Five Japanese subcultures are:
- Roppongi-zoku
- Miyuki-zoku
- Harajuku-zoku
- Futen-zoku
- Boso-zoku
Zoku is another word or type of tribe and can be linked to British sub-cultures according to what time they appeared/ were around. The youth tribes are linked to media, comics, music, TV and magazines.
Roppongi-zoku, Miyuki-zoku and Harajuku-zoku were a similar authentic code which was close to the Mods, Futen-zoku was similar and corresponded to hippies and Boso-zoku had similarities to Punk subculture.
Key Words:
- Japanese Street Style
- Subculture
- Youth culture
- Consumer Society
- Globalization
The zokus were most popular in Tokyo changing fashion and using different items and forms of clothing in an urban space. The media in Japan used the word Zoku to describe the fashion groups of the young people in the media, this was a similarity to British media as they present youths in a manufactured way that has formed subcultures. From having studied media I can see that youths are only presented with in the media when they have done something wrong, this links to what Dick Hebdige said "In our society, youth is only present, when its presence is a problem". This means the only deviant youths have become visible from the media in the same form that each Zoku has attracted a great proportion of media coverage, making them so easy to document today.
Consumerism and style in the Early 1960's
First half of the 60's was when three major subcultures appeared from different areas of Tokyo.
These areas were Roppongi, Miyuki Street in Ginza and Harajuku. These lent their names to the zoku subcultures which were invented by media reporters.
In 1960's Japan had Americanised meaning many Japanese cultures were abandoned and became westernised. Westernised consumerism began in Britain in 1029's but only became established in th main areas of Japan in the 1950's
Westernisation meant that male attire was a smart suit and neatly cut hair or casual t-shirt and jeans. Women's style was difficult to determin but showed that they favourtised and were influenced by the 'Euro-America' skirt by the British 60's.
Hemp-Coffee bean sacks were popular to carry around as coffee was imported from overseas making it fashionable to drink.
"Dandyism-male fashion- 'looking the part' constantly. Miyuki-yoku conscious of their appearance.
Uniformed appearance, hinted at the power if consumerism, style controlled people, correct way to behave.
Anti-middle-class Style of the Late 1970s
Boso-Zoku
- Biggest and most notorious deviant group
- Caused nationwide moral panic
- Motorcycles gangs like 'bikers' e.g British Rockers and American Hells' Angels
- Boso-Zoku were younger than over seas counterparts.
- Referred to their risky, dangerous and fast driving
- Were similar to the behavior of the punk sub-culture e.g Antagonistic towards the dull, middle-class character of society
- Some of the radical groups turned to bombing, highjacking and fighting.
- Eventually calmed down and became more appropriate updating their cars, motorcycles, clothing and flags.
- Maturing of Boso-Yoku had children and led to new groupds within the Bobo.
-Yankii (Yankee)- High school drop out
-Yakuza- Japanese gangster
-Tsuppari- Flamboant Defiance
- Costumes were given nicknames from dour or frightening images
-Tokkofuku- Suicidal Kamikaze party
-Sentofuku- Combat suit
-Dokajan- Construction worker wear
-Jimbei- Traditional summer suits worn by their fathers
-China- Chinese suits
- Symbols were embroided into suits for a shock effect not as Nazis
- Binbags, Safety pins, Old Schol uniforms, Bondage and tape were often used in their general catwalk.
Politics of Location: Subjectivity on the Street
- The main aim was to portray themselves on the public roads
- Each having their own location, the Yokus were named from where the styes originated from similar to British subcultures.
- Mods-Soho
- Hippies- London Street Commune (empty mansions in Piccadilly)
- Punks- Kings road
- Skinheads- from football terraces
Each subculture was developed behind closed doors and only publicised with in media and favourite habitats.
