Since the 1990s, Tokyo has cultivated an eclectic, colorful, futuristic and occasionally raunchy image. Buoyed by the dot-com bubble, Japan became recognized not only as a world leader in technology, such as fancy cell phones and magnetic trains, but also for its pop culture and fashion. Namely: anime, manga and the wild styles of Tokyo’s subcultures.
The Harajuku fashion scene
One of the key figures to arise was fashion icon, event organizer and musician Sisen Murasaki. Easily recognizable by his outlandish costumes and colorful hair and contacts, DJ Sisen rode the Harajuku craze of the Myspace era and helped popularize Tokyo’s underground scene.
Against the straight-laced and conservative daytime world of Japan, Sisen makes a bold statement. “You can live within a subculture and an underground scene and satisfy your desire to transform,” he says. “You can have the confidence to say, ‘I’m glad to be myself.’”
Heavily influenced by New York’s “Club Kids”—a group of campy and avant-garde artists and dance club personalities of the 1980s and 1990s—Sisen created his own troupe of Tokyo club kids, including entertainers such as Diva Selia, Preta Porco and French-born Adrien le Danois.
Gender, sexuality and the club kids
Like the New York club kids more than a decade before, Tokyo’s alternative club fashion focused not only on being outlandish but also on being gender-subversive. For Sisen, the world of club culture has always been an expression of his evolving queer identity.
Speaking of his childhood, Sisen says: “As I became conscious of myself, I had the feeling, ‘Oh? Maybe I should have been born a girl.’ Even as a child, I prepared for the fact I couldn’t walk a respectable life.
“I couldn’t come out to my parents, but they always bought me Licca-chan dolls and girls’ comics if I wanted them. I’m grateful to my parents for raising me freely that way.”
Moving to Tokyo after high school and making his debut at the clubs, Sisen met the city’s drag queen community, who greatly influenced his fashion.
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13 Comments
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commanteer
One of the things I like about Japan, the amazing and varied subcultures. And, generally speaking, they are very friendly and inclusive, unlike in the West. I never see hostility toward the "straights."
Aly Rustom
more power to them
kohakuebisu
The full article uses the expression "goth", which I've never seen before with regard to LGBT clubs, but strikes me as a useful reference point for the casual observer.
While this scene is based on clubs, many of the people are not into club music, i.e., dance music. These clubs are like bars or mini theaters with burlesque type shows, not sweatboxes with big speakers and a dancefloor.
Toasted Heretic
London in the 80s and 90s had a lot of crossover with goth and LGBT cultures. Pete Burns, Boy George and others in the music scene shared similar fashions and apparel. The goths back then were into more darker clothing but that in turn, was influenced by heavy metallers like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and punk's Siouxsie and the Banshees.
In the 80/90s you had clubs like the Electric Ballroom in Camden and Paramount City in Soho. Very goth, very mixed.
Burlesque scene really took off over the last 15 years or so, and yes, you could see the influence of goth on it and vice versa. Have no idea what it's like in Tokyo - been a long time since I've hit the clubs/venues! Maybe when all this is over, I'll put the mascara and black threads back on :-)
Luddite
Yep, goth in the 80s and 90s was LGBT friendly, but I’ve never seen a Goth in anything other than black, purple or red. If it’s rainbow coloured or sparkly it isn’t goth. Paramount City was great, I also liked Slimelight near Angel tube
dagon
This is what brought me to Japan, the merger of tech and the avant-garde. Unfortunately, neo-liberal economic policies and a reactionary social conservatism constrained this and COVID possibly murdered this club culture for the short term.
Alfie Noakes
Interesting article. These events look to be heavily inspired by Leigh Bowery and his Taboo club in London in the 80s. Bowery definitely influenced the 'club kids' of New York, who seem to be the main prompt for this scene.
Me neither and I used to date one. Goths are great but a lot of the music's pants, though. I wonder what kind of music they play at these events?
Toasted Heretic
Hippy-goth? Cosplay-goth? Emo?
Subcultures keep changing, evolving (emovolving?). Hard to keep track, which is as it should be :-)
Don't think I atttended the latter. And why on earth was that downvoted? Bizarre.
Pants? Sacrilege! The music played at Paramount city was along the likes of The Mission, Bahaus, Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, Siouxsie, The The and (at the end of the night) Buck's Fizz, for some reason. At the Electric, it was a bit more dancey, if memory serves. KMFDM, Jane's Addiction, Curve, Garbage...
No idea what currently plays at the J venues. Again, as it should be. Ageing goths can raid the archives, I guess!
Luddite
Hippy goth, cos play goth and emo are not goth in the original sense of the word. Maybe goths can scream cultural appropriation.
Toasted Heretic
Lol, it would be slightly ironic when you see where the long coats, hats, feathers, boots, canes and all the rest of the gear and its variants come from.
Toasted Heretic
Architecturally? Literary? ;-)
Lol, it would be slightly ironic when you see where the long coats, hats, feathers, boots, canes and all the rest of the gear and its variants come from.
Alfie Noakes
Just joking, although the Sisters of Murphy and The Mission were a bit pants. If I had a quid for every time I staggered around a dance floor to Gina X and Bauhaus I'd have 374 quid.
Toasted Heretic
Always think Eldritch took himself a bit too seriously. And Hussey and co. were a bit derivative of Zep. That said, Tower of Strength is a classic. And there's a new version with loads of the familiar faces from that period, with a lovely nod to the great, life-saving work the NHS is doing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE1I6q-s6Vo