Kansai Rainbow Festa Recap

The Kansai Rainbow Festa was a delightful success and a good time was had by all! Despite the surprisingly hot October weather, we met many people across a wide area and enjoyed interacting with both locals and other members of the broader community.At the Stonewall Japan booth we offered rainbow face (or due to the hot weather-arm) paint in the colours of the rainbow. Louis, I, and a large number of fantastic volunteers chatted and made friends with many new people. People came not just from the Kansai area, but also from prefectures in other regions of Japan. We managed to raise approximately 7,000 yen.

In addition to our booth, a large number of other organisations were also present, showing the real vibrancy of our community within Osaka. A stage was set up for performances and a multitude of food and drink stalls were there too.

The parade itself was also a success. We held up a large banner for Stonewall Japan and marched together, drawing the eyes and attention of many curious locals. The response was overwhelmingly positive (I think it was fairly clear what the parade was representing). The parade went around the Doyama district of Osaka and took a little over an hour as there were a large number of traffic lights.

Following the festivities during the day, we got together as a group and went out for dinner at an izakaya located in Tenma. The rest of the evening was spent dancing away (there may have been karaoke involved) at several bars in the Doyama area.

Overall, the event was a great success and I hope to see it grow larger in the years to come. It is always great to meet new people and to learn more about the community. While the atmosphere is reportedly less lively than other celebrations in Japan, I still think we all view as a fun time. In the coming years, I look forward to seeing what we can do to expand upon and improve the event.

Thank you to everyone who came!