UPDATE 2-Gold off low, but still below $800 on dlr, oil

* Gold finds support after falling near $790 an ounce

* Asian buyers' appetite strong for physical gold on dips

* Tokyo platinum down 6 pct on concerns over demand (Update prices to late afternoon)

By Chikafumi Hodo

TOKYO, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Gold edged up on Friday on solid physical purchases by Asian investors after slipping near $790 an ounce, but the metal stayed under pressure on the dollar's strength and weaker oil prices.

Investors were also shaken by sharp falls in equities, prompting them to shift to dollars while pulling funds out of risky assets, including precious metals, but Asian bargain hunters were detected buying gold on dips.

"Gold started lower in Asia, falling near $790, but around the level we are seeing a big amount of physical gold buying from Asian players," said Yuichi Ikemizu, managing director at Standard Bank in Tokyo.

By 0604 GMT, spot gold XAU= was at $798.10/799.30 per ounce, down from $796.15/797.75 late in New York on Thursday. It fell as far as $790.35 on Friday.

COMEX gold futures were also off lows after settling down $5 in New York the previous day. The most active December contract GCZ8 was trading at $802.5, down $0.7 or 0.1 percent from the New York settlement.