Nate and I woke up at what students call the crack of dawn (~10am) and headed off to Harajuku, to take some photos of the famous Harajuku cosplay (costume play) girls. In Japan they are referred to as “Gothic Lolitas” but I find that name a little too weird to be throwing around all the time so they shall remain “Harajuku Girls” here.
Now for those of you not aware, the idea when dressing for a trip to the Harajuku bridge is to fall into your closet and come out wearing as many mismatched items of clothing as possible. Bonus points given for the following;
- Covering yourself in little bunny stickers.
- Using shades of pink that induce fevers and sickness.
- Using hairspray to create the illusion that a large black storm cloud is just above your head.
- Wearing a one piece large furry suit to look like a popular cartoon character.
However there is one goal, above all, that all Harajuku Girls long for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
- Have your photo taken.
This is the main reason these nutty kids turn up. So bored Japanese people and bemused foreigners will take photos of them in their assorted disarray of clothing. So who am I to let them down?
For those of you not convinced that the person in the far left photograph is a girl, Nate and I stood there for a good couple of minutes deliberating, but I am confident it is a girl. Her parents must be proud.
Today was a strange day on the bridge in Harajuku though, as the cosplay girls were not the most interesting people on the bridge. Infact, they only managed an overall bronze when it comes to most interesting. Second place goes to this chap;
It’s one of those “Put a coin in my hat and I’ll move” statues. I really liked this guy because of his tie, and also because after about an hour he stepped off his pedestal to go drink a beer. Even statues need a break sometimes. But not even Mr. Statue could compete with the sheer kindness of the winner of the Gold Medal in this competition of horrors;
If you can’t make out the sign in this picture, it’s free hug man! That’s right! Free hugs! I nearly collapsed when I saw the word ‘free’ in Tokyo. Usually a hug will cost you 3,000-5,000 yen straight up, plus three interest free monthly fees of 2,000 yen. So what did I do when I saw this fantastic offer?
I took him up on his offer! Thanks free hug man I haven’t had a free hug for months.
Finally, Nate and I went off to Yoyogi Park. There’s usually skateboarders or jugglers performing, which makes for an interesting day. However, we were lucky to turn up on the day that the Tokyo Rockabilly Club had turned out to dance;
A funky end to a fun day.
Possibly Related Content:
Oh god, they are wearing some pretty shitty clothing right there.
It’s really full on and they all mince around waiting for people to take their photos, when all I wanted to do was take them to the mental hospital. :(
I think there’s a Free Headbutt Man who hangs around on West Street, but he doesn’t carry a sign. I also ran into Free Insult Man on Fargate, though I’m fairly sure his cry of “Bennnderrr!” was justified by the black trilby I was wearing.
It looks fantastic. Just like being *inside* one of those cutsie Animes. I also quite like Japanese Cowboy, top centre.
Somewhere along the line, Matt seems to have been displaced by Nate. I thought he was a volunteer from way up north.
Matt hasn’t been replaced, but Nate and Rolf are staying with us right now so it just happened to be Nate and I that took on the furious fashion headache of Harajuku this time.
That was fast! Yes, just read the Hokkaido archive – 16-day cross Tokyo party. (Envy begins to stir again.)
Just spotted your post in passing. Always one to aim to please! :)
If you refresh the site with Ctrl f5 you may notice something has changed…not sure how long it’ll stay there, I may work on a really nice header but that will do for now. It’s a Metropolis, just like Tokyo! :)
Wow, its like u got to see our internet google searches in 3D!!! I don’t think i’ve ever wanted to go to Japan more! Free hugs???? Yes Please!!!!!!!!
Everything there seems so modern, all the buildings and stuff,
looks nice,
Matt
I see! Splendid – just like Sheffield. (In fact, who needs Tokyo when you’ve got Division Street?)
Ugh, that statue is still there? He was there in the summer and some kid took a picture of him and he RAN AFTER THE KID demanding money! What a dick.
蟻塚: Seriously?! That’s pretty crazy, I guess he must struggle for money or something. He didn’t seem to mind us taking photos though.
