Subcultures of Japan. Such different Japanese youth

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Speaking about the problems of Japan in the third millennium, it is impossible to ignore its younger generation. Today's students, schoolchildren, young white and blue collar workers will eventually become ministers, heads of corporations, ambassadors, professors, writers and will determine the destinies of the country. Not all, of course, but someone will certainly become. Those who are now between 15 and 30 years old will, for the foreseeable future, have to shoulder the burden of caring for a steadily aging society. The “Silver Generation” refuses to give up its leadership position, but it will be the working youth who will have to support it through their tax payments.

Young Japanese - who are they? What are they aiming for? What do they want? What can they do? It is difficult to give a generalized and at the same time not too generalized answer. The author of these lines, who has already written about Japanese youth, limited himself to three “slices” of their life, three most important indicators of their value orientations: education and career; sex, marriage and family; leisure and entertainment. However, this time, as many Japanese authors who worry about the future of the country do, I decided to focus on alarming moments and factors that are not decisive on a national scale, but require close and urgent attention.

By “youth” I mean, as is officially accepted in Japanese statistics, persons aged 15-30 years, starting with students high school the second stage is koto gakko. Psychologically, many of them remain “young” until they are at least 40 years old, even in their own eyes, and not just in the opinion of older generations. I took this fact into account in this article, based, among other things, on many years personal experience communicating with Japanese people of different “passport” ages in formal and informal settings.

Legal adulthood in Japan is age 20. From this age, its citizens have the right to drink alcoholic beverages, smoke, marry without parental permission, play at horse races, take out loans and enter into contracts, vote in elections, although they can obtain a driver’s license at the age of 18. Proposals from some politicians to lower the age of civil majority to 18 have not met with support from 70% of Japanese, so changing it in the foreseeable future is hardly realistic. One of the reasons is the need to review at least 191 existing laws, given that the country has more pressing problems. And young Japanese themselves are not very keen on this.

Older generations tend to criticize young people for everything indiscriminately, or rather, for being different from them. Growing up and aging, yesterday's young people do not become an exception and also criticize the younger generations. Middle-aged and elderly Japanese consider today's youth - as, indeed, 10, 20 and 30 years ago - to be socially immature, selfish, irresponsible, lazy and ill-mannered, but they recognize them more high degree freedom and ability to handle modern technical innovations, i.e. better, in comparison with them, adaptation to the conditions of a high-tech information society.

The above characteristic can be considered a “stereotype”. The listed external qualities are, indeed, inherent in a significant part of today's Japanese, especially urban, youth. You don’t have to be an old curmudgeon to be annoyed by loud, unnatural laughter and stupid shouts in public transport, extravagant outfits, the emphasized “childishness” of Japanese women, which is considered “cute” and “sexy”, and the simultaneous attraction of the Japanese to the “unisex” style, which brings to mind the words of the poetess Olga Arefieva: “You should at least cut your hair so as not to look like a guy " This type of young people - an analogue of the European "metronome" - is becoming more and more fashionable and attractive in Japan as opposed to the brutal "alpha male", be it the previously popular types of "samurai", "rebel", "athlete", "biker" or "yakuza" "

There are other trends that can also be seen with the naked eye - for example, on election and campaign posters political parties Young faces of candidates and current deputies are increasingly visible. For now these are just attractive faces. Japanese youth have not declared themselves as an independent political force in a “generational” sense, but parties are increasingly using their “generational” potential. In 2009, an abundance of young, first-time candidates, especially women, helped the Democratic Party beat the Liberal Democrats in elections to the lower house of parliament. A year later, the boomerang returned when the LDP hijacked the strategy and deprived the ruling party of its majority in the upper house.

Japanese youth do not do all this “on their own.” It is her elders who push her into politics, and they also dictate—primarily through the media and advertising—what counts as kawaii and sekushi. Such control, the effectiveness of which is very high, maintains social stability, but deprives young people creative potential and slows down their social and psychological maturation.

Education has been and remains one of the basic social values for the Japanese. Current legislation provides for compulsory nine-year secondary education - children who are unable to attend due to illness regular schools, are taught at home or in special educational institutions, the absence of which is a social anomaly. Formally, a Japanese can start working at the age of 15, and the working-age population is calculated from this age. However specific gravity those who received complete secondary education - compulsory nine years plus three years of secondary school of the second level, in the 2013 academic year was 97.8% for men and 98.3% for women.

More than half of high school graduates - 12 years old, more precisely, 57.7% of men and 56.0% of women, continue their education at one of the 778 universities in the country. A diploma from a prestigious university remains a “patent of nobility” in Japanese society, no matter how much its owner studies. The factor of “university groups”, associations of classmates or “senior” and “junior” graduates of one faculty or university is much more important than the knowledge gained. These social connections are among the most respected, durable and effective; As a rule, they last a lifetime and are often not inferior to family ones. Therefore, participation in clubs and clubs - sports, art, tourism for students more important than classes and ratings. Teachers treat this with full understanding, because they themselves were once students and “made connections” in exactly the same way.

