Music by:The Exotic Ones

The last of the old takenoko-zoku group still rocks away

Tokyo rockabilly dancers of Harajuku Park

Tokyo’s Harajuku Park has become internationally famous over recent years mainly for its collection of high school students decked out in wild Goth outfits and makeup. Just about every Sunday they can be found sitting around in groups with their similarly attired peers coolly ignoring the camera flashes exploding all about them.

One of the current Harajuku Park denizens

The folks over at BoingBoing TV have written in to alert us to something called TOKYOLOGY, a new documentary exploring contemporary Japanese pop-culture hosted by Carrie Ann Inaba.

Oh, what adventures await: sneak behind the scenes at a Japanese Rock TV show that pretends it’s shot in Los Angeles, cruise Harajuku, go clubbing with goth girls in Shinjuku, shop for shoes with Lolitas, experience the madness of the Tokyo Anime Fair, visit a video game company, browse the streets of Akihabara, and meet anime creator Yoshitoshi Abe.

DVDs are available in retail stores and online, tokyology.tv has details.

This is a video shot in Omotesando on Christmas Eve. Though the night was very cold, some henna gaijin* decided it was just the right time show Japan what he’s got, much to the amazement and amusement of those around him.

Sent in by The Hairy White Prince, a JAPUNDIT reader who maintains a blog called Rare Treats.

* “Henna gaijin” is Japanese for “strange foreigner.”

I took my first trip to Japan in 2004. When I got back to New York I found that I missed being there and seeing all the unique things about it, especially seeing what people are wearing on the street. Tokyo people really put themselves together well and you really notice it when you come back in the USA.

Anyway, when I got back I searched the Internet for websites about Japan and found a couple that were just pictures of everyday people on the street. One of them was Japanese Streets. At the time the website was a little difficult to navigate so I never really got hooked on it, but today I got an email in my Inbox stating that they’ve just relaunched the site with a new design and more content. I just looked at it and now it looks like a real website

They have pictures of regular people (not fashion models) on the street and they’ve kept their old archives online which could be interesting if you want to see what Japanese people were wearing in 2004. They even added videos and some other stuff, too. I don’t have any affiliation with the site and I don’t know the guys who run it, I just think it’s a cool website if you like this kind of thing.

Remora wrote in today to remind us that August 16 is the 30th anniversary of the death of The King – Elvis Presley, which will be marked by special events in Japan and elsewhere.

• Japan is the second largest market in Asia after Australia for sales of Elvis music.
• A statue of Elvis stands in Tokyo’s trendy Harajuku district, courtesy of financing by ex-prime minister Junichiro Koizumi and his brother Masaya.
• A website named Elvis World – Japan provides Japanese readers with up-to-date information about the latest news in the Elvis universe.

Fumakilla, a pesticide manufacturer, has introduced bug spray promotional campaign that makes use of heat-sensitive, color-changing stickers placed in urinals at public restrooms around JR Shinjuku station.

In ordinary dry conditions, the special stickers depict a housefly in the crosshairs of a rifle scope, but as users take aim at the stickers and relieve themselves, the fly image transforms into an advertising message. According to a report in the Pink Tentacle:

The stickers are printed with a layer of special, heat-sensitive ink developed by Pilot Ink. When the sticker is exposed to a certain amount of heat, this layer of ink becomes transparent, revealing an advertisement printed underneath. Dai Nippon Printing, who manufactured the stickers for Fumakilla, designed them to withstand the rigors of being placed in a public urinal for extended periods of time. Fumakilla says that in addition to serving as a form of advertising, the stickers provide men with a convenient target to aim for when using urinals, which leads to a cleaner restroom environment.

The company has also launched a website featuring a simple Flash game called “Ippatsu Meichu,” which allows players to test their fly-shooting skills in a virtual lavatory. But if players not only miss but make a mess, they get a visit from the angry toilet lady. [EBT]

Only his or her hairdresser knows for sure. I happened to be listening to the CBC radio (like NHK only Canadian) today and they said there was a big Cospay Con in a horrible suburb of Toronto that got 15,000 people attending.

Although they were (of course) dressed up in funny Japanese anime costumes, this seems a good thing. However, the report brought up Crossplay, which I had never heard of before.

