Japan in…148, 147, 146, 145, 144, 143, 142 days

Harajuku Fashion!

Harajuku is a neighborhood of Tokyo. A normal one. Except on Sundays.

Sunday is HARAJUKU FASHION DAY. Head to Yoyogi Park, and you’ll immediately see what that means. Teenagers from all corners of Tokyo (and Japan!) come to Harajuku to show off their style. Here are the more common styles or ‘cliques’ of clothing:

The Gothic Lolita

Characterised by black, victorian (usually shortened) era style clothing  with loads of lace and ribbons, the Gothic Lolita is very feminine, dark and elegant to make the wearer look like a porcelain victorian doll.

Gothic Lolitas (credits to artist)

The Sweet Lolita

Inspired by the Rococo Era, it’s innocent and well, sweet. Uses loads of pink ribbons, cute rabbits, references to books such as  ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland’. (especially the latter. It’s an obsession)

(credits to artists)

The Japanese Punk

You see Punks? Add loads of layers to their clothes and stick them on a random Japanese person.

J-Punk (credits to artists)

The Cosplayer

They dress up as their favourite character from an anime or manga. Not only in Harajuku, head to the nearest Comicon and you’ll see loads. There’re pros and…not pros.

Cosplaying Hatsune Miku (credits go to artists)

Decora Style

It’s bright, it’s plastic, it’s decora style! Literally decorate yourself with anything. The flashier the better.

Decora Style (credits to artists)

Kawaii 

Literally cute. It’s innocent and playful and with lots of pastels, in a modern way.

Kawaii desu ne~ (credits to artists)

Wamono

Mixing traditional japanese clothing with Western. I like it.

Wamono (credits to artists)

Japan in…149 days

Random Fact

Petrol stations are quite different over there. You can only guess they're petrol stations because they have two guys who wave like mad when you drive your car in. Which can look like they want to assault you. But no, just look up and TA-DA! petrol pumps! Because in Japan, petrol falls from the sky! So you stop your car beneath one, hand over your keys and the two guys do the rest. By the rest, I mean they fill the car up, clean the windscreen (inside and out), and loads of other little charming things.

But if in the West, shoes collect the last few drops, do heads collect them in Japan?

Japan in 150 days

Random Fact!

In Japan, nobody holds hands, except mums and kids, kids, and teenage rebels. You can’t kiss either, it’s “incitation to debauchery” and you’ll get yelled at by a policeman. However, there is a secret techniqe to show you’re going out with the girl next to you: Pull her violently towards you when you hear a cyclist coming.

Cyclists in Japan must get so annoyed at this….

Japan in 151 days (late post)

Random Fact!

In Japan, trucks speak. They say stuff like “Bakku shimasu” (I’m going backwards) and “Hidari ni magarimasu” (I’m turning left) in a lovely female voice

Japan in…152 days

Random Fact!

There is a service in Japan called daikou taxi. It is for drunk people who want to get home without leaving their car at the pub. So they call a daikou taxi chauffeur who drives them home in their own car.

It’s also nicer for taxis, they don’t have to clean their car if the drunk guy pukes everywhere.

Japan in…153 days

Random Fact!

If a pickpocket is noticed in a shop, the shop will play the theme tune for “the pink panther” so as to warn customers without alarming them