7 Most Unique Japanese Fashion Trends To Try Out

Japan’s Harajuku district has long been the epicentre of the country’s most daring and imaginative street styles. From colourful, child-like Decora to the woodland-inspired Morigirl aesthetic, these subcultures spring from a shared love of self-expression and playful rebellion.

Strolling the narrow lanes around Takeshita Street, you’ll spot everything from Pokémon-inspired kigurumi to the rococo frills of Gothic Lolita, and meet the creative souls who breathe life into each look. Whether you’re simply people-watching or daring to don your own cut-and-paste ensemble, Harajuku’s fashion scene is a living gallery of Japan’s boundless style imagination.

Also read: 7 Weirdest Festivals in Japan You Must Check Out

1. Decora

Decora, short for “decoration”, is a fashion trend that tries to embody child-like playfulness. You can expect adherents to this fashion trend to wear brightly coloured clothing like multi-coloured tutus, tote whimsical accessories and pin a lot of barrettes in their hair.

2. Gyaru

The name of the Gyaru fashion trend is obtained from the transliteration of the English word “girl”. Gyaru girls (as they are known) at their most outlandish often sport poofy hairstyles and false tans. However, the gyaru subculture has changed in more recent years to become more toned down, with gyaru girls eschewing the obvious tans and turning to more natural makeup. The only thing that might separate the gyaru girls from others is their hair, which is often dyed and styled in a manner that most people will consider ostentatious.

3. Kigurumi

A term originally used for stage performers in animal costumes, Kigurumi has since gained popularity as a street fashion in Japan. Kigurumi fashionistas can typically be found wearing animal one-piece suits inspired by both real and imaginary animals. A notable example of imaginary animals inspiring kigurumi fashion would be the various types of Pokémon.

4. Lolita

No, this fashion subculture has nothing to do with Lolita by Vladimir Nabakov. Inspired by clothing from the Rococo and Victorian Eras, Lolita is a fashion style that is characterised by bell shaped skirts (often with frills), lacy headdresses, knee length socks and Mary Jane shoes. While all the dresses may look similar to the untrained eye, there are actually quite a wide variety of sub-classifications. Some of the more popular styles include sweet lolita and gothic lolita.

Sweet Lolita outfits mainly utilise a pastel colour palette, has cute prints on the fabric used to make the outfit and often has lace and bows sewn on to the outfits. On the other hand Gothic Lolita outfits utilise darker and richer colours like black, navy and burgundy. Gothic Lolita outfits also tend to be more muted in contrast to Sweet Lolita, with less lace and bows attached to the outfits.

5. Morigirl

Morigirl is a fashion trend that is guided by the idea of what a girl living in the woods would wear. Wearers of Morigirl clothing often stick to an earthy colour palette (like browns and greens) and wear clothing made out of natural materials like cotton and wool. Loose dresses, long skirts and oversized sweaters commonly featured in this fashion trend as well. Unlike some of the other fashion trends, Morigirl make-up and accessories tend to be understated in keeping with the natural theme.

6. Visual Kei

Visual Kei was initially a fashion style adopted by musicians in the 1990s and this fashion style can still be seen today. With adherents to Visual Kei having wild hairstyles, dark eyeliner and piercings, Visual Kei is a fashion trend that is hard to miss. Notable bands that popularised this style include Dir en Grey, Malice Mizer and L’arc~en~ Ciel.

Clothing in the Visual Kei style are made to make the wearer look androgynous so it is not unusual to see a male visual kei fashionista wear a skirt over jeans. Bold prints, dark colors and chains also feature heavily in Visual Kei clothing.

7. Yamanba

Yamanba is a fashion trend named after a witch in Japanese folklore and it lives up to its name. People who follow this fashion trend often have bleached hair in unnatural colours like orange. They also put on makeup that makes their skin look darker before finishing up their look with heavy eye makeup in white.

Often, the wearer will also add on facial stickers and wear a large amount of accessories like bracelets. This fashion trend started off as a rebellion against the traditional Japanese society. As such, the Japanese ideal of pale skin and dark hair is deliberately eschewed by adherents to this fashion trend.

Dare to Find Your Harajuku Look

Whether you’re drawn to the bright overload of Decora or the earth-toned calm of Morigirl, Harajuku offers a style playground like no other. Try on a poofy Gyaru hairstyle, slip into a kigurumi onesie or explore vintage shops for that perfect Lolita dress, and don’t be surprised if your outfit sparks conversations with fellow fashion adventurers! After all, here in the heart of Tokyo, every day is an invitation to play dress-up and redefine what “crazy” in fashion can really mean.

Ready to make your mark? Pack your boldest accessories and let Harajuku change the way you see style.

Also read: 10 Fun Things to Do in Tokyo for First Time Travellers