Having had the opportunity for many years to observe students, graduate students and graduates of a number of prestigious and not very prestigious Tokyo universities, I can note common features. First: the low intensity and richness of the educational process, compared to school, and, accordingly, the absence of harsh psychological pressure. Second: the prestige for the students themselves is not so much success in their studies as their activity in various social activities. Third: “liberal” requirements for discipline and student behavior on the part of teachers and university authorities. This is the reason for the notorious “laziness” of Japanese students, which sociologists state and teachers complain about. Mostly foreign, because the Japanese understand its reasons very well. Real higher education in Japan begins with a master's degree, where the intensity of the educational process, as well as the requirements, are much higher. It’s almost like being in the first year of a Russian university, where you come for knowledge and a specialty.

Availability higher education directly affects material security in all areas of activity, except, perhaps, organized crime. Starting wage graduate of a university or specialized college upon entry into service - average for 2013: 200,300 yen for men and 193,500 yen for women, determined by the formal level of education received, often regardless of whether the work performed corresponds to the acquired specialty or not. Most university graduates become white-collar workers or occupy a comparable social position, while others engage in less intellectual, but no less useful work.

Stratification according to educational qualifications determines further social stratification, therefore the competition for the most famous universities is very high, despite the downward trend total number applicants - due to demographic reasons and a chronic “shortage” in recent years in less prestigious universities. The majority of Japanese who are at all ambitious still see a diploma as an important means of maintaining or improving their social status. Graduating from university in itself does not guarantee anything, but the lack of a diploma automatically closes many paths. Of all the post-war prime ministers, only Kakuei Tanaka, who was distinguished by other merits, did not have a higher education.

The social value of education remains more important for the Japanese than the professional value. A paradoxical situation has arisen: the specialty acquired may not only not contribute, but even hinder future work. When a young university graduate joins a large trading company, personnel officers look not at his academic specialty, but at what school and university he graduated from. In other words, what is his social background, including his family's position in society; as the Japanese themselves say, children of homeless people and mafiosi do not study at Tokyo University. Trading companies, banks, and stock exchanges employ many people with higher legal or even philological, rather than economic or managerial, education, since the employer perceives them as a “blank slate,” as people who will have to be taught everything all over again.

Some Japanese analysts believe that the number of people with higher education, regardless of its quality and specialization, exceeds the real need. However, now not only private, but also former state universities, whose risks in the educational services market have increased as a result of reforms recent years. Based on the fact that the majority of graduates do not use their acquired specialty upon graduation, one can ask a reasonable question: isn’t the time spent at the university lost for professional development, especially since training costs a lot of money? Another thing is also true: if a person who has received a higher education does not use his specialty in his work, this is a loss for society, and not just for himself.

Entering the service after completing a four-year university course or continuing further education is the second main career choice for young Japanese. An "excess" of higher education - master's and especially doctoral studies - when applying for a job may not be an advantage, but an obstacle, since more high level education implies a higher starting salary. If holders of a Master of Business Administration - M.B.A. degree, especially those obtained in the USA, are favored by many companies and banks, then a Ph.D. degree. often closes the way to this area. The fact that two-thirds of graduates immediately enter the workforce also speaks to the predominantly social rather than professional value of higher education.

The blissful picture of “school - university - career” is violated by people from the furita categories. Furita are people who live “on free bread”, earning money on their own, but not having a permanent job. Niito do not work or study anywhere and have no intention of doing so. From 1990 to 2001, the number of furits aged 19-30, excluding students, increased 2.3 times - from 1.83 million to 4.17 million, which allows us to speak of them as a social group with its own psychology. According to one survey in 2006, 48% of respondents aged 15-24 years old and 26% of respondents aged 25-34 years considered themselves to belong to this category. In 2009, 640 thousand Japanese declared that they belonged to the niito category: 260 thousand - 40%, aged 15-24 years and 380 thousand - 60%, aged 25-34 years. For comparison, I would like to point out that in 2002 their number was estimated at 480 thousand, and a year later at 520 thousand.

It is not difficult to understand these people. They do not want to do uninteresting and unloved work or agree to do it only to the minimum required extent, and therefore do not commit themselves not only to the traditional system of “lifetime employment”, but even full-time work or “sitting their pants” in the office, preferring to work at home or in studios - from fashion designers to programmers. To harness the potential of these categories - many of them include university graduates and people skilled in one or another “craft” - the authorities during the first decade of the 2000s carried out a PR campaign aimed primarily at young people in favor of “the right change of work.”

