abstract
| - Shinjuku ni-chōme (新宿二丁目, referred to colloquially simply as Ni-chōme or even Nicho) is area 2 in the special ward of Shinjuku in Tokyo, Japan. Ni-chōme is approximately a ten minute walk from Shinjuku Station along either Shinjuku or Yasukuni Avenues. Shinjuku-san-chōme Station (M-09 or S-02) on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line or Toei Shinjuku Line, or Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station (M-10) on the Marunouchi Line are within a few minutes walk of Ni-chōme. Ni-chōme is best known as the centre of Tokyo's gay scene. Estimates of the number of gay pubs, clubs and bars in this area alone range between 200-300. In fact, it is frequently said that Ni-chōme has the highest concentration of gay bars per block of any place in the world. Nevertheless, the gaybourhood ("gay town," in Japanese) covers only a small area of a few square blocks centred around Nakadai Street. Besides the bars, the area is also home to restaurants and cafes, shops, saunas, hotels, 'host bars' (bars where patrons can meet hustlers), cruising spots, massage parlours and brothels of varying sizes and legality. Establishments vary in size, but many are limited to ten or fewer seats. There are no gay clubs in Ni-chōme that can hold more than one hundred customers. Large gay events that attract several hundred, or several thousand people, are held at different times throughout the year outside the area.
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