Harajuku Hype

Harajuku is a famous district in Tokyo, Japan, known around the world for its colorful and creative street fashion. In the 1980s and 1990s, young people in Harajuku started wearing unique outfits that mixed traditional Japanese clothing with styles from Western countries (The Japanese Shop, 2021). They wanted to stand out and express their personalities through fashion. Many of them made their own clothes or changed store-bought items to create something new. This do it yourself (DIY) style became a big part of Harajuku’s identity.

Different fashion groups, or “subcultures,” grew in Harajuku. Each had its own special look. For example, the Lolita style was inspired by old European fashion and looked very elegant and doll like. Decora fashion was all about bright colors and lots of accessories, like hair clips and bracelets. Another area called Ura-Harajuku, located behind the main streets, became a place for underground designers and new brands to grow (Yokogao Magazine, 2023).

Harajuku’s fashion wasn’t just about clothes it was also a way for young people to express how they felt and who they were in a society that often expected everyone to fit in. Over time, people from other countries began to notice Harajuku style and were inspired by it (Google Arts & Culture, n.d.). Today, even though fashion trends have changed, Harajuku is still seen as a symbol of youth, freedom, and creativity (Joybox Global, 2023).

Can Yigit Saglam

Google Arts & Culture. (n.d.). Tokyo street fashion and culture: 1980–2017. https://artsandculture.google.com

Joybox Global. (2023). Harajuku: The vibrant history of Japan's iconic fashion district. https://joyboxglobal.com

The Japanese Shop. (2021). What is Harajuku style? https://thejapaneseshop.co.uk

Yokogao Magazine. (2023). The complete history of Ura-Harajuku: Tokyo's iconic street fashion district. https://yokogaomag.com