the gay bars in Dōyamachō do not permit female customers. The few lesbian bars that can be found do not permit male customers. Mixed venues are few. At most bars in this area, patrons usually sit at a counter and chat with the bartender. Karaoke is also popular, and gay monthly and pornographic magazines can be read at many establishments as well. Those who visit these small bars are usually regulars; since many bars operate on the "bottle keep" system, many customers may have their own bottle at their favourite bar. Loyalty to bars is returned by the bars organizing outings to onsen, hanami parties, picnics, gay sporting events, and so on. Many bars maintain large photo albums of customers, for customers, often taken at such events. While most bar owners ("Mamas" or "Masters") are accommodating to new customers and to non-Japanese, the scene is largely geared towards regular, Japanese-speaking customers, and some venues discourage or prohibit non-Japanese from entering, regardless of their Japanese language abilities. A handful of establishments, in contrast, specifically target foreigners with advertising and information in English. These include Bar Physique and FrenZy Bar. While most bars have a cover charge system, these do not. With the advent of the internet and less segregation, Dōyamachō is seeing a downturn in gay visitors. While weekends are busy, foreign visitors should not expect the same numbers as one would expect in a city of this size in the West. In recent times, more bars have opened aimed at straight men. Events While Tokyo has been the site of numerous gay pride parades, Osaka has lagged in this regard. On October 22, 2006 Osaka hosted its inaugural Rainbow Parade, with more than 900 participants marching from Nakanoshima Park to Motomachi-Naka Park, near Namba Station. The 11th annual parade took place on October 1, 2016. Mash (Men and Sexual Health Osaka) organize a yearly event called PLus+ promoting AIDS awareness. Taking place in Ogimachi Park, close to Dōyamachō, there is entertainment and drinks available. Organisers estimate more than 10,000 people participated in the 2007 event. See also Umeda LGBT rights in Japan Homosexuality in Japan Shinjuku ni-chōme, Tokyo Gay Japan News List of LGBT events References External links Gay Japan News Rainbow Parade homepage Gay villages in Japan Geography of Osaka Entertainment districts in Japan