Was ist ein Boys-Love-Café? Ein Boys-Love-Café (BL-Café) ist ein thematisches Café, das auf dem Konzept basiert, dass junge Männer romantische Beziehungen miteinander eingehen. Kunden betreten das Café wie eine Schule, in der das Personal als "Schüler" auftritt. Es gibt verschiedene "Jahrgangsstufen", die durch die Farbe der Krawatten erkennbar sind: 1. Jahrgang (rot), 2. Jahrgang (blau) und 3. Jahrgang (schwarz).

Beim ersten Besuch erhält man eine Schülerkarte und beginnt im ersten Jahrgang. Eine besondere Regel ist, dass man nicht ungezwungen mit den "Schülern" höherer Jahrgänge sprechen darf. Das Café bietet nicht nur Kaffee, sondern auch Alkohol an. Zudem organisiert es Veranstaltungen wie Schulausflüge zu Erdbeerfarmen. Eine wichtige Regel: Kunden dürfen das Personal nicht berühren, sonst droht der Ausschluss aus der "Schule".

Bekannte Boys-Love-Cafés in Japan

IKEGAKU - Ikebukuro BL School Café

• Ort: 2. Stock, Iwashita-Gebäude, 3-9-13 Higashi Ikebukuro, Tokio
• Eintritt: 1000 JPY pro Stunde + mindestens ein Getränk bestellen
• Öffnungszeiten: Mo-Fr 15:00 - 22:30, Sa-So 12:00 - 22:30
• Regeln: Essen mitbringen kostet 3000 JPY pro Artikel
• Kontakt: 03-5985-4157

Café 801 - BL-Lese-Café

• Ort: Ikebukuro, Tokio
• Besonderheit: Keine als Schulkinder verkleideten Mitarbeiter, sondern ein Lese-Café mit ca. 18.000 BL-Manga
• Öffnungszeiten: Mo-Fr 11:00 - 20:00, Sa 11:00 - 22:00, So 11:00 - 20:00 (Mi & Do geschlossen)
• Kontakt: +81 7065620194

Café Lento Kunitachi

• Ort: Kunitachi, Tokio
• Besonderheit: Ein Treffpunkt für BL-Fans, um sich auszutauschen und Manga zu lesen
• Sammlung: Ca. 1000 BL-Manga und Magazine
• Öffnungszeiten: Mo-Sa 11:00 - 18:30, So 11:00 - 17:30 (Mi geschlossen)

Kuro no Tachineko-ya - BL-Buchcafé in Miyagi

• Ort: Wataricho, Miyagi-Präfektur
• Besonderheit: Ein verstecktes Café für BL-Fans mit ca. 3.800 BL-Manga
• Mitgliedsgebühr: 300 JPY
• Eintritt: 1500 JPY pro Stunde, 3000 JPY für drei Stunden
• Öffnungszeiten: 10:00 - 18:00 (Reservierung erforderlich)

Warum ist BL in Japan so populär?

Historische Wurzeln: Das Kosho-System der Edo-Zeit Schon während der Edo-Zeit (1603-1868) existierte das "Kosho"-System, in dem junge männliche Assistenten mächtige Herren begleiteten. Diese Beziehungen überschritten oft berufliche Grenzen und wurden als Zeichen von Loyalität und Zuneigung romantisiert. Diese Tradition beeinflusste die spätere Entwicklung des BL-Genres.

Aufstieg des Boys-Love-Genres In den 1970er und 1980er Jahren legten Pionierinnen wie Keiko Takemiya und Moto Hagio mit Werken wie "Kaze to Ki no Uta" und "Thomas no Shinzou" den Grundstein für das moderne BL-Genre. In den 1990er Jahren gewann BL durch Künstler wie Kaoru Kurimoto und Kazuma Kodaka noch mehr Anhänger. Heute ist BL ein fester Bestandteil der Popkultur.