Various public organizations and local and national foundations encouraged young people not to be afraid to change jobs if they didn't like them, and offered help - primarily through the Internet - in finding a new one that better suited their desires and qualifications. I do not undertake to assess the scale, economic, social and psychological effect of this campaign, which would require special research, but I must state that in the last year or two it has virtually faded away, replaced by assurances of the benefits and beneficence of the “lifetime employment” system.

Not all furita and niito belong to the “golden youth” or “principled parasites”: some have not yet found a job to their taste or have not decided on life path; others earn money to do something they love that has not become a significant source of income for them - for example, rock music or drawing manga. They are characterized by something else - a lack of career ambitions in the generally accepted sense, which most often means the absence of any ambitions at all. The Japanese themselves call such people “herbivores” behind their backs. This category - more psychological than social - may also include people who have permanent job, but perceive it as a duty, if not as a “necessary evil.”

The lack of ambition and aspiration, considered the main characteristic of “herbivores”, manifests itself not only in the workplace. Unlike their fathers and grandfathers, many young Japanese are striving to work less, while agreeing to earn less and consume less, which runs counter to the dominant principles of the managed consumer society built in post-war Japan. Another sign of “herbivory” noted by the Japanese themselves is a growing reluctance to get married, have children and simply have sex.

The biological, physical and mental health of a nation is an important condition for its economic and social prosperity. Thanks to improved living conditions and the development of medicine, Japan consistently ranks among the first in the world in terms of life expectancy and one of the last in infant mortality. At the same time, the birth rate has a clear downward trend, which is why the country has been teetering on the brink of “zero population growth” for several years. This is facilitated by a decrease in the number of marriages and an increase in the number of divorces. Hence the main demographic problem of Japanese society - steady aging. According to the UN classification, it occurs when the proportion of people over 65 years of age in a country exceeds 7% of the population. Japan crossed this threshold in 1970. Since then, the rate has been continuously growing, reaching 22.8% in 2009.

Respect for elders and care for them are among the traditional values of Japanese society, although young people listen less and less to the “old people” and do not strive to act in accordance with their wishes and advice. The trend towards a reduction in the number of marriages and the reluctance to start a family, expressed in the continuous increase in the age of first marriage, are also associated with this. The prospect of living under the same roof with parents or an even older generation, which is inherent in the Japanese family traditional type- young people are less and less satisfied. Not everyone can afford to immediately acquire their own comfortable home suitable for living together, especially with a child, even with a developed system of housing loans.

“Japanese youth no longer want to follow the path of their fathers,” stated E.L. Katasonova. “A revolution took place in the minds of young Japanese: they stopped putting common interests above personal ones... At the same time, Japanese individualism is not an imitation of the West, but a protest against the group consciousness of the past era.” The process that began in the 1980s continues continuously, taking on new, specific forms in each decade, for which new terms have to be invented, mostly terms borrowed from the English language.

I have not tried to give any complete social portrait of Japanese youth entering the third millennium, since this is hardly possible within the limited scope of the article. My task was different - to show the most acute problems of the “confused generation”, which itself sometimes does not realize their importance and even danger. The prolonged infantilism of the Japanese is explained by the fact that with the development of the 80-year life cycle, the “period of childhood” became longer. Our ancestors grew up early, not because of a good life, but they left a good legacy for their descendants. God forbid, the Japanese proverb comes true: “The third generation sells their parents’ house.”

Japan is probably one of the most amazing countries in the world for the unusualness of its traditions and rules, both in the past and in the present. Surely the island location of this state played a major role in this, but ethnographers probably know better and already have a lot of research on this topic.

There are many young people you can meet on the streets of Europe, but Japanese street fashion is still several times more unusual!

Don't believe me? Look...

Japan began to imitate Western fashion from the middle XIX century. TO beginning of XXI century, such a phenomenon as Japanese street fashion was formed. The term Japanese street fashion or its English equivalent is Japanese Street Fashion in Lately often used as an abbreviation JSF.

Often to create own style foreign and European brands are used. Some of these styles are "chic" and "glamorous", similar to the high fashion found in Europe. The history and status of these trends have been reviewed by Shoichi Aoki since 1997 in the fashion magazine Fruits, which is one of the most popular among fashion fans in Japan.

Later, Japanese hip-hop, which was always present in Tokyo's underground scene and gained increasing popularity along with its Western influences, also influenced Japanese fashion.

Popular music trends from other genres also influence fashion in Japan, as many teenagers want to be like their favorite stars.

