Tokyo's Troubled Teens
81
Harajuku Girls
Gwen Stefani brought Harajuku Girls to the world's attention when she used some of them as back up dancers and singers for her music videos. But just what are the Harajuku Girls?
Harajuku is a district in Tokyo where teens indulging in Cosplay hang out. For the uninitiated, Cosplay is where you dress up like fantasy, science fiction, Manga or Anime characters and you behave as if you really are that character. The costumes, wigs and accessories are amazing and if you are in Tokyo on a Sunday, then that is where you have to go. There you'll find girls with long blonde wigs and pony tails dressed up as Little Bo-Peep, chatting to full-on Goth characters with death mask make-up and dog collars and other S and M gear. You'll never see such a bizarre sight, as the entrance to the Harajuku Metro on a late Sunday afternoon.
In the park near Harajuku Metro-stop, you'll find young men dressed up as Elvis, strutting their stuff, girating their pelvis to hits from the fifties and sixties. A few girls, not part of the Harajuku sub-culture, are dressed in their fifties diner dance dresses with the huge skirts, and bop away with the Elvis-types.
Just across from the Harajuku Metro-stop, is Takeshita walking street, with tiny shops jam-packed with the most outrageous clothing you've ever seen! If you indulge in sexual role-play, then this is the street for you. You can buy your sexy maid's uniform, or rip off nurse dress, complete with sexy corsets and garter belts. If you are more into the dominatrix role, then you can buy your whips, chains and handcuffs when you buy your S and M outfit. In the area, are also Love Hotels where randy old men can disappear for a few hours with a Harajuku Girl wanting to supplement her income. The Image Clubs have replaced some of the once popular Karaoke Clubs, and the girls that go there sing a different tune. They specialise in sexual Cosplay, where young girls can dress up in school uniforms and other erotic outfits and indulge in sex play. Many Love Hotels rent out Cosplay costumes as well, should you wish to check in for a few hours and have fun dressing each other up.
Are the Harajuku Girls a sign that Japan's teenagers are troubled?
In a culture where people are expected to conform and success is highly valued, Cosplay is a way to show the older generation that you are a non-conformist. After living in China where people push and shove and spit on the sidewalks, Japan was so civilized. People wait for the train to stop and for the people getting off to actually get off before they get on. When the train is full, out of nowhere, old men with white gloves suddenly appear and gently, like they're doing Tai Chi, push the people onto the train so that everybody fits. Another strange phenomena, was people waiting for the little man to turn green before crossing the road, and cars actually stopped at red traffic lights. all of that, is quite alien in many parts of China, Beijing and Shanghai probably being the exception.
So in such an ordered and civilized society like Japan, Harajuku didn't quite fit in. It is not polite to eat in public like on the train or on the street. It is very important not to do anything where you are seen to 'lose face'. For the girls and boys who frequent Harajuku, they are escaping from the pressures their parents and society have placed on them. So much pressure is put on these teenagers at school to achieve, that taking a Sunday out to non-conform relieves a little of that pressure.
School is not an easy place for teenagers, as bullying is rife and a huge problem. Teenage suicide and pleasure cutting incidents are higher than they should be. Many girls sell themselves to old men for money to buy their Cosplay outfits, so that they don't have to ask their parents for the money. Japan's teenagers are definitely troubled. More incidences of violent behavior by teenagers are being reported in the newspapers. Many parents, not wanting to lose face, are sending their troubled children overseas, to study in English Language Schools or putting them into boarding school.
It is ironic, that the Harajuku Girl sub-culture was started by young girls trying hard to non-conform and now, if you want to conform and be like your friends, you have to practise Cosplay and non-conform in solidarity. So, would that make you a conforming non-conformist, or a non-conforming conformist? That, is the question. Either way, the older generation in Japan are not too happy that Harajuku and its girls are becoming a major tourist attraction.
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Comments
Thanks teresa, I have to say, I'd have a fit if my teenage daughter came home dressed like that!
My sister lives in Japan and I asked her to send me either a samurai or Harajuku girl. She sent me neither! ;( What I got instead for my bday last January was their national mascot - Hello Kitty! Talk about crying in your party if you want to! :D
Subcultures are a form of rebellion, but when they catch on and become mainstream they become tourist attractions. Not bad for tourism :D
Sometimes, people really misunderstand the term freedom where if they go to extremes, they label this abnormal acts as freedom of speech and expression. But, I think their society is used to this... So, what the heck!
Cris, what can I say, Hello Kitty eh?
Shamel, these girls are trying to make a statement I guess.
I love fun hubs that also teach me something and this one was both , Gee I had no idea, is the day of the Geisha dead ? :-)
Nah it was a joke. A teeny weeny hello kitty stuffed toy that is washable. So when I took out the stuffing inside, guess what! Japanese Yen! So there was no crying that day! LOL
Sandman, yep think Geisha are history, it's now schoolgirls selling services, sometimes just getting paid to accompany a man to dinner nothing more
Cris, you don't have to justify Hello Kitty. I understand, it's okay.
They aren't any different than any other kids who have freedom. We all went through those trying times as teens too. Great hub cindy. Cris, you have to go and get yer own girl.
