HARAJUKU
Tokyo’s most famous district is the spiritual home of self-expression in the city, filled with quirky emporiums and indie clothing boutiques
The well-documented pressure in Japanese society to conform is sometimes summed up by the idiom ‘the nail that stands out gets hammered down.’ For a long time, Harajuku, the celebrated fashion and shopping neighbourhood in the west of Tokyo, was blissfully hammer-free. Through the 1990s and early 2000s, it became the international poster child of Japanese eccentricity, a hub of genuine counterculture where young Tokyoites spectacularly rejected the standards of so many of their peers by dressing in madly creative costumes.
Today, the commitment to bombastic fashion has lessened and the fashionistas are becoming an endangered species in their one-time stronghold. Clinging on to the petticoated Lolita styles of that era are Ai Akizuki and Hamuka (the latter, like all good eccentrics, refuses to offer her age or surname). The ladies are committed to their looks, which is to say that they dress up with Victorian-style bloomers, bonnets and parasols every day — for them this is an unending lifestyle, not just an option for events or, worse, Instagram.
“Things are definitely become more boring,” says Ai, who’s leading me on the Harajuku Kawaii Tour around the neighbourhood. “It was inevitable that things would change — that’s how fashion works.”
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
DIRECTORY
Lush Paul Valley, located at the foot of the COVA crater, is surrounded by rocky peaks, constituting one of the most spectacular landscapes of the island of Santo Antão.
CLIMBING KILIMANJARO
To summit Kilimanjaro is an expedition of a lifetime. Whether you're a seasoned mountaineer or a first-timer, there are key questions to consider before tackling the Tanzanian peak.
SEARCHING FOR BIGFOOT
TO VISIT OREGON IS TO EMBRACE THE ELEMENTAL POSSIBILITY OF BIGFOOT, THE HAIRY, HUMAN-LIKE MYTHICAL CREATURE. THE PROSPECT AND THRILL OF THE CHASE MAKES THE AREA'S THICK FORESTS, GURGLING CREEKS AND SCENIC HIKING TRAILS A TRUE WALK ON THE WILD SIDE.
FOR THE BIRDS
A visit to the Scottish Highlands offers one of the best bird- and wildlife-watching experiences in the UK, with the promise of rare encounters with unique species.
ON THE WATER
From swimming to standup paddleboarding, boating to biking, here's how to have the ultimate adventure on and around six of world's most beautiful lakes.
HOW I GOT THE SHOT
PHOTOGRAPHER MATT DUTILE ON SNAPPING THE FROZEN CONTINENT'S CHARISMATIC WILDLIFE FOR OUR MAY ISSUE
THE EVOLVING GAP YEAR
FROM ENHANCING A CV TO BENEFITTING A LOCAL COMMUNITY OR TRAVELLING WITH PURPOSE, THE MOTIVES FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE A GAP YEAR ARE INCREASINGLY NUANCED.
VALLETTA
In Malta’s harbour-framed capital, a rich and evolving art scene unfolds among honeyed baroque facades, echoing the global influences that have shaped the city over the centuries
A timeless city
Wander through artistic alleyways and along modern beachfronts in South Korea’s second city — a place where tradition and innovationgo hand in hand.
SANDS OF TIME
COVERING AROUND 800,000 SQUARE MILES, ALGERIA'S SHARE OF THE SAHARA TAKES UP OVER 80% OF THE COUNTRY - THE VOLCANIC PEAKS, CANYONS AND VAST SAND SEAS FORM A STRIKING BACKDROP TO OASIS CITIES AND UNIQUE NORTH AFRICAN CULTURES