Also, in the most fashion trends there is a great desire for Japanese fashion Japanese youth resemble Europeans and even Africans, which is due to Japan’s centuries-long closeness from other countries. For example, gothic fashion trends tend to be European (in particular French and German) culture XVII-XVIII centuries, and fans of lighter and happier trends strive to resemble tanned Californians or even black hip-hop artists, as reflected in the Japanese kogyaru subculture.

Contemporary Japanese street fashion
Although styles have changed frequently over the years, the main styles have remained popular in Japan. Typically, fashion trends are set by the culture of such areas and quarters of Tokyo as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ganza and Odaiba.

Lolita
One of the most famous destinations in the West from Japanese street fashion, cultivating infantilism and Gothic style in clothing among Japanese girls. The spread of this trend is truly enormous. In the Lolita subtypes there are both gothic and “sweet” glamor types, both elements of punk and gothic subculture, and elements of traditional Japanese clothing. Also, men can adhere to this image, especially musicians of the Visual kei direction, in particular, performers such as Mana, the solo project of the famous Japanese guitarist Hizaki and many other groups, especially the Kote direction. In addition, this fashion trend is common in another visual direction - Osyare kei, in which most musicians, in order to impress and attract fans, often use the Lolita style or its elements, for example, in the groups An Cafe, Lolita23q and Aicle.

There is also a more masculine option, such as the “elegant gothic aristocrat” - a style that embodies Japanese ideas about European aristocratic fashion.

Ganguro

Ganguro fashion became popular among Japanese girls at the beginning of the 21st century. Typically dressed in ganguro style, she wears colorful accessories, miniskirts and sarongs dyed with knotted batik. The ganguro style is characterized by bleached hair, a dark tan, false eyelashes, black and white eyeliner, bracelets, earrings, rings, necklaces and platform boots.

Gyaru
The gyaru subculture is so similar to the ganguro subculture that it is possible to mistake one style for the other. However, the gyaru style is distinguished from ganguro by the same characteristics, but increased several times, since the ideal is attractive girls from warm American cities and states, as well as popular black performers of hip-hop, pop and other mainstream trends modern music. Girls spend a significant amount of time in tanning salons to give their skin a deep tan and look like these performers. In Japanese slang, kogyaru refers to schoolgirls in miniskirts who prefer pink color wearing clothes that dye their hair blonde and have a “fake” tan.

Fruits (Harajuku style)
At the moment, it is the second most popular Japanese youth style after “lolita”. It originated mainly in the Harajuku quarter of Tokyo's Shibuya district, as a result of which it is officially called the Harajuku style. The name originated in 1997 when famous photographer Soichi Aoki founded a magazine of the same name dedicated to strange fashion, and began photographing outrageous passersby right on the streets. Now the magazine “Fruits” can be found in every corner of the planet. The style has become popular in both Europe and America. The main principle of the style is a collection of various fashion elements, brands and items of clothing to suit the taste of the wearer, according to the “vinaigrette” principle.

So, a person dressing in this style can immediately put on glasses, a medical bandage on his face, a hat, shorts, a shirt or T-shirt, a jacket and the main feature of this style is a lot of accessories. In Japanese music, this culture is reflected in the "Oshare kei" movement, where musicians often become models for copying. In the West, the style is often confused with the emo subculture, but this is wrong, since in general, the style preaches an optimistic view of life, infantility and does not have any connections with emo.

Visual Kei
A person who dresses in this style uses a lot of makeup and does unusual hairstyles in all the colors of the rainbow. Androgyny is a popular aspect of style, but is used rather to attract girls, or, together with false gay, for shocking and creating a provocative image, rather than to indicate the sexual interests of the wearer. This trend originated in the mid-80s on the wave of popularity of such groups as X Japan, COLOR and the like. Since the root of the style lies in the environment of rock music, Visual Kei is also a type of world rock, metal, gothic and punk subcultures. But due to the conflict between Visual Kei fans and fans of Western metal music, it is customary to separate these movements.

Bo:so:zoku
While the bosozozoku style (Japanese for "aggressive motorcycle gang") was popular in the 90s and has now virtually disappeared, it is still used in various kinds works to create comic effect, the stereotypical appearance of bosozozoku is often portrayed and even ridiculed in many forms of Japanese media, anime, manga and films. A typical bōsōzoku is often depicted wearing a uniform consisting of a paratrooper's outfit, like those worn by laborers or so-called "tokko-fuku" (???), (coats with military slogans written on the back), they are usually worn without shirts (on the bare torso) along with rolled up baggy pants and high boots.

The image of rockers from the rock and roll era, in particular the style of Elvis Presley, is also popular. The bosozoku movement intersects with the biker subculture; bosozoku often paint their own. Often this image is used in anime to create a comical image of hooligans or yakuza "sixes". One such example is the character Ryu Umemiya in the manga and anime Shaman King and teacher Onizuka during his youth from the anime GTO.