Hey CC, long time no chat. Howzit going?
slow my dear, from Dr visit and the vampires too.
LOL Cindy. Okay I won't but don't go telling everybody I own a Hello Kitty stuffed toy okay?
Btw, where is Pest?
Hi C.! :D
Take care, CC. Have you heard from Pest lately? He's been very quiet since the weekend. You think the hunter managed to hunt him down?
Cris, great minds and all that, was just asking Cc if he'd heard from Pest. Okay, now I might have to do a hub about your Hello Kitty stuffed toy.
He had a hospital visit yesterday. He was resting. I may call him later.
Okay, tell him to drop me an email. I decided not to let them operate on my son. We would have had to spend another 6 days in Hong Kong, too pricey and I think it'll heal okay in a sling.
Well that's good news. thanks for reminding me. I hope he mends alright now. I got to go. see ya later.
OKay, that should explain the uncomfotable silence, Thanks C. :D
Hey Cindy what happened to your son? Anywway whatever it is, I wish him speedy recovery :D
Have a great day, CC!
Cris, my son did an awesome shoulder charge tackle at rugby on Saturday and ruptured his AC joint, popping his collarbone out of the socket-thing.
Ouch! Oh well I think it's part of the game. I mean not part part but... oh you know what I mean. Anyway, as he is still pretty young, he'll heal fast. That I know for certain. :D
Yeah Cris, he's already managing to move his arm to type to the girlfriend on MSN
Ahhh young love! Nothing is more powerful! Aha! A new hub! LOL
wow. that is really interesting. I never heard of it. It is like halloween every sunday. I would rather not conform at all, but just be who i am and if i happen to fall into a certain category than so be it
I have always wanted to visit Japan, great read and how on earth did you get all that info, plus great pics !
Great info Cindy, I think teens are troubled all over, its a shame.
Cris, don't talk about young love, you should see what he bought her as a present from an adult shop in Hong Kong yesterday!
Ratcliffe, it is a bit like halloween on a Sunday
Badcompany, I went to Japan last year for a workshop, went to check out Harajuku on a Sunday late afternoon and took the pics
Hawkesdream, think you're right, teenagers elsewhere just express their troubles differently
sounds like a good place for me to go hang out, bring on the crazy girls!
And there are plenty of love hotels close by, Toad!
I love this post! I spent a few years working closely with such teenagers (and adult males who like teenage girls a little too much) as both customers and suppliers. My job often involved visiting cosplay expos and dressing up so as to relate to them more easily.
I will never forget the forty-something year old, fat, hairy, sweaty man, dressed as a teenage girl, in a fake leather mini skirt, who asked me to attach his freckles for him... Eurgh! Gross!
Lol Emma! A fat forty year old hairy male!~ Wish I was there to see it!
Ooooooooooooooooo I have been waiting for this one. Isn't it all amazing.I really want to go there and dress up to
Well BP, maybe they do cosplay in Oz somewhere you can join in lol
Sounds amazing, I'd love to see this, not least because I have a bit of a thing for the japanese girls (think I watched too much Manga when I was younger.) But like someone else noted above I think all subcultres become mainstream pretty quickly, punks, hippies, mods, rockers, etc.
Very interesting read, great hub, Think I'll have to make Japan the next place I visit.
Ah Mrvoodoo you men and the young girls....
I have never heard of this before and found it most interesting. Fun place to visit, but...
And what did you dress up as on Takeshita walking street, hmm?
Don't let B.T. see the bunny costume. He'll be on the next plane!
lol Christoph! There were some weird outfits in that street. Blondepoet is on the next plane going shopping!
Is that street pronounced, take-a-shit-a?
Yeah, I love it, don't you?
Great hub! I knew cosplay was big in Japan but didn't know they had a whole district for it. There are people in the States who cosplay as well. Some of them are actually very good - usually the women. Most of the men who do it are usually men who shouldn't be doing it :)
I must confess that I am very into anime so I also enjoy looking at good quality cosplay. Beats out Halloween costumes in my book ;)
Hi Shiba, yeah Harajuku was fascinating and some of their cosplay of anime characters really brings them to life
Good stuff!
I think Japan is the ultimate culture vulture. On one hand, you have deeply held beliefs of the past. On the other...you've got a younger generation looking to branch out.
I'd love to go there sometime...
G|M
GM, thaks for your fanmail, made me feel valued! Japan is worth a visit, but gosh, sooooooo expensive!
Japan is expensive (and now even more so with the dollar falling), but it isn't actually bad if you know where to go. Even Tokyo can be cheap once you get out of the Touristy spots.
I think JW, that if you know the city, yu are right, you can still find bargains!
Well, as a cosplayer and researcher on Japanese mythology, I find your insights on the culture interesting. Though I have been wanting to see Harajuku for myself and consider the facts. Then again, I'm more of a language researcher and mythology researcher. Thank you for giving a good insight.
Glad you enjoyed the hub, Rip!
very the gothic of japan....what's the problem.?who knows..god knows why.
They are a strange kettle of fish, AAzwan!
Teresa McGurk says:
7 months ago
I really don't miss Japan! The pressures on kids to conform are really stringent, as you say. Great hub!