According to Wikipedia, “Crossplay is cosplay in which the person dresses up as a character of the opposite gender. As the name implies, it is a portmonteau of crossdressing and cosplay. In most countries that play host to hobbyists who would call themselves cosplayers, female-to-male crossplayers (females costumed as male characters, sometimes abbreviated “FtM”) are far more common, due to a variety of social and cultural factors.”

There seems to be some degree of social stigma attached to this form of cosplay but the FtM variety is usually no problem, since girls have no problem wearing pants and something like 90% of the good anime characters are male–so they probably get sick of being Sailor Moon all the time. But obviously a guy wearing a dress involves a bit more social stigma (at least) so that is rarer. MtF crossplay is far more common abroad than in Japan, apparently.

There is a pretty good very recent article on this in TokyoPop titled “Let’s Cosplay: Crossplay.” It’s worth a read if you are interested, but begins like this:

Twenty-three random cosplayers; twelve crossplayers–it’s striking when you think about it but this is the typical ratio at most events. A scream chased me across the Dealers’ Room: “Hey, Dr Black Jack, are you a boy or a girl? Cause if you’re a boy, I’ll totally leave my boyfriend for you!” I almost felt bad answering: “Sorry, I’m a girl.” Even then I could tell she considered it a minute before answering, “Oh, well.”

It ends up after a rather interesting discussion like this:

Cosplayers build giant weapons because we like the way warriors in anime explore the nature of violence and individual strength; we build mecha because we like what mecha says about warfare; wings because we like the theology debated through anime’s angels and demons; cyborg body parts because we are interested in the future potential of technology. Crossplay is just like these, a way of engaging in one of the oldest, most widespread, and most interesting themes of shoujo and of anime and manga as a whole, and if seeing a male Catgirl Nuku Nuku walk by makes you think about the fact that strap-on breasts are more unsettling than strap-on cat ears, then that kind of question is itself what crossplayers love most about anime.

I do think they have a point there–strap-on breasts are no more unsettling than strap-on cat ears (think about it) or they shouldn’t be anyway? I always thought that Cosplay was basically for fun among teenage girls and didn’t think that Crossplay had actual religious or philosophical aspects to it?

I also checked the J-List for Cosplay items and most of them involved either Hello Kitty or AV–the former more than a bit scary and the latter rather interesting (especially the Bunny Girls…).

This whole business of Cosplay seems more complicated than I at first thought. And some source also said that (really) most Japanese outside of Akihabara and Harajuku know basically nothing about it–it’s just something that mainly jumps off the screen for Western enthusiasts of J-pop?

We do have the only Maid Cafe outside of Japan in that same horrible suburb of Toronto that the Cosplay Con took place in, though. But I patiently wait to be enlightened on the whole matter of Cosplay and Crossplay. And then there’s the matter of Mana too–what’s that all about?

Haagen-Dazs Japan treated around 80 people to a relaxing time on luxury beds, as they listened to classical music and sampled the company’s new “Dolce” ice cream at the Laforet Harajuku museum in downtown Tokyo.

Haagen-Dazs. . . Bed. . . Hmmmmm. . .

I really don’t know what the big fuss is about. Frankly, I’m not terribly impressed with Harajuku or the surrounding areas. But I suppose I can see why there is so much fascination about it.

For those of you curious to know more about the area of Tokyo, take a look:

Online Videos by Veoh.com

Neatorama has an interesting feature on Harajuku Protestant Church (which also has its own site) and its interesting architecture.

It’s the work of Ciel Rouge Creation, the architect pairing of Henri Gueydan and Fumiko Kaneko.

If you live in Tokyo and fancy a nose around, you can find it at 2-11-13 Kita-Aoyama, which Gridskipper helpfully points out, can be found thus –

The closest station is Gaienmae on the Ginza subway line. Take the exit that brings you near the Bell Commons building, take a right, and then the next right after that. You’ll find the church on the left-hand side of the road, not far from the Brazilian embassy.

(Photo taken from doc18’s photostream on Flickr)

Street Fashion in Tokyo for 2007. Check out Japan Street Fashion for more!

Harajuku, a place both as creative as it is ridiculous. And yet somewhere in this district of Tokyo there is a new style in youth fashion that is being welcomed by the mainstream public.