Cosplay
Cosplay, (short for the English “costume play”), is more of a cultural phenomenon than fashionable style. Cosplayers often involve dressing up as home-made or store-bought costumes of characters from video games, anime, movies, or manga, as well as members of popular groups or J-pop idols. Very closely associated with the “visual kei” and “lolita” styles.

Fashion industry and popular brands
Although street fashion in Japan is loose and there is no fashion manufacturer that can claim a monopoly in this area, a number of designers such as Issey Miyake, Yamamoto Yohji, and Rei Kawakubo are said to be Comme des Gar?ons. three recognized trendsetters of Japanese fashion. They became famous back in the 80s and are still popular brands.

The street fashion style was deliberately promoted by Onitsuka Tiger (now known as ASICS). Japan is also known for its significant consumption of foreign branded luxury goods. According to JETRO in 2006, Japan consumed 41% of the world's luxury goods

Influence on Western culture
In the early 90s In the last century, Japanese street fashion moved to America, from where it spread throughout Europe. This was largely facilitated by such subcultures as hip-hop, rave, as well as BMXing, skateboarding, surfing, etc. From that moment on, it received official status and began to be called street style.

Social aspect
Since the main features of Japanese youth fashion are: the desire to be like Europeans or Americans, shocking and strong nonconformism with the desire to stand out, the reasons for the emergence of such trends should be sought in the history and culture of Japan when for centuries the country was closed from other countries and lands, and in the country Strict moral laws and principles were in effect. As a result, young people, with their characteristic maximalism, accepted Western culture and the freedom received after the Restoration in Japanese society. Subsequently, similar trends among Japanese youth further changed the views of Japanese society.

Japanese street fashion in pop culture
Famous American singer and composer Marilyn Manson, was a close friend of guitarist hide (father of Visual kei) and used elements of the second wave of this direction in his image, which was later picked up by many industrial metal bands such as Deathstars.

Pop singer Gwen Stefani is a well-known fan of the Harajuku style and has featured it in some of her songs and videos. Vocalist of the group Tokio Hotel imitates Visual Kei.

WITH mid-19th century, Japan began to imitate Western fashion. By the beginning of the 21st century, such a phenomenon as Japanese street fashion had formed. The term Japanese street fashion or its English equivalent - Japanese Street Fashion has recently been often used in the form of the abbreviation JSF. Foreign and European brands are often used to create their own style. Some of these styles are "chic" and "glamorous", similar to the high fashion found in Europe.

Also, in the most fashionable trends in Japanese fashion, there is a great desire of Japanese youth to be like Europeans and even Africans, which is due to the centuries-old closeness of Japan from other countries. For example, Gothic styles tend to European culture XVII-XVIII centuries, and fans of lighter and joyful trends strive to resemble tanned Californians or even black hip-hop artists.

Gothic Lolita- a popular trend in Japanese youth fashion, has many branches. Gothic Lolita style is a type of loli style (Lolita). The style originated in Japan in 1997-1999 as a reaction to kogyaru. Now this fashion trend is popular not only among Japanese youth. In the USA, Canada, Korea, China, Germany, France, a subculture of gothic lolitas has already been developed. In Japan, the Gothic Lolita style is associated with ostentatious modesty and is considered a way of life, but in the West it is still just fashion. The main features are puppetry, innocence and infantility, stylized as girls’ clothes victorian era, this is straight bangs, dark bows in the hair, a corset, long socks, shoes, a flared skirt above the knee.

Special attention is given to skirts; their usual length reaches the knee. The constant attribute is various types stockings or white tights. Shoes of this style are distinguished by high thick heels or high platform boots. Tall top hats, hair bands and elbow-length gloves are also popular. The predominant color is blue-black-white. The image of Gothic Lolita has a direct connection with the European Gothic subculture, but differs from it in its special sophistication and aestheticism.

Onii-kei It is a combination of two styles known in Japan as Ame-kaji (American style) and Ita-kaji (Italian style), a glamorous look with rocker elements. Onii-kei guys are fans of designer brands, they wear belts, fanny packs, watches, sunglasses and other accessories from the world's famous brands. This style also requires a special hairstyle, shaggy, also called “wolf hair.”
Before the onii-kei style, there was the onee-kei style, or big sister style. The history of this style began in 1996, when beauties preferring the style known as gal appeared on the streets of Shibuya, the style was immediately adopted by most teenage girls Around 2000, the gal style grew up a bit, with tight dresses being used to give a more mature look. This style began to be called onee-kei.

The big brother style that emerged became just the male version of the big sister style. Onii-kei, different from rougher styles such as military or ame-kaji, is becoming increasingly popular among those young people who understand that they have already grown up and, accordingly, need to look more mature.