BL im Mainstream: Von Manga zu Filmen und Serien BL hat sich mittlerweile über Manga hinaus in verschiedene Medien ausgeweitet, darunter Anime, Live-Action-Filme und Theaterstücke. Werke wie "Gravitation" von Maki Murakami oder "Yuri!!! on ICE" haben weltweit Kultstatus erreicht.

Aktuelle Entwicklungen in der Boys-Love-Kultur in Japan

Kitakyushu als neues BL-Zentrum Die Stadt Kitakyushu hat sich in den letzten Jahren als neues Zentrum der BL-Kultur etabliert. Ein populärer thailändischer BL-Film hat in der Region eine neue Welle an Tourismus ausgelöst, und es gibt dort nun vermehrt BL-Events und Dojinshi-Messen.

BL-Events in Japan Neben den bekannten BL-Cafés gibt es in Japan regelmäßig große Dojinshi-Events, auf denen Fans selbstgezeichnete BL-Werke verkaufen. Eine der größten Veranstaltungen ist "Comiket" in Tokio, aber es gibt auch spezialisierte BL-Events in anderen Städten.

Öffentliche Bäder schließen – Auswirkungen auf die Gay-Community Einige traditionelle öffentliche Badehäuser (Sento) in Japan schließen, was auch die informelle Gay-Szene beeinflusst. Manche dieser Orte waren diskrete Treffpunkte für homosexuelle Männer. Die Schließungen und Veränderungen in der Badehaus-Kultur haben daher auch Auswirkungen auf diese Community.

Johnny & Associates-Skandal und die Schattenseiten der Industrie 2023 änderte die berühmte Talentagentur Johnny & Associates nach schweren Missbrauchsvorwürfen ihren Namen in "Smile-UP". Bereits in den 1960er Jahren gab es Berichte über sexuelle Übergriffe durch den Gründer Johnny Kitagawa, aber die Medien schwiegen lange darüber. Der Skandal hat zu einer stärkeren Diskussion über den Schutz junger männlicher Künstler geführt, ein Thema, das auch für die BL-Kultur von Bedeutung ist.

Die Boys-Love-Kultur ist in Japan tief verwurzelt und hat sich über Jahrzehnte hinweg entwickelt. Sie bietet nicht nur eine fantasievolle Flucht aus dem Alltag, sondern ist auch ein kulturelles Phänomen mit einem weltweiten Einfluss. Gleichzeitig gibt es Kontroversen und gesellschaftliche Herausforderungen, die zunehmend in den Fokus rücken. Trotz dieser Debatten bleibt BL ein zentraler Bestandteil der japanischen Popkultur und gewinnt international weiter an Bedeutung.

<<Do you want to real original Japanese BL comic books? We send them to you for 60USD!>>

<<Did you know Kitakyushu becoming a BL hub thanks to a famous BL movie from Thailand? Check also BL Dojinshi event around Japan>>

<<Why some public baths closing in Japan? How is it related to casual gay men meet up in Japan>>

<<If you want to interview the cafe or people in Japan, our media support service can help!>>

Video from Osaka BL school (this school closed)

The cafe is located near to the Otome road ( 乙女ロード ).

It is the area for Otaku girls. It is the street on the west side of Sunshin 60 building in Ikebukuro. It is around 200 meters. It used to be just male dominated otaku/geeks but from around 2004 when the anime goods shop, Animate, started targeting more female customers and another shop, Toranoana, followed the suit. 

Unlike Nakano Broadway or Akihabara, Ikebukuro has more cafes and shops around to sell female clothes this also attracts more female.

Today one big portion of the females hanging around in the area is called " Fujoshi / 腐女子". It means "rotten girl' in Japanese but actually means those girls who are into boys love stuff/yaoi fandom.

IKEGAKU

( Ikebukuro BL school cafe )

Fee: 1000JPY per hour and one drink to order. After this one hour, 500JPY per 30 mins.