My experiences in Harajuku have always been interesting ones. It has always been an opportunity to people watch and participate in budding creative spirits and imaginations whose fashion is their medum and their bodies the canvas.

ZeeNews has an interesting story here about a new trend that is emerging. Goth-Loli its called. A sardonic blend of gothic and lolita kawaii couture. As if further tempting ass groping salarymen to stare at them, young girls are apprently buying it up so fast that designers are just trying to keep up.

Of course it is the opinion of this reporter that a Japanese gothic slash lolita fashion can only go horribly wrong in the end, might as well enjoy the ride while its here…

In case you have not noticed, our friends over at PIXELGIRL SHOP have graced our pages with another ad for their great collection of one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry, accessories, purses, bags, iPod gear, and much, much more.

Check out their special products for the coming holiday season, and note that they have a code (kawaii) that you can specify to get 10% off of your purchases.

They even have a great collection of Asia-inspired items.

Check it all out at PIXELGIRL SHOP.

And don’t forget to say that you heard about them on JAPUNDIT!

As has been mentioned in the comments here and reported elsewhere, one of the highlights of Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s state visit to the United States will be a stop in Memphis by the two national leaders in order to drop in on Graceland.

This will mark the first time for reigning elected national leaders to visit the home of The King.

Koizumi is well known as being a huge Elvis fan, and has even put together a compilation CD of 25 of his favorite Elvis tunes, complete with liner notes by the PM. The CD sold 200,000 copies and reached Number 8 on the Japanese music charts.

Koizumi was born January 8, which is the same as Elvis’ birthday.

Another all-girl pop group named 9nine has made its debut in Japan.

9nine is a group of nine junior high school girls will soon be releasing their first CD, and a single named Sweet Snow is slated for release on February 14.

The nine students were pleased to hold the CD celebration event in the Harajuku district of Tokyo on Sunday.

“It’s wonderful to organize an event in Harajuku, where I frequently come,” said Marie Ashida, leader of 9nine.

After the nine girls sang their debut song and two other pieces, Ashida was moved to tears, and several other members also shed tears of joy.

Kawaii, ne?

What are we to make of Gwen Stefani and her Harajuku girls?

To recap, in case you have been living in a pop-culture proof shelter, Gwen Stefani is an American pop star with platinum locks and a growly, girl-power type of appeal. She released a clothing line called L.A.M.B which stands for “Love Angel Music Baby.” The clothing line was inspired by the street fashions of Harajuku, which readers of Japundit know is a hip part of Tokyo near Shibuya station, where youths dress up and parade their eclectic sense of fashion. Gwen has written a song titled “Harajuku Girls” which is an ode to the Harajuku ethos. She is touring with 4 “Harajuku Girls” whom she has named “Love,” “Angel,” “Music” and “Baby.”

Yep. That’s right. She’s named them.

Here are some sample lyrics from her song.

Your look is so distinctive, like DNA
Like nothing I’ve ever seen in the USA
Your underground culture, visual grammar
The language of your clothing, is something to encounter
A ping-pong match between eastern and western
Did you see your inspiration in my latest collection
Just wait till you get your little hands on L.A.M.B.
Cause it’s (super kawaii), that means (super cute in Japanese)
The streets of Harajuku are your catwalk
Bishoujo, you’re so vogue
That’s what you drop
Cho saikou, Harajuku girls

Okay. Now we’ve got that out of the way. Let’s look at what the reaction has been so far.

When I first saw Gwen Stefani and her girls, I thought, “No way. She’s crazy. Middle America will never understand this whole kawaii thing.” Then I thought, “Well, maybe it will work.” Then I thought, “What will happen if people like this?”

Margaret Cho, probably the only well known comedienne of Asian descent here in the US, masks her criticism of the Harajuku girls with some ironic observations.

I mean, racial stereotypes are really cute sometimes, and I don’t want to bum everyone out by pointing out the minstrel show. I think it is totally acceptable to enjoy the Harajuku girls, because there are not that many other Asian people out there in the media really, so we have to take whatever we can get. Amos ‘n Andy had lots of fans, didn’t they? At least it is a measure of visibility, which is much better than invisibility. I am so sick of not existing, that I would settle for following any white person around with an umbrella just so I could say I was there.

(But, I interject, people do carry umbrellas in Japan).

