There is an entire genre of manga called yaoi some of it has explicit sex scenes.
There is and it does @Jacana . It is heavy on the romance and suspense "Are they going to kiss" kou-ie its so shameful! blushing 11 year old girls and fem boys read it in there little sissy clicks. The girl friends manga is called Yuri some middle schooler discovers she wants to be more than friends with a class mate, grease monkey Lin dresses like a boy and finds herself attracted to another girl, a romance starts between them. There are lots of themes heavy on suspense and elicit sex and the dreded Tsundere who makes us bite our nails as their character unfolds. Teenage girls and boys sneak these naughty tombs around to read in there little clicks and text about on there cell phones.
Some of these Yaoi and Yuri make it to anime bordering on Hentai. There not bad often comedy or slice of life. I have watched a number of them. Good stories generaly and I like romance stuff. I don't read manga often. I do enjoy visual novels that I find on steam.
It is nice to see the genre out there. It allows for the exploration of sexuality and some release. I find it to be sad in a way the characters are often foppish,abusive or rough ,over feminize ,cooing sex fiends, social rejects, disturbed clowns who saves the day, sometimes they get it right and keep their relationship low keyed hidden from society then it shocks everyone when they come out or are discovered and the world changes against them . Draw your own opinion on that. Not what I see in the mirror.
Same sex relation ships are not all that approved of in Japan so being out there Gay or Lesbian can have some serious negative consequences. Some prefectures issue a Same Sex partnership Certificate. Same sex marriage is not something that goes on there. It is a different culture. A same sex couple may find themselves turned a way at a Love Hotel for instance. Hopefully things will change there like they have here.
I would not want to visit there.
Not a fan of the culture. Not something I want to wade through. I would be going there with my girlfriend if I went. We don't hide it.