Word "Fruits" translated from English means “fruit,” so it’s not difficult to guess what people who dress in this style look like. Everything is as colorful as at the ruins of the summer market!

Crazy combinations of the brightest and most unrealistic things, cosmic hairstyles, tons of piercings and absolutely amazing accessories.

On our streets you are unlikely to see characters dressed in similar outfits, but on the streets of Tokyo there are tons of fashion freaks - even your eyes hurt from the diversity of such a “fruit salad!”

The second name of the style is Harajuku Style. Harajuku is a trend in Japanese youth fashion. This style appeared several years ago in Tokyo, in the Harajuku area, hence the name. Mostly girls who wore clothes began to gather here different styles and images - gothic, lolita, ganguro, gyaru and kogal. They also dressed in costumes of anime characters.

The purpose of this, as always among youth subcultures, was self-expression. From the mixture of all this, the youth direction of Harajuku appeared. This style has not yet spread in America and Europe.

Cosplay(from the English "costume play" - "costume game") is also a Japanese subculture based on imitation of characters from manga, anime and Japanese video games. Cosplay participants not only completely copy appearance their idol, but also call themselves by his name and repeat his characteristic movements.

Cosplay fans often dress up as home-made or store-bought costumes of characters from video games, anime, movies, or manga, as well as members of popular groups or J-pop idols. Very closely related to styles.

There are many styles and they all actively mix with each other.

Guys also keep up with the fair sex.

Interesting, but in places strange country, Yes? Although probably the rest of the world seems strange to the Japanese :-) Let's take a closer look:

Japan began to imitate Western fashion in the mid-19th century. By the beginning of the 21st century, such a phenomenon as Japanese street fashion had formed. The term Japanese street fashion or its English equivalent - Japanese Street Fashion has recently been often used in the form of the abbreviation JSF.

Foreign and European brands are often used to create their own style. Some of these styles are "chic" and "glamorous", similar to the high fashion found in Europe. The history and status of these trends have been reviewed by Shoichi Aoki since 1997 in the fashion magazine Fruits, which is one of the most popular among fashion fans in Japan.
Later, Japanese hip-hop, which was always present in Tokyo's underground scene and gained increasing popularity along with its Western influences, also influenced Japanese fashion.

Popular music trends from other genres also influence fashion in Japan, as many teenagers want to be like their favorite stars.

Also, in the most fashionable trends in Japanese fashion, there is a great desire of Japanese youth to be like Europeans and even Africans, which is due to the centuries-old closeness of Japan from other countries. For example, gothic fashion trends gravitate towards European (in particular French and German) culture of the 17th-18th centuries, and fans of lighter and more joyful trends strive to resemble tanned Californians or even black hip-hop performers, which is reflected in the Japanese subculture of kogyaru .

Contemporary Japanese street fashion

Although styles have changed frequently over the years, the main styles have remained popular in Japan. Typically, fashion trends are set by the culture of such areas and quarters of Tokyo as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ganza and Odaiba.

Lolita

One of the most famous trends in the West from Japanese street fashion, cultivating infantilism and Gothic style in clothing among Japanese girls. The spread of this trend is truly enormous. In the Lolita subtypes there are both gothic and “sweet” glamor types, both elements of punk and gothic subculture, and elements of traditional Japanese clothing. Also, men can adhere to this image, especially musicians of the Visual kei direction, in particular, performers such as Mana, the solo project of the famous Japanese guitarist Hizaki and many other groups, especially the Kote direction. In addition, this fashion trend is common in another visual direction - Osyare kei, in which most musicians, in order to impress and attract fans, often use the Lolita style or its elements, for example, in the groups An Cafe, Lolita23q and Aicle.

There is also a more masculine option, such as the “elegant gothic aristocrat” - a style that embodies Japanese ideas about European aristocratic fashion.

Ganguro

Ganguro fashion became popular among Japanese girls at the beginning of the 21st century. A typical girl dressed in ganguro style wears colorful accessories, miniskirts and sarongs dyed with knotted batik. The ganguro style is characterized by bleached hair, a dark tan, false eyelashes, black and white eyeliner, bracelets, earrings, rings, necklaces and platform boots.

Gyaru

The gyaru subculture is so similar to the ganguro subculture that it is possible to mistake one style for the other. However, the gyaru style is distinguished from ganguro by the same characteristics, but increased several times, since the ideal is attractive girls from warm American cities and states, as well as popular black performers of hip-hop, pop and other mainstream styles of modern music. Girls spend a significant amount of time in tanning salons to give their skin a deep tan and look like these performers. In Japanese slang, kogyaru are schoolgirls who wear miniskirts, prefer pink in their clothes, dye their hair blonde, and have a “fake” tan.

