Kat Joplin, Author at VOYAPON

Kat Joplin

I am a freelance journalist, writing for Voyapon as well as publications such as The Japan Times, Gay Community News (Ireland), Gay Times, and QueerAF. Much of my work concerns queer culture and community in East Asia, but I also enjoy writing on food, health, and autobiographical humor.

5 articles

Articles by Kat Joplin

My Japan: A Week of Drag Queens, Ballroom, and Queer Joy

January 27, 2026 Featured, Most Popular Destinations, My Japan, Tokyo

My motto is “say yes to everything.” And that is how I found myself living in Japan in my early 30s, juggling three jobs and two different worlds.

Tokyo Drag Brunch: The Most Important Meal of the Day

November 18, 2025 Culture, Learn, LGBTQ

Daylight, tables of food, skipping children — what could go wrong in a drag queen’s set?

Welcome to the Ball: A Step-by-Step Guide for Newcomers

October 9, 2025 LGBTQ, Nightlife

It’s time. You’ve reserved your ticket, you’ve pulled out your cutest outfit, you’ve re-watched Pose and Legendary just to get in the mood. You’re on your way to your first ever ball.

An Introduction to Japan Ballroom

September 9, 2025 Kanto, LGBTQ, Tokyo

House-ballroom culture is best defined as a queer subculture and series of micro-communities centered on Black and Latinx transgender women and other queer identities, together with allied cishet women.

Shinjuku Ni-chome: Tokyo’s Vibrant LGBTQ Hub

July 14, 2025 LGBTQ, Nightlife, Tokyo, Tokyo

Like most other major cities around the globe, Tokyo is home to a rich, vibrant, and diverse LGBTQ scene. With approximately 9.7% of Japan’s population identifying as queer, one can estimate that over 1.3 million LGBTQ people call this city...