Survival Guide - Kyoto - page 416

Kōban (police boxes) are small police stations typically found at city intersections. Most
can be recognised by the small, round red lamp outside. They are a logical place to head
in an emergency, but remember that the police may not always speak English.
Gay & Lesbian Travellers
With the possible exception of Thailand, Japan is Asia's most enlightened nation with re-
gard to the sexual preferences of foreigners. Some travellers have reported problems when
checking into love hotels with a partner of the same sex, and it does pay to be discreet in
rural areas. Apart from this, however, same-sex couples are unlikely to encounter too
many problems.
While there is a sizable gay community in Kyoto, and a number of establishments
where gay men do congregate, they will take a fair amount of digging to discover. There's
a more active scene in Osaka and many of Kyoto's gay residents make the trip there. Les-
bian women are poorly served in Kyoto and Osaka and it's difficult to find specifically
lesbian-friendly venues.
Utopia ( www.utopia-asia.com ) is the site most commonly frequented by English-speaking
gay and lesbian people.
PRACTICALITIES
» Newspapers & Magazines There are three main English-language newspapers in Japan: the Japan Times,
Daily Yomiuri and Asahi Shimbun/International Herald Tribune . A good source of information on Kyoto, and
the rest of the Kansai area, is Kansai Scene ( www.kansaiscene.com ). The Kyoto Visitor's Guide is
another good source of information on cultural and tourist events. You'll find these in large bookshops and in-
ternational hotels. Some convenience stores carry English-language newspapers.
» Weights & Measures Japan uses the international metric system.
Health
Japan is an advanced country with high standards of hygiene and few endemic diseases.
There are no special immunisations needed to visit Japan and, other than bringing pre-