study of japan subculture "harajuku"

1. HARAJUKU
SUBCULTURE
LIKITHA PRAKASH

2. • Harajuku is the common
name for the area
around Harajuku Station
on the Yamanote Line in
the Shibuya ward of
Tokyo, Japan. It has a
reputation as a
gathering place for
trendy teens.
• Harajuku is also a large
shopping district that
includes international
brands, its own brands,
and shops selling
clothes young people
can afford.

3. The History of Harajuku
• Harajuku as it is now traces its roots to the end of World War II during the Allied
occupation of Japan. U.S. soldiers and government civilians and their families
lived in a nearby housing area called Washington Heights. It became an area
where curious young people flocked to experience a different culture and stores in
the area stocked goods marketed towards middle and upper class Japanese and
Americans.
• In 1958, Central Apartments were built in the area and were quickly occupied by
fashion designers, models, and photographers. In 1964, when the Summer
Olympics came to Tokyo the Harajuku area was further developed, and the idea of
“Harajuku” slowly began to take a more concrete shape.
• After the Olympics the young people who hung out in the area, frequently referred
to as the Harajuku-zoku, or the Harajuku tribe, began to develop a distinct culture
and style unique to different groups and the area. From this distinct style grew the
culture of Harajuku as a gathering ground for youths.

4. • Surprisingly, Harajuku style has been in
existence since the early 1980’s.
Harajuku style is named after Harajuku
Station in Tokyo. In the beginning, the
local youngsters would occupy the
streets dressed in unique and colorful
outfits.
• The first craze was mixing traditional
Japanese attire with western clothing.
The message these Harajuku kids were
sending is that they don’t give a damn
about mainstream fashion. They would
and can dress as they wish.
• Harajuku fashion is a movement against
strict societal rules and the pressure to
fit the norm. Harajuku style now stands
for a lot of different things and while
many trends come and go, Harajuku
fashion still remains.

7. • The district's other main drag, Takeshita Street, is the focal point for
gatherings every Sunday by Japanese youth dressed in the many
different styles of Harajuku culture. These styles constantly change;
as some are abandoned, others evolve and many are often
combined. But these are some of the more popular and enduring
styles you may see on any given Sunday:
Lolita is a street
fashion and a
subculture in Japan,
known for its intricate
and delicate doll-like
look. The clothing is
inspired mainly by
the Rococo and
Victorian eras, but
also take influences
from current fashion
trends

8. Punk style in
Harajuku is more of
a fashion than a
statement. Its
fashion mainly
consists of dark
colors, plaid, chains,
and zippers. Punk
style is also one of
the more gender-
neutral fashions in
Harajuku.

9. Ganguro is a style that
symbolizes the average
American teenager. The
term translates to ‘black-
faced’. The basic look is
what Westerners would
call a ‘California girl’, with
bleached hair, dark skin,
fake eyelashes and nails.
It is not clear how
Ganguro came to be.
Many assume it
originated in the early
1990s, and was meant as
a way of rebelling against
the traditional Japanese
ideas of beauty

10. Cosplay is more of
a costume-based
style. A cosplay
enthusiast will
usually dress as a
fictional or iconic
character from a
band, game,
movie, anime, or
manga.

11. In addition to
Harajuku is its
counterpart,
known as Visual
Kei. this refers to
the style of
bands and their
fanbase.

12. THANK
YOU