This look intrigues me and it’s a great example of the extremes Japan has to offer. The look is called Ganguro (ガングロ) and it’s an alternative fashion trend made popular by Japanese girls since about 2000.
Currently,as far as i’ve seen, Shibuya and Ikebukuro are the best spots to see chicks wearing this get up. I tried to get a photo with a few of these girls about 18 months ago but was promptly told to “get the fark out” to put it politely.
Ganguro starts at school for some which certainly adds some colour to sports day.
Stop 10 on the 29 stations of the JR Yamanote Line series was Mejiro. I’d only heard of Mejiro once and that was a few weeks back, let alone bad i been there.
Sunday i headed out about 6 stops from home and had a walk around Mejiro. First impressions were it’s a pretty quite place with not a whole lot to do, those impressions carried on throughout my walk and stayed with me as i headed home a few hours later.
Not all the stops can be as exciting as Shibuya, Akihabara and Harajuku and Mejiro certainly doesn’t come close, it was however a nice residential area with quite a few foreigners calling it home.
There was quite a bit of action outside the station for a Sunday.
Too early for lunch and Sushi wasn’t on the menu anyway, although there were a few shops selling it.
A week or so ago i went with a few other gaijin to the Lock Up in Ikebukuro, a themed Izakaya restaurant.
I can take or leave Izakaya restaurants but they seem to be the obvious choice when getting a group of punters together for an all you can eat and drink session.
I’d only met 2 of the other 7 before the evening – Billy and JT and had only a brief read through the musings of the others in the weeks leading up to the night – the others being, Tokyo Cowgirl Foreign Salaryman Green Eyed Geisha The Penguin and last but not least Fleur Aubergine
Throwing 8 people together with really the only thing in common, being we are all foreigners living in Japan, could end up a few ways, but testament to all those in attendance a great night was had. I guess the all you can eat and drink for 2 hrs for about $35 helps everyone loosen things up.
I won’t bang on about ther personalities of the others but if you get the chance please visit their sites as they all have intersting things to say about life in Japan.
I didn’t take a camera but JT was sober enough at the time to snap this one off during the “show” part of the evening … i wish he’d got one of Officer Naughty too.