Fruits (Harajuku style)

At the moment, it is the second most popular Japanese youth style after “lolita”. It originated mainly in the Harajuku quarter of Tokyo's Shibuya district, as a result of which it is officially called the Harajuku style. The name arose in 1997, when the famous photographer Soichi Aoki founded the magazine of the same name, dedicated to strange fashion, and began photographing outrageous passers-by right on the streets. Now the magazine “Fruits” can be found in every corner of the planet. The style has become popular in both Europe and America. The main principle of the style is a collection of various fashion elements, brands and items of clothing to suit the taste of the wearer, according to the “vinaigrette” principle.

Visual Kei

A person who dresses in this style uses a lot of makeup and does unusual hairstyles in all the colors of the rainbow. Androgyny is a popular aspect of style, but is used more likely to attract girls, or, together with false homosexuality, to shock and create a provocative image, rather than to indicate the sexual interests of the wearer. This trend originated in the mid-80s on the wave of popularity of such groups as X Japan, COLOR and the like. Since the root of the style lies in the environment of rock music, Visual Kei is also a type of world rock, metal, gothic and punk subcultures. But due to the conflict between Visual Kei fans and fans of Western metal music, it is customary to separate these movements.

Bo:so:zoku

While the bosozozoku style (Japanese for “aggressive motorcycle gang”) was popular in the 90s and has now virtually disappeared, it is still used in various works to create comic effect, stereotypical The species bosozozoku is often depicted and even ridiculed in many forms of Japanese media, anime, manga and films. A typical bōsōzoku is often depicted wearing a uniform consisting of a paratrooper's outfit, like those worn by laborers or so-called "tokko-fuku" (特攻服), (a coat with military slogans written on the back), usually worn without a shirt (on the bare torso) along with rolled up baggy pants and high boots.

The image of rockers from the rock and roll era, in particular the style of Elvis Presley, is also popular. The bosozoku movement overlaps with the biker subculture; bosozoku often paint their motorcycles. Often this image is used in anime to create a comical image of hooligans or yakuza "sixes". One such example is the character Ryu Umemiya in the manga and anime Shaman King and teacher Onizuka during his youth from the anime GTO.

Cosplay

Cosplay, Japanese for "role-playing costume," is more of a cultural phenomenon than a fashion style. Cosplay fans often dress up as home-made or store-bought costumes of characters from video games, anime, movies, or manga, as well as members of popular groups or J-pop idols. Very closely associated with the “visual kei” and “lolita” styles.

Fashion industry and popular brands

Although street fashion in Japan is loose and there is no fashion manufacturer that can claim a monopoly in this area, a number of designers such as Issey Miyake, Yamamoto Yohji, and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons are said to be three recognized trendsetters of Japanese fashion. They became famous back in the 80s and are still popular brands.

Influence on Western culture

In the early 90s In the last century, Japanese street fashion moved to America, from where it spread throughout Europe. This was largely facilitated by such subcultures as hip-hop, rave, as well as BMXing, skateboarding, surfing, etc. From that moment on, it received official status and began to be called street style.

Social aspect

Since the main features of Japanese youth fashion are: the desire to be like Europeans or Americans, shocking and strong nonconformism with the desire to stand out, the reasons for the emergence of such trends should be sought in the history and culture of Japan when for centuries the country was closed from other countries and lands, and in the country Strict moral laws and principles were in effect. As a result, young people, with their characteristic maximalism, accepted Western culture and the freedom received after the Restoration in Japanese society. Subsequently, similar trends among Japanese youth further changed the views of Japanese society.

Japanese street fashion in pop culture

The famous American singer and composer Marilyn Manson was a close friend of guitarist hide (the father of Visual kei) and used elements of the second wave of this movement in his image, which was later picked up by many industrial metal bands such as Deathstars.

Pop singer Gwen Stefani is a well-known fan of the Harajuku style and has featured it in some of her songs and videos. The vocalist of Tokio Hotel imitates Visual Kei.

If Japan was once famous for its high aesthetic taste with deep symbolism running through almost everything - from kimonos to tea ceremonies, today Japan is famous for its oddities. It is in this country that you can see a giant robot on the street, a machine selling dirty laundry, and men dressed as maids working as waiters.

We will tell you about the 10 strangest subcultures whose homeland is Japan.

1. Gyaru

Today's gyaru have earned the nicknames "making parents cry" and "degenerate schoolgirls" for breaking traditional Japanese taboos and embracing Western values. They stand out for their frivolous behavior, positive thinking, love for bright fashionable clothes, special ideas about the ideals of beauty.