I’ve found a couple of other interesting pieces of commentary. There is one particularly damning article in Salon, written by an Asian American. It’s worth noting that the article opens with the author recalling times past when she was stereotyped for her looks.

Stefani has taken the idea of Japanese street fashion and turned these women into modern-day geisha, contractually obligated to speak only Japanese in public, even though it’s rumored they’re just plain old Americans and their English is just fine. . . The renaming of four adults led one poster on a message board to muse, “I didn’t think it was legal to own human pets. But I guess so if you have the money for it.” Stefani fawns over harajuku style in her lyrics, but her appropriation of this subculture makes about as much sense as the Gap selling Anarchy T-shirts; she’s swallowed a subversive youth culture in Japan and barfed up another image of submissive giggling Asian women.

(Kinda wierd use of the term geisha. Makes me think that perhaps the writer hasn’t been to Harajuku and perhaps hasn’t read up on what makes a girl a geisha).

So, we’re pretty sensitive these days over here in the West. Especially those of us of Asian descent, and I am definitely sympathetic to all these points of view. But lost in all the discussion are a couple of key things.

First: Japan is the world’s second largest economy, and one of the reasons the real Harajuki kids are able to invest so much creativity into their weekend outfits is because they have money. Social problems Japan has a plenty. But this is not the land where playing dress up reduces a girl to becoming a “contractually obligated geisha” with absolutely no power. Some commentators have insisted that the girls in Gwen Stefani’s show aren’t “authentic” Harajuku girls, but I kind of think that’s a given. This is show business after all.

Second: what do the Japanese themselves think of this curious cultural mixing? I mean, unless you haven’t been paying attention, Japan is full of T-shirts with curious phrases and charming uses of English. Is that cultural appropriation? Or is it only cultural appropriation if we Americans dress up like . . . someone else? Where do we draw the line?

I found this blog (in Japanese) in which a Japanese went to see Gwen Stefani perform in New York. She talks about how Gwen Stefani is a sort of “ambassador” for Shibuya-ku. She makes the point that the Harajuku Girls (that would be Love, Angel, Music and Baby) dance really well, and that it’s exciting to see Asian girls front and center. However, she wonders, it does seem that the point of the choreography is that, to Americans, Asian taste seems to prefer girls who are “young and childish” and “not sexy.” She also wonders how long Stefani will stick to the Harajuku routine.

This, to me, is the really interesting part of this whole debate. Can you name any female Asian pop stars who have crossed over to become stars in the US? Many have tried, but so far, no one has truly succeeded. How about movie stars? There’s Michelle Yeoh, and there’s Ziyi Zhang. There is the lively Margaret Cho, and our homegrown beauty Lucy Liu. More recently, we have Sandra Oh. One thing all these women share in common is that their characters are martial arts experts, or really tough.

There is something to be said for the perception that Westerners have of Asians as being “giggling.” This is where I think a lot of Asian women living in the West get nervous. We are perfectly aware of the way in which Asians are perceived, and we aren’t comfortable with it. I remember full well the number of times I’ve been told in corporate interviews, “Well, you just don’t seem very tough.” On the other hand, the minute I land in Japan, if I laugh at a joke, my hand flies up in front of my mouth. What am I going to do? Show off a mouthful of teeth and unleash my guffawing self to my grandparents? I don’t think so.

The interesting thing for me, then, is to see if these Harajuku Girls of Gwen Stefani’s are going to be able to translate long term. I wonder if the larger Western audience will gain a greater appreciation for all that is kawaii, and stop asking Asian actresses to have to prove that they can “kick ass” if they even want to make a film in the first place. Or, is this really just a passing trend that will only affirm another kind of stereotype.

Joyful Honda

Hello Kitty is not the only very cute Japanese cat.

The venerable toy store Kiddyland — located on Omotesdando in Tokyo — houses floor after floor of cute iconic Japanese toys. (There are also foreign models like Winnie the Pooh).

My favorite toys ever from Kiddyland are the Nyanko edible cats.

How to understand these toys? I’ve just always assumed they show the inner “cat cuteness” of iconic foods, because nowhere in the world is the cat as cute as in Japan.

How about a serving of kitten shumai, complete with removable shumai-diapers and a little lettuce bed?

Or how about this Chinese cat pork bun?