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In Osaka, a pride festival & parade called "Rainbow Festa!" is held every October. For the first time in 2018, it was held for two days, and the transgender talent “Haruna Ai”, who is proud of Japan's great popularity, the Drag Queen who is proud of Osaka, the gay dance group etc, appeared.  Exceeding 10,000 audience were very exciting because of those performers.
Stage performance of various LGBTQ and Alley (major artists) spread, and may alley companies, LGBT groups, set up booths including eating and drinking space at the corner of Ogimachi Park, which is close to Gay Town·Doyama, then participants can enjoy those events with feeling like a festival day. At the afternoon of the second day, a pride parade will be held and at the end of the event, rainbow colored balloons will be released all at once (the picture on the top page is one that shows that)

We would like to tell you the transition of Osaka's pride parade easily.
In 2005, Osaka Prefecture's Ms. Kanako Otsuji came out to be a lesbian for the first time and it became big news (In 2003, Ms. Aya Kamikawa, a trans-female woman, won the Setagaya Ward in Tokyo elected, but Kanako is LGB's first politics appeared in front of us). The following year,  Kanako Otsuji held the first pride in Osaka "Kansai Rainbow Parade" for the first time, as LGBT community's desire. Departing Nakanoshima Park where Osaka City Hall is located, we went down Midosuji, Osaka's foremost main street, and walked to Namba.  More than 1000 people participated for the first time.
From 2013, the venue will be moved to Ogimachi Park, booths of companies and organizations will line up at the venue and will be held as an event combining the Pride Festival and the Kansai Rainbow Parade, where performance will be held on stage.

In Japan, there are still few people who come out publicly (Survey results shows only 4% of LGBTs that have opened sexuality in the workplace), people who can not walk on the pride parade and can not come to the venue.  In this circumstance, event is considered as holding a festival in the park, rather than walking the parade.  This kind of pride events are becoming mainstream.

Do you know the reason why we held Pride event in October rather than the pride month of June?  In response to the question, June is known as rainy season in Japan, hesitation of holding outdoor events is hesitant. 2^nd reason is each pride in different city plan to coexist and prosper you by holding the schedule every month. (in fact this year Osaka and Sapporo's pride parade overlapped and it became a problem ) When holding in the same time in the city of the whole country it will be impossible to go back and forth…

 In Japan, there are many holiday seasons such as New Year's holiday, Golden Week(May), Obon festival (August), Silver Week(September), three consecutive holidays of the sea day of July, three consecutive holidays of the day of physical education of October. However, only October was available at the first opening of the Kansai Rainbow Parade in 2006, then pride committee continue to held this event on every October in honor of their predecessor.

Kansai Rainbow Festa expected to be held on Saturday, October 5th and Sunday 6th, 2019. Please try participating in a cozy and peaceful pride event!