Words by Mayumi Koyama and Yusuf Huysal
The preservation of endangered species is always a pressing issue in the world, not least in the streets of Shibuya. Ganguro gals, immediately noticeable by their dark tan and contrasting make-up, used to reign supreme back in the mid-90s around Shibuya and Ikebukuro. These days, however, the fashion trend has faded into obscurity.
So why does this particular group of gals still go ganguro? ‘What each person finds pretty is different. In our case, it was the gal style,’ says Pomitan, a 25-year-old store manager. As Erimokkori, 23, tells us, a nonchalant attitude towards what other people think is an essential part of what makes a true ‘gal’: ‘We all have a right to enjoy our own lives, so we do what we want to do.’
Naturally, there was a time when the rebellious ganguro ethos was at loggerheads with Japanese etiquette. Acknowledging this past, Ayuyun, 25, thinks that ‘today’s gals have a different mindset to the gals in the past’, being more attentive to things like using keigo (honorifics) when addressing their elders. This is often a cause for surprise. In fact, when Ayuyun gave up her seat to a senior citizen on the train one day, the carriage erupted with applause: ‘That was so funny, I did something normal but I ended up moving people!’
Despite the difficulties of being ‘a minority in a conservative nation’, the gals are adamant in their pursuit of spreading the word – and not just in Japan. With their ganguro gal group Black Diamond, they now attend international expos to promote Japanese culture overseas. Until it's time to 'graduate' from the ganguro make-up, with most gals moving on before they turn 30, their motto is thus: ‘Like washoku, we will export gal culture, too!'
The gals told us they spend over ¥25,000 on their nails and another ¥25,000 for their hair-do, but they would never 'spend hundreds of thousands on a watch.'
Mayumi: After some initial hesitation, I came round and agreed to try the ganguro make-up. Talking to the girls helped me understand their spirit and I too wanted to embrace their confidence. Though I enjoyed my new face, I was perhaps not courageous enough to go home with it!
Yusuf: It was 1am, the gals hadn't arrived yet and I could barely keep my eyes open. When they finally materialised inside the oddly named Cafe & Bar Vandalism, the languid atmosphere of the nearly empty bar was transformed into one of energy and intrigue. I couldn't wait to hear their story.