Opening hour: 15:00 - 22:30 Mon-Fri, 12:00 Lunch time - 22:30 Sat and Sun

Address: 2nd floor Iwashita bldg (岩下ビル), 3-9-13 Higashi Ikebukuro, Tokyo

How to get there? 10 min walk from the east exit of Ikebukuro station (in front of Teikyo Heisei univ.)

Contact: 03 5985 4157

The official website (the cafe has many rules such as if you bring your own food, you need to pay 3000JPY per item etc. )

Its official youtube channel

For more interesting news, please click here!

The boys love cafe in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

There are no school boy looking staff. Here you can read as many BL book as possible. You pay by hour and some drink order. The cafe has ca 18,000 boys love comics and books.

Opening hour: 11:00am - 20:00 Mon - Fri, 11:00am - 22:00 on Sat, 11:00am - 20:00 on Sun

Closed on Wed and Thu (you should check their official website to see the opening hour, day)

Tel: +81 7065620194

Official website

For booking, you can try from this 

Cafe Lento Kunitachi

Cafe Lento Kunitachi is a cafe run by a BL fan owner. It is not the cafe with boys serving you. It is a place for boys love fans to read, chat over the boys love. The cafe has ca 1000 boys love comics and also magazines.

Opening hour: 11:00am - 18:30 Mon-Sat, 11:00am - 17:30 on Sun (may change over time, better contact on its Instagram etc. and check in advance)

Closed: on Wednesday and some days as its official SNS Insta, X announce.

Official website

Boys love book cafe Kuro No Tachineko Ya in Miyagi pref.

You join the membership (300JPY) and pay by hour (1500JPY / hour, if 3 hours then 3000JPY).

It has so many BL books you read.

Opening hour: 10:00- 18:00.  Sometimes closed. You need to book in advance and no drink, no food offered. 

Check out its X account

About the Kuro No Tachineko-ya

In Wataricho, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, there is a unique book café named "Kuro no Tachineko-ya" that focuses on Boys' Love (BL) manga, depicting romantic relationships between men. The café was founded by a woman who, after losing her father a year after the 2011 earthquake, sought a fulfilling job that would allow her to care for her mother. Drawing visitors from both within and beyond the prefecture, Kuro no Tachineko-ya has become a gathering place for BL enthusiasts.

Situated in a residential area atop a hill in a town with around 30,000 residents, finding "Kuro no Tachineko-ya" can be a challenge due to its location on narrow roads and deliberate lack of signboards. The owner explains, "Some boys love fans prefer to keep their interests private, so we keep the café low-profile. However, dedicated fans manage to discover us."

The café boasts an extensive collection of approximately 3,800 BL manga/comics volumes, offering patrons the opportunity to immerse themselves in captivating stories and characters. Customers often engage in lively discussions, sharing insights and favorite moments from their beloved series.

The appeal of BL manga, according to the owner, lies in its portrayal of deep and tender relationships between male characters. She describes how readers find solace in the purity and sincerity of these depictions, especially after long days of work.

Since its opening in October 2020, "Kuro no Tachineko-ya" has gained popularity through social media, attracting visitors from nearby cities like Ishinomaki in the northern part of Miyagi Prefecture and even from Fukushima Prefecture. The café's clientele primarily comprises women, ranging from housewives, working professionals, to students aged between their 20s and 60s, reflecting the broad appeal of BL manga across diverse demographics.

Source: Asahi News

Boys love culture is deeply rooted in Japan. 

Japan's fascination with Boys' Love (BL), a genre that explores romantic relationships between male characters, has deep historical roots and a significant cultural impact. From the Edo period's "kosho" system to the modern BL manga and anime industry, the genre has evolved, capturing the imaginations of diverse audiences. This article delves into the historical origins, cultural significance, and recent challenges faced by the BL culture in Japan, emphasizing the need to address real-world issues while appreciating its artistic merits.

