Ten New Graduates Participate! What We Learned About Diversity Through “Tokyo Pride 2025”

Hello, everyone. We are Ishizu, Konishi, and Seki from the Social Relations Department at SUNNY SIDE UP, having joined the company this April!

Last time, we reported on a new employee training session on diversity featuring Fumino Sugiyama, as well as a discussion among the new graduates who attended the lecture.

This time, we would like to share the highlights of the “Tokyo Pride 2025 (commonly known as TRP)” event held in June, along with feedback from the new graduates who participated!

“Tokyo Rainbow Pride” has traditionally been held in April every year. Starting this year, it was moved to June to coincide with “Pride Month,” and the event name was changed to “Tokyo Pride.”

The theme of “Tokyo Pride 2025,” the first to be held during Pride Month, was “Same Life, Same Rights.” Despite being a short slogan, it carries a powerful message: “Equal rights for every life.” As we will share later in this article, it was an opportunity to truly experience a sense of unity within diversity.

Off to Tokyo Pride 2025!

This year, ten new graduates participated in Day 2 of the two-day “Tokyo Pride 2025”! The event consisted of two parts: the “Pride Parade” and the “Pride Festival.” First, we headed to the festival venue, where food stalls and corporate booths were gathered…

Various companies across different sectors, including well-known domestic and international brands, exhibited booths. It was impressive to see the logos of companies like Rakuten and Yoshinoya colored in rainbow hues.

Some booths offered face painting and Instax photo sessions, and our members enjoyed the festival, fully immersing themselves in the atmosphere.

Members enjoying corporate booths with face painting and Instax photos

After enjoying the festival, it was finally time for the “Pride Parade”!

For this occasion, the participating members gathered wearing their most vibrant clothing. Dressed in these colorful outfits, we marched for over an hour through the Shibuya and Harajuku areas, centered around Yoyogi Park where the event was held.

What was most striking about the parade was not only the number of participants but also the number of people cheering and waving from the sidelines. From employees of participating companies to spectators, almost the entire length of the parade route was filled with people. We were able to walk in an atmosphere filled with kindness from start to finish, exchanging greetings of “Happy Pride!”

Shibuya and Harajuku are usually crowded with many people, but we felt a sense of unity among those gathered with the shared purpose of celebrating Pride Month, ending the day with a warm feeling.

Interviewing Colleagues Who Participated in TRP

These new graduates had not had the opportunity to participate before.

We interviewed them about memorable episodes from participating in “Tokyo Pride 2025” and how their perspectives changed before and after the event!

▼ Chan

[Questions]

・Did you already know about TRP?

Yes, I did! Since I was in a global-focused faculty at university, I already had many LGBTQ+ friends around me, so it was a familiar topic. In Akita, where my university was located, there is an LGBTQ+ parade called the “Akita Pride March,” and my foreign friends were the main ones participating.

・What were your impressions after actually participating in TRP?

It was more fun than I imagined!At first, I thought we would just be walking on public roads, but I was surprised to see booths from so many different companies.More major corporations were participating than I expected, and I could enjoy various experiences and receive souvenirs…I felt that even those who are not part of the community can fully enjoy it.

・What was the most memorable thing about TRP?

While walking in the parade, there were so many people cheering along the route. Even though it wasn’t their turn to march, I was moved by the sense of unity from their support. Also, unrelated to the parade itself, that evening I personally went to “Tokyo Comedy Bar” to enjoy a stand-up comedy show. Since it was the day of TRP, most of the audience members were LGBTQ+. I got to experience what it felt like to be a minority, which was a strange but interesting feeling. It was refreshing to hear everyone talking openly about sexuality, and I learned about new identities such as pansexual and asexual there.

・Did your perspective change before and after participating?

Originally, I wasn’t sure if it was okay for people who aren’t part of the community to participate.However, after participating on the day, I saw that there were parades where not only the individuals themselves but also allies participated. My image of the event changed to one that is easy for anyone to join.

▼ Nanaka

・Did you already know about TRP?

Actually, I didn’t. I thought of the LGBTQ+ community as something distant, so I hadn’t even heard that there was a parade!

・What were your impressions after actually participating in TRP?

Since I didn’t know about it beforehand, I was surprised by the scale of the event.Both the number of participants and the fact that people were waving flags while we walked through the city made me realize that for those who know this community, such activities are actually quite mainstream, which was a surprising discovery.

・What was the most memorable thing about TRP?

While participating in the parade, I got separated from my group and accidentally ended up in the section for the LVMH group (which owns Louis Vuitton). Everyone was very welcoming and said, “Well, let’s walk together then.”Including incidents like that, I felt that everyone participating was very kind.

・Did your perspective change before and after participating?

Until now, I hadn’t felt LGBTQ+ issues were close to me. To be honest, even when I heard about them, I tended to think of them as being in a different world from my own.However, by participating in the parade, I felt that we shouldn’t separate these issues just because there are people with different perspectives in the same world. I’m glad I participated!

In Closing

People meeting for the first time exchanged high-fives and smiles—

TRP was filled with a very warm atmosphere where people could accept each other as they are and feel a sense of connection.

As a PR professional, I want to continue thinking about what kind of messages I can share to help expand a world where everyone can feel safe being themselves, even if only little by little.

WRITTEN BY Akari Ishizu, Sena Konishi, Yuna Seki From left: Ishizu, Konishi, Seki Joined in April 2025. Each studied abroad in the U.S. or Canada during their university years. Due to those experiences, they had a strong desire to be involved in international projects and joined SUNNY SIDE UP. They are currently working hard every day in their first month of official assignment!