LGBT YouTubers in Japan, in English!

The number of LGBT YouTubers in Japan have risen in recent years, with several channels run by YouTubers of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). Here we share with you Japan-based YouTubers who either present in English or add English subtitles.

Otomari-kai

Otomari-kai is a corner on the BuzzFeed news and entertainment website. The word means “sleepover” in Japanese. Lesbian presenter Ami invites LGBTQ friends to a set that is a double bed, and tucked under the covers together, they look up at the camera as they discuss her questions related to their SOGI. Since she invites a variety of young queer people, viewers can encounter a different outlook and experience every time. While the majority of queer channels are run by couples, this one-on-one is a nice change of pace.

HAPPILIFE CHANNEL

Happilife Channel is run by the lesbian couple Pocchi and Michiko. They talk about not only queer life in Japan but also beauty, product recommendations and fashion.

Tokyo BTM

Tokyo BTM is presented in English by gay couple Meng and Andrew. They describe themselves as hailing from China and Canada, and having lived in Japan for a number of years. They show viewers what gay life and culture is like in Tokyo, for both foreigners and Japanese alike. Since both presenters are not originally from Japan, they can also share their perspectives as immigrants to the country.

THE VOICELESS

Lastly, The Voiceless is a corner on the Asian Boss channel, which is a media company that aims “to bridge social and cultural gaps between Asia and the world.” The Voiceless interviews people in Japan who lack a voice, including sexual minorities. In the fourth episode, transgender YouTuber pair Kanata and Eito are interviewed about what it is like being transgender in Japan.

YouTube is a useful resource for gaining a glimpse of the daily life of queer people in Japan. Here we have limited our introductions to channels that offer English, but there are many more LGBT YouTubers in Japan, so we hope that motivates you to study Japanese.