This is the dedicated gay district, and I do mean 'dedicated' because there are over 400 gay bars within a five-block area. No kidding. Some places only accommodate a half-dozen people, but the astronomical number makes it the highest concentration of gay bars anywhere in the world. From what we could tell, most bars were open to mixed crowds though there were exceptions for places like Gold Finger, a lesbian exclusive bar on weekends. Usually if the bar is on the ground floor, everyone is welcome. If the bar is on a higher floor of a building, it might be men-only… …or even more exclusive to chosen proclivities if you know what I mean. It was relatively low-key the evening we strolled the area. My husband and I had time only to patronize two bars, both known to be particularly amenable to foreigners like us. One was Eagle Tokyo Blue, a subterranean bear bar with a dance floor. The other was GB, a chill bar with a bartender who was fluent in English since he grew up in Millbrae. We only have 398 more to go. Listen, there are many Tokyo natives who refuse to walk this neighborhood because they think it's dangerous. It really didn't feel any more dangerous than the rest of Shinjuku to us, and the party vibe was pretty contagious. It was also not just about the bars and dance clubs. There were restaurants, coffee cafes, convenience stores, clothing boutiques, and bookstores. Of course there were also saunas, massage parlors, and 'love hotels'. It reminded me of San Francisco's Castro or NYC's West Village but maybe like thirty years ago, which is where Japan is when it comes to LGBTQ rights. Say Gay!