Explore Harajuku’s Unconventional Style and Culture

With Tokyo’s diverse, colourful and fun takes on style, each district has its own unique crowd, but Harajuku fashion is especially famous for its eccentric flair as frilly Lolita dresses, bright neon accessories and people fully decorated in punk-rock attire fill the streets.

Takeshita Street is where all types of Harajuku styles exist, from decora to cosplay. This street is lined with colorful bright lights, cafés and endless shops to browse through. What’s more interesting than the street itself is the complexity of the couture.

Discover the history, styles and sense of community Harajuku fashion has with its fans and everyday fashionistas.

Brief History of the Harajuku Fashion Scene

Located between Shinjuku and Shibuya in central Tokyo, Harajuku has a history of fun culture and a reputation for creative expression. It has transformed into a fashion epicenter as areas near Yoyogi Park were starting to be housed by military families, which eventually attracted new shops and Western influence on clothing.

In the 1970s, Harajuku became a hotspot for boutiques and alternative style, primarily due to Laforet Harajuku. The city drew in an array of designers, stylists and students who looked to experiment with bold fashion identities.

Magazines—such as FRUiTS—helped promote and popularize the style, eventually inspiring pop artists such as Gwen Stefani and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.

Harajuku Fashion Subcultures

Decora – Similar to lolita style, decora is recognizable with its multi-layered  colorful accessories such as rings, bracelets, hair clips, glasses, necklaces, fake nails and stickers. The clothes are also just as bright, layered and flashy; some playful motifs such as Hello Kitty can be seen to express the cuter sides of the style.

Gyaru – This style derives from the word “gal” and originated in the 1970s to label fashionable, rebellious teens who refused to follow traditional Japanese beauty standards. This style typically consists of more Western flair such as tanned skin, bleached blonde hair or wigs, heavy makeup, jewels, false nails and Western clothes.

Lolita – This Victorian and Rococo-era inspired style is often seen in Harajuku and is characterized by doll-like outfits. Many lolita fashions consist of lace, puffy skirts, and bows paired with  frilly dresses, tops or blouses; meant to emphasize femininity and grace. Lolita has multiple substyles such as gothic, sweet and classic.

Punk and Visual Kei – Punk fashion and visual kei are collaborations of Western punk rock band styles with a Japanese edge. While the punk side of this subcategory is inspired by the Western punk side—featuring ripped clothing, tartan skirts, leather and stud jackets with accessories such as safety pins—it’s considered anti-mainstream. Visual kei is inspired by rock and visual bands, making it more dramatic and theatrical. The style includes unique hair and makeup, gothic elements and costume-like outfits.

Mori Girl – Translated to “forest girl,” these fashionable outfits include soft earthy tones, loose-fitting layers, light lace, vintage or thrifted dresses, cardigans and natural fabrics. Almost as if stepping out of a storybook, these outfits portray a cozy yet romantic style.

Neo-Tokyo – These takes on fashion are modernized, popular Japanese streetwear with a mix of futuristic and cyberpunk style, often mimicked after popular dystopian anime. Being both digital and edgy, Neo-Tokyo is styled with asymmetrical cuts, layered technical fabrics, vinyl, mesh and reflective textiles alongside a monochrome or neon-accented color palette.

Street Goth – This is a blend of gothic and modern street style that was traditionally influenced by hip-hop. These outfits consist of black and muted tones, oversized clothes, heavy layering and distressed fabrics with accessories such as chains, combat boots and beanies.

Word on the Street About Harajuku Fashion: A Sense of Community

I took the time to walk around Takeshita Street to get a better picture of the scene, clothing styles and self-expression of those who wear these styles. I had the chance to interview a couple of individuals who rocked their unique outfits as well.

Coco—a tourist from the United States —was dressed in a light pink frilly Lolita dress covered in ribbons and bows. Her face glowed with enthusiasm and excitement as she shared how Harajuku style helped her gain confidence, portraying how much joy her outfit brought her.

She explained her nervousness of embracing and dressing in lolita fashion while living in the States because it is not as normalized as it is in Japan. However, this didn’t stop her from expressing herself, as she grew to love lolita style.

“Wearing clothes like this is awesome, but then going out in public you wonder ‘who’s wearing this, a poofy dress,’ and then you see other people wearing lolita fashion and you feel comfort in that” Coco said. “You have a community and the fact that everyone here shares your interests and I think that’s very beautiful.”

Coco continued on about how this style helps express herself more than any other fashion and how she has never felt more confident.

“I love lolita fashion because, for me, I’ve always felt a little self-conscious about the way I look,” Coco said. “I think wearing lolita has made me feel more confident. I love wearing clothes that make me feel beautiful”

Throughout the seasons she will change her style from light pastel dresses to a more gothic look.

“It mostly depends on my mood. Gothic fashion, I mostly wear in the winter because the black fabric tends to absorb more heat,” Coco added.Whether it is pastel-colored accessories to match with a poofy dress, street style fashion, or a blend between Japanese and Western fashion such as gyaru, Tokyo’s fashion scene is a place that allows you to dress outside of traditional boundaries and express yourself in a fun and unique light.

Popular Boutiques and Shops That Fit Harajuku Style

If you are curious to check out some stores where you can browse for some lolita skirts, decora accessories, Tokyo streetwear or something anti-mainstream, here are some hotspots:

RAGTAG – Known for its wide variety of fashion items, RAGTAG’s 15 different stores around Tokyo—with multiple in the Harajuku area— offer brands such as A Bathing Ape (Bape) and Comme des Garçons. 

6%DOKIDOKI – Among the bold and bright clothing they sell, you will also find bags, hair accessories and jewelry in vivid neon hues. Think unicorns, hearts, Sanrio, stars, and other kawaii motifs.

BABY, THE STARS SHINE BRIGHT – BTSSB gained international fame after being prominently featured  in the 2004 film Kamikaze Girls, furthering lolita fashion into popularity. Here, you can find pastel-colored, modest designs and frilly Victorian- and Rococo-inspired clothes.