Historical Roots: The Kosho System in the Edo Period

During the Edo period (1603-1868), the "kosho" system involved young male assistants who served powerful figures, such as the shogun. These relationships often transcended professional boundaries, emphasizing loyalty and affection. This historical practice contributed to the romanticization of male-male relationships in Japanese culture, laying the groundwork for the development of the BL genre in later years.

The Evolution of Boys' Love Culture

The BL genre gained significant momentum in the 1970s and 1980s with the works of pioneers like Keiko Takemiya and Moto Hagio. Their manga, such as "Kaze to Ki no Uta" and "Thomas no Shinzou," explored themes of love and friendship between male characters, attracting a devoted following. The 1990s witnessed the rise of popular BL manga artists like Kaoru Kurimoto and Kazuma Kodaka, further solidifying the genre's presence in the Japanese literary landscape.

<<Do you want to real original Japanese BL comic books? We send them to you for 60USD!>>

<<Did you know Kitakyushu becoming a BL hub thanks to a famous BL movie from Thailand? Check also BL Dojinshi event around Japan>>

BL in Popular Culture: Impact and Diversity

In recent decades, BL has expanded beyond manga and anime, infiltrating mainstream media and pop culture. The genre has inspired numerous live-action adaptations, drama series, and even stage plays. Works like the manga series "Gravitation" by Maki Murakami and the anime "Yuri!!! on ICE" have gained international acclaim, showcasing the diversity of BL narratives and characters.

Challenges and Controversies: The Johnny's & Associates Scandal

Despite its cultural significance, the BL industry has faced controversies. In 2021, the Japanese entertainment industry was rocked by a scandal involving Johnny's & Associates, a leading talent agency. Allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation within the agency shed light on the darker aspects of the industry, prompting discussions about the treatment of young male performers and the need for systemic reforms. The scandal already was out in 1960s when the founder Johnny Kitagawa, who was alleged to have raped many boys, started his career as an agent but very few media talked about it most likely out of the pressure of the power of the talent agency which backed Johnny Kitagawa. In 2023 the agency announced to change its name to Smile-UP to provide support for the sexual abuse victims. 

<<Why some public baths closing in Japan? How is it related to casual gay men meet up in Japan>>

Addressing Real-World Issues: Advocacy and Empowerment

In response to these challenges, advocacy groups and activists within Japan have been working tirelessly to raise awareness about harassment and promote a safe working environment for all individuals. Legal reforms and increased accountability measures are being pursued to protect performers and staff from exploitation and abuse. Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on mental health support and counseling services for those affected by harassment.

So it means...

The enduring popularity of Boys' Love in Japan is a testament to its cultural and artistic significance. Rooted in historical practices like the Edo period's kosho system, the genre has evolved, capturing the hearts of diverse audiences around the world. However, it is essential to acknowledge the real-world challenges faced by individuals within the BL industry, such as the recent scandals involving Johnny's & Associates.

By appreciating the historical context, cultural impact, and artistic merit of BL, while actively addressing issues of harassment and exploitation, Japan can continue to celebrate the genre's creative expression while ensuring the well-being and dignity of all individuals involved. Through education, awareness, and systemic reforms, Japan can navigate the complexities of the Boys' Love culture, fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone within the industry.

<<If you want to shoot TV program etc., interview these cafes or people in Japan on these topics, our media support service can help!>>

There are several Butler cafes in Japan. 

For example, this one in Tokyo.

https://www.butlers-cafe.jp/

You may also visit crossdress cafes in Japan.

Do you want to TV shooting, music video, photo/movie/drama shooting in Japan? Need a shooting permit? Want to interview someone on this topic?

We worked with major TV broadcasters around the world and online media to carry out their task in Japan. We make planning, arrangement with the venues, also hire local professional crew (videographer, photographer, editor, makeup artist, stylist, model, interpreter etc. ) for the project.

Just contact us.

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