You know you want them. You know you want to be like them. And you know you can’t stop thinking about them… Everyone and their mother wants to have everything to do with Harajuku girls.
My name is Ed Merrin, and I’m addicted to the Harajuku girls of Japan. Hence, this site— my ode to the Japan’s most “colorful” girls. Some of you may wonder, just what the heck a Harajuk girl is. Well for one thing, they’re nothing like the girls that roll with Gwen Stefani. In fact, Harajuku girls are a diverse bunch, and not just members of a dancing entourage. They are walking pieces of art, carrying the ideals and representing the many subcultures that have emerged from Japan’s Shinjuku and Shibuya.
In December of 2006, I went to Japan for the first time with my girlfriend’s friend (who is now my friend), Yukiko. I was lucky to have gone with someone familiar with the country, so I wasn’t too lost. I’m really glad that I didn’t just end up doing the touristy things. I had a chance to get a feel of Japan. Although I was a complete “Gaijin,” Yukiko made my experience an unforgettable one.
But of course, the most memorable thing about my Japan trip was being exposed to the Harajuku culture— especially the women/ girls. Seeing the females of that culture was so captivating. I truly felt that I was in a different time and in a different world as I walked by and took pictures of them.
I love their style. I love their courage; how they’re not afraid to look the way they look. And I love how they’re different from the rest of the world. I hope you enjoy my tribute to the Harajuku girls of Japan.
Note: Those girl with Gwen Stefani are not true Harajuku girls. Some of them are not even Japanese (One of them being Korean and the other American)
These are true Harajuku Girls…
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Fantastic! A most excellent topic and site.
been reading your blog, it’s quite enjoyable that so many people have come to like the Japanese Street Fashion; but I do have a few corrections.
Harajuku Girl is a term solely popularized by Gwen Stefani. Most people who practice in any of the J-Street Fashion don’t associate themselves with the term, and western followers of Japanese Street Culture generally dislike the term. The Subcultures mostly found in Harajuku are: Lolita/EGL/EGAt, Japanese Punk, Decora, Visual Kei Cosplay, Cosplay, Yanki/Bosozoku rockabilly types, Spanx, and a genreal mix of diy fashion and mash up of individual style that is found in magazines such as Kera/Zipper/Cutie.
Also, the Gyaru/Mamba culture isn’t part of Harajuku fashion at all. Most Mamba/Gyaru are around the much trendier shopping district of Shibuya. Their male counter parts are Gyaru-O. The Gyaru and Mamba fashions usually aren’t associated with Harajuku or the trends there.
Thanks for reading, and thanks for the correction. However, I did realize that Gyaru and all the other “tan” styles are outside of Harajuku. But since this site started out as an ode to Harajuku fashion, I just kinda kept it. Perhaps I should change it to “J-Street Fashion.” But there are just so many categories…
[...] Edward Merrin Gives Props To Yume Ninja Seriously, thank you so much Yume Ninja for not being afraid to call me out on my some of my posts. I never once assumed myself to be “Edward Merrin, The Japanese Fashion/ Harajuku Expert.” For those of you that haven’t seen the comment, check it out here. [...]