” beds are super comfy, and the single rooms are perfect for solo travelers on a budget. There is an onsen on-site, and the breakfast buffet – with both Japanese and Western options – is fantastic. Plus like it’s sister hotels ( see above APA Hotel Shinjuku Gyoemmae) is one of the most popular gay hotels in Tokyo Shinjuku.
Why we love it
♥ Excellent central Tokyo location
♥ Range of room sizes and styles
♥ Simple soothing decor
♥ Awesome staff
Located 10 minutes from Shinjuku’s gay nightlife, Citadines offers a range of cozy, comfy rooms in the heart of Tokyo. Each has all the basic amenities for a relaxing stay, as well as neutral and soothing decor. The hotel’s facilities are all extremely airy and pleasant, from the business suite to the breakfast room. There is a laundrette and a convenience store on-site. One of the highlights of this gay-friendly hotel are the extremely friendly and attentive staff.
Why we love it
♥ Quiet location
♥ Walking distance to Ni-chome nightlife
♥ Good value
♥ Friendly and efficient staff
Hotel Listel is located a few minutes from the Shinjuku Ni-chome gay nightlife, on a quiet side-street that allows for peaceful rest at night. It offers no-frills accommodation with very good value. The rooms are compact and very clean, and the staff are friendly and helpful. There is an on-site all-day restaurant.
Why we love it
♥ Incredible views throughout the hotel
♥ Awesome fitness facilities
♥ Spacious rooms with walk-in closets
♥ Live Jazz every night at New York bar
Park Hyatt Tokyo boasts original artworks and designer interiors that blend Japanese and European influences. Every spacious room comes with a walk-in closet and a deep-soak tub, as well as large windows overlooking the city. The hotel’s fitness club is exceptional, allowing you to take in sweeping views of Tokyo while you swim, work out, or get pampered. On-site dining includes a stylish contemporary Japanese restaurant with views of Mount Fuji and a swanky jazz bar with live music every night. The Shinjuku gay nightlife is about a 25-minute walk away.
Why we love it
♥ Free breakfast
♥ Free onsen facilities
♥ Friendly English-speaking staff
♥ Walking distance to Ni-chome
This gay-friendly budget hotel offers clean, comfortable, rooms with good basic amenities. The decor is simple but modern, and the rooms are overall very well-maintained. There is a tasty free breakfast served every morning, and a small but pleasant on-site onsen which is also complimentary. The staff are lovely, helpful, and speak very good English. The Ni-chome gay nightlife is just a 15-minute walk away, and the bars of Kabuki-cho are even closer.
Why we love it
♥ Microwave kettle and fridge in every room
♥ Comfortable clean rooms
♥ Brand-new
♥ Walking distance to gay and red light nightlife
This is a very simple and straightforward hotel, very recently opened. The rooms are compact but comfortable, and every one comes equipped with a mini-fridge, kettle, and microwave, making it very easy to eat cheaply on convenience store meals. Bathrooms have deep bathtubs and generously-sized toiletries. The gay nightlife is about 15 minutes away, and the red light activities of Kabuki-cho surround the hotel.
Why we love it
♥ Top-notch Shinjuku location
♥ Cool Godzilla room
♥ Varied and tasty breakfast
♥ Comfy single rooms available
This skyscraper hotel offers relaxing rooms in nature-inspired tones of green and light wood. Single rooms are available at a relatively spacious 18m2 for Tokyo, and the doubles and triples are also very comfortable. The Godzilla View Room, with a window directly facing the head of Shinjuku’s iconic Godzilla statue, is a particularly fun option. There’s a pizza restaurant and a cozy lounge on-site, and the breakfast buffet is generous and varied. The location, about 10 minutes from the Ni-Chome gay village and a stone’s throw away from the red light district of Kabuki-cho, is excellent for food, shopping, and nightlife.
Why we love it
♥ Cool decor in every room
♥ Awesome four-person rooms available
♥ Nice chilled-out bar-restaurant
♥ Brand-new Shinjuku hotel
This Kabuki-cho hotel is brand new, having opened in 2019. L’agent blends Edo period design with a contemporary feel, and it features really cool rooms with Japanese-inspired wall art ranging from manga panels to traditional motifs. The Deluxe Twin Rooms sleep up to four people and are great for groups, with a spacious layout, a deep soaking tub, a traditional Japanese seating area. The on-site restaurant is a laid-back spot that plays sports throughout the day.
Why we love it
♥ Stylish and modern
♥ Spacious relaxing rooms
♥ Original artwork and design
♥ Cool cafe-bar concept
This recently-opened hotel is a stylish budget option, about 10 minutes from the Ni-chome gay nightlife and 5 minutes from Golden Gai. It features contemporary industrial-style decor and original artwork, giving it a boutique feel. The rooms are spacious and well-designed, with twins, doubles, and triples available. The trendy cafe-bar serves craft coffee during the day and craft beer in the evenings, with Japanese bites available throughout the day.
Why we love it
♥ Short walk to Ni-chome gay village
♥ Quiet location
♥ Well-connected to the rest of the city
♥ Clean and basic rooms
This hotel is a couple of minutes from the main Ni-chome gay village, making it a favorite gay-friendly hotel in Tokyo. It sits in a quiet side street, however, so you don’t have to worry about being kept up at night. Shinjuku San-chome station (Fukutoshin, Marunouchi, and Shinjuku lines) is just 3 minutes away. The rooms are fairly basic and the decor is a bit dated, but everything is clean. It’s worth noting that the hotel is fairly strict about bringing guests to your room. Hotel Tateshina is one of the most booked budget gay hotels in Tokyo.
The Ultimate Gay Travel Guide
The Gay Passport is your complete Gay Travel Guide. Looking to Drink, Play or Sleep we have reviews to help. Award-winning & Updated 2025.
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