The funny thing is that western chicks who wear Lolita fashion tend to omg idolise the Japanese ones, like pinnacles of big-skirted frilly fashion, but judging from your pics a lot of them look quite shitty :P. Nowt wrong with the fashion in general though, it’s really fucking cool (well, apart from the name). FRUITS fashion really does look like someone just jumped into a pile of clothes and covered it in more clothes, though, and as for Ganguro…that’s just some scary shit.
haha, amazing. you prolly dont care , but imna tell you anywho , the girl in the top pictures with the pigtails and pink and black arm warmers … ( the third picture in the first grouping of pictures) is dressed as bou from antic cafe . i know ou dont care , but random fact i thought you should know .lol.
Kirsten: I plan to head back, possibly this Sunday as we’re in a hot spell, to get some better shots of the dressup. You haven’t seen *anything* yet…
Nikki: I have no idea what Antic Cafe is. How good a job is she doing?
these people that dress up and go to harajuku bridge are simply expressing their personality and creativity. i admire them for there willingness to openly express themselves like this. they are unique. let them be who htey are and do try not to critisize them because they have the balls to do this and you dont.
Amy: I wasn’t critisizing them. At all. It’s an amazing subculture of Japan. If I didn’t like it, why would I take photos of it and write about it in my free time?
Anyone know where to get Harajuku clothing without getting it from fucking Gwen Stefani? LAMB and Harajuku Lovers are her exploit projects of Asian culture and I refuse to support it. But I would love to see my GF dressed up like that.kenetoken2@yahoo.com
Kenetoken: No idea, aside from Japan ;)
hum, i really like how you explain things. its actually very funny :D
its me:D : Oh, thanks :)
As an official update, this post seems to be the most popular one I’ve ever written, and as such I’ll be writing a brand new one when I go in the summer. Look out for it!
How do you even think of puttin together clothes like that simply amazing.
orika: I’m not too clear on the history or development of the fashion. There’s a project for someone.
nice pics but put so some more on
tegan: When I get back to Japan I’ll take a load more and do Harajuku’s Wacky Clothes II: The Return
im must say it is all so fascinating seeing them all dress up, its good that some of them actually try and some look good.
Holy Crap. Thats too funny! I love all the stuff you wrote, its all too funny. But what the hell is up with the Rockabilly guys shoes? They are like Elves shoes. weird.
Leni: Yeah, some of them do go for the shock approach though. I think it’s awesome, personally.
Ray: That’s the idea. The rockabilly club dance like maniacs all day. They don’t ask for money and they don’t perform at concerts or anything, I think they just like dancing. A little too much.
YOur a horrible person
These people are creative and open to new ideas
If you hate it so much
why are you there?
douche bag
Maddi: A well formed, cleverly written opinion there! I don’t hate these clothes at all. If you read the article and gave it a fair chance you’d realise I’m not seriously accusing these guys of being idiots. Infact by drawing attention to it, surely I’m advertising it?
Unless you’re just looking for internet fights. In which case, look elsewhere :)
Having posted this over a year ago you would have thought I’d have noticed I posted the same image twice by now…
i agree with maddie!!
u guys r on crack harajuku is frekin’ awesome. go fck urselfs haters
maddie ur right! atleast someone understands nonconformity
These comments took a turn for the weird.
I think those clothes are cute. Thanks for sharing. But just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean they’re “doomed”. I totally wear those clothes, they have more originality what i see everyday here in america.
yeah, guys, let’s see… if you’re british making these comments, well, british clothing habits, shell suits and women with their big fat butt cracks and big fat guts hanging over jeans that don’t fit And
if you are Americans all trying to look like Paris Hilton
or Justin Timberlake
or if you are Australian: nothing needs to be said,
just watch Kath and Kim!
you should celebrate people being different, ofcourse i forgot
our ancestor’s all fought to disentanble themselves from one form of savery or another so that we can all look alike and people like you can condemn anyone who don’t dress NORMAL by the way i am 53 years old and i think you current young kids
are on the whole rather mundane and boring!