Decor is a Japanese street style that is extremely popular today. In 1997, the magazine "FRUiTS" was published, which published photographs of the most prominent representatives of street fashion in Japan. Aki Kobayashi, the first model to appear on the cover of this magazine, shared in one of the columns how she created her individual style and clothes. The style eventually became known as Decorah, and its followers began selling their products in the Japanese quarter of Harajuku. Decora girls wear an insane amount of plastic jewelry and hairpins, wear neon skirts and multi-colored knee socks, and sometimes even wear gauze headbands, which they decorate themselves.

3.Visual kei

The music genre Visual kei arose from Japanese rock as a result of mixing it with glam rock, metal and punk rock in the 1980s. "Visual kei" literally means "visual style". It is characterized by the use of makeup, complex hairstyles, colorful costumes, and its followers often resort to androgynous aesthetics. This style belongs exclusively to representatives of the “stronger” sex.
Thanks to fans, visual kei as a subculture was able to acquire a fashion component. The appearance of the musicians of visual kei groups began to show features of “Gothic Lolitas”.

4. Yankee and Bosozoku

Motorcycle gangs known as the Speed Clans or Bosozoku were popular in Japan in the early 1960s. In the 1970s, female groups of fans of cool motorcycles began to appear. The popularity of these associations affected the statistics of the Japanese police: according to them, about 26,000 residents of the country were members of various biker gangs, but in the 1980s the number of men in these groups gradually began to decline. Which, by the way, did not stop the girls from uniting even stronger. Thus was born the “Yankee” subculture, in which one can see echoes of both Bosozoku and Sukeban styles. Their main attributes were sarashi - a white cloth that is wrapped around the chest, a robe similar to a cloak and a mask. And of course, the main “props” were scooters or motorcycles.

5. Ko Gal

The word "gal" appeared in Japanese usage in the 1980s and means "a girl who loves branded clothes." "Ko" comes from the Japanese word "kodomo", which means "child". Ko Gal representatives try to look as young as possible, while using cute childish accessories. You can recognize them by school uniform with shortened skirts, a strong tan, bleached hair and permanent high socks. Some people, by the way, use glue to keep the socks on their calves as they should. Over time, the Ko Gal movement transformed into a subculture called "Hime Gal", where the first part means "princess". The main condition for this style is to wear frilly, hot pink clothes from the most expensive brands.

6. Ganguro

Ganguro's light Ko Gal tan acquired an extreme character. Every week, representatives of the style visit the solarium, but they don’t stop there: before going out, they generously apply dark foundation to their skin. The literal translation of the word "Gangura" is " black face". A tan is not yet the most important attribute of style. Representatives of the subculture always wear shoes with incredibly thick soles, miniskirts, and their hair is bleached or painted in all the colors of the rainbow. Makeup is a separate conversation: Ganguros do not skimp on black or white eyeliner for the eyes, as well as white lipstick, in addition, they wear blue contact lenses.

7. Lolita

Lolita style is the most popular subculture in Japan, which has spread widely outside the country. There are several subspecies of Lolita. Gothic are a mixture of Rococo and prefer clothing dark colors. “Sweet” Lolitas choose pastel colors, as well as lace and bows. Punk lovers combine ruffles with chains. In addition, there is a style direction called "Wa". They, in turn, prefer traditional Japanese clothing - a kimono - embroidered with hieroglyphs. Accessories popular for all types of Lolitas include hats, bonnets, umbrellas, platform shoes with ties, and frilly knee socks.

8. Kigurumi

The Kigurumi style did not last long in the Japanese fashion industry - from 2003 to 2004. And he was a very strange fashion phenomenon. The girls who spent their time hanging out in the Shibuya areas needed comfortable clothes, so they turned to cheap animal-themed sportswear they bought from party stores. In addition to Pikachu or Winnie the Pooh costumes, Kigurumi representatives wore cute accessories in the form of animals: wallets, earrings and others.

9. Manba

Manba's style is similar in many ways to Gonguro. The word comes from the name of the Japanese ugly witch Yamanba. Due to the harmfulness of frequent visits to solariums, the Manba use a very dark makeup base, hence the parallels with the witch. Gathering in groups, adherents of the style dance to the music of Para or simply move in sync to techno. Manba's clothing and accessories are always eccentric and bright. They also do not skimp on cosmetics: very white lips and huge white circles under the eyes, in addition, teenagers stick glitter and stickers directly on their faces, and their faces are framed by hair of all shades of the rainbow.

10. Otaku

"Otaku" in Japan is a person who is passionate about something, but outside the country, including in Russia, this concept is usually used in relation to fans of anime and manga. In Japan, a slang term is used for otaku who are fond of anime and manga "Akihabara-kei", denoting young people who spend all their time in the Akihabara area and are interested in the world of anime and its elements, such as, for example, maid cafes - establishments in which waitresses are dressed in anime maid costumes. One of the central elements of the culture. Otaku is a moe concept meaning fetishization or attraction to fictional characters.

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