Regimes of Desire: Young Gay Men, Media, and Masculinity in Tokyo

Regimes of Desire reveals that Shinjuku Ni-chōme, a nightlife district in central Tokyo, is not as welcoming as previously depicted in literature, but rather a space where only certain performances of gay identity are considered desirable. It argues that the commercial imperatives of the Japanese gay media landscape and the bar culture of Shinjuku Ni-chōme limit the agency of young gay men to better exploit them economically.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 17 November 2021
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

Shinjuku Ni-chōme, a nightlife district in central Tokyo, is often perceived as a "safe space" for the city's gay male community, providing a respite from the heteronormative society. However, Regimes of Desire challenges this notion by revealing that the district is not as inclusive as previously believed. Through fieldwork observation and interviews with young men who frequent the neighborhood's bars, the book uncovers a stratified environment where certain performances of gay identity are deemed desirable, while others are marginalized. The district's bar culture prioritizes "hard" masculine identities, excluding those who fail to conform to these gendered ideals. The book argues that the commercial imperatives of the Japanese gay media landscape and the bar culture of Shinjuku Ni-chōme work together to limit the agency of young gay men, exploiting them economically. It explores the direct impacts of media consumption on the lives of four key informants who frequent the district's gay bars in search of community, fun, and romance. By examining the complexities of Tokyo's most popular "gay town," Regimes of Desire contributes to ongoing debates about the changing nature of masculinity in contemporary Japan.

Weight: 430g
Dimension: 152 x 227 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472038619