Ellie: For the last time. I really, really like Harajuku style. I think it’s an awesome counter-culture. When I write in this style it’s not to detract from it, it is to interest people. We both know if I wrote straight up editorials nobody would read them. Please, please stop trying to pick a fight with me.
Well I think it takes some guts to proudly go to Harajuku station every sunday[if they are addicted] like that. I wish I could do that doubt I will. But after all us foreigners shouldn’t have much to say on other peoples cultures. That’s what they like. And they won’t stop liking it just cuz some one doesn’t like what they’re wearing. I hope that they don’t.
Actually, I went there other day, there was basically nobody there :(
these harajuku’s aren’t as crazy as some other i’ve seen.
most just look like hottopic or spencer’s models.
hey Ellie
You Nazi. Take A Vow Of Silence so no one has to her your ignorance agian! You Sound Like a whining child
i take great offence “all Americans wanna look like Paris Hilton and Justin Timberlake” is that so
you narrow-minded, slander talking, uncultured creature.
do you even realize how ignorant you sound toward other cultures?!
go back to school and learn some manners.
“by the way i am 53 years old and i think you current young kids
are on the whole rather mundane and boring!”
by the way I’M a 15 year old and have more intellegence in one brain cell then you do as a whole. and of course you think were not up to pare with what you think is interesting because your a facist moronic twat who is decades older then us. i would try and help you understand todays teenage generation but it would most likely prove to difficult,
you just wouldn’t understand.
i also refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent
stick that in your juice box and suck it.
Erm.. well, I enjoyed the article?
:D
but mike, lyke omg. how culd juw be hatin’ on da harajuku grls. lyke, its so expressive. omg. jus omg.
Just kidding. Haha. :) I’ve been to Japan once before but never had the opportunity to see the subculture in Yoyogi Park. It was nice to see some pictures of it. Thanks, Mike! I hope no one poisons you for apparently bashing the poor harajukus.
Urmmmm Hellllloo :D
i just wanna say sumfink ’bout this argument, Disagreement whatevs u call the above, i think its goin a biit to far.
Dont get me wrong, I LOVE standing up for the things i love, but Mike Said that he Doesnt hate it. People have different opinions and me, I LOVE harajuku, i express my self through that way.
Elliie,- i understand you feel VERY strong about this, but not all people are like that, and its wrong Full Stop. Just Cause Your Older than Us doesnt give you the right to slag us off, wer not Boring [[well im not]] and As i said before this is someones OPINION
P.S Harajuku Fashion is Cool and i likeyy<3 x
I think you actually show another side of this dressing up business.
I support what the other people think; it’s their hobby, they get to do what they want about it, but I also think that what you said was painfully true.
So, bonus points for you for not wanting a fight in here. =)
Meh I don’t really like false statements.. I’ve been in Tokyo for 6 months. Been to Harajuku nearly every weekend…
People don’t go there to get their picture taken, thats full of crap.. They just want to have a good time with the people who share their interest.. its like a hang out spot.
The dear cowboy that ‘Duckers’ likes is Cameji-san, he’s like the godfather of a group that gathers there. Luckily he came to me and kind of adopted me there :D He’s really sweet and makes sure no unwanted pictures are taken. He introduces me to the lot, I miss them all awfully.. T^T
The group I was with actually dislikes their picture being taken… especially when you do it without asking. but if you ask nicely they might say yes.
I hope I helped you all out of your disillusionment about Harajuku. Don’t be a gaijin and throw comments around that are false.
:)
Monique: Well, I appreciate that. I mean you could have phrased it better, but yeah. To be honest though I’d like to sort of ‘defend’ this post.
1. I didn’t know much about the culture at the time. No harm in admitting that. I’d only been in Japan a short while and was still learning.
2. It’s comedy. A parody. There’s no way I would ever state that this is an accurate representation of the subculture. It’s merely a fun way to present photos I’ve taken.
I’m glad you enjoyed your time there, and I’m sorry if my writing is inaccurate. I don’t think it’s offensive though. In return I would appreciate if you could write comments in the same manner.