The inspiration for Kamioshi came from research done by Lotta during Semester 1. Their research began with Japanese fashion styles and subcultures and eventually led to Japan’s idol industry and the culture surrounding it.
Jirai Kei
A primary source of inspiration for Kamioshi’s narrative and theming is the Jirai Kei subculture. Jirai Kei is a fashion style popular with teen girls and young women that originated in the Kabukichō district of Tokyo around 2019.
The style is described as a dark girly fashion, with the idea being for the wearer to project an image of sadness. Staples of the fashion include feminine clothing items in muted colours with details such as lace, bows, and jewelling. Additionally, an essential part of the Jirai look is the make up, which involves drawing dark circles beneath the eyes to give the appearance of crying.
A tutorial for the distinctive Jirai Kei eye make up (Source: Eviebunnie)
The concept of Jirai Kei originated amongst the young people of Kabukichō, Tokyo’s red light district. Kabukichō has historically been viewed as a dangerous area due to its nightlife and presence of illegal activity, though around 2018-2019 the area saw significant investment to improve its public image in order to make it seem more approachable for any tourists visiting
Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics. This rebranding of Kabukichō brought about a new popularity with Tokyo’s youth, with new attractions such as a cinema and arcade making it appear to be a cool and trendy hangout spot for young people. Around this time Kabukichō also saw a new type of venue, the Concept Cafe, become massively popular; ConCafes are a type of bar that revolves around a theme, and they tend to toe the line between family-friendly and a more adult atmosphere, making them popular with older teens and young adults.
Kabukichō’s cool new reputation with young people turned it into an aspirational destination for teens in difficult situations. Unhappy youth across Japan viewed Kabukichō as an exciting escape from stresses such as difficult families and academic pressure. Many of these young people ran away from home and made their way to the area to find a new life for themselves, but with no plans and no support would end up struggling to get by. Many of these young people became involved in nightlife, working illegally in bars, as hosts/hostesses or in sex work. In their free time they would gather in groups in the streets of Kabukichō drinking or partying late into the night as a form of escapism. This subculture of young people, some as young as 13, gained its own name; the Toyoko Kids (runaway children). It is amongst the young women of this group that the idea of Jirai Kei began, providing a way to express their struggles through their fashion.
A young woman wearing Jirai Kei poses in front of the ‘I Love Kabukichō’ sign. (Source: Japanese Fashion Wiki)
The name Jirai was originally a derogatory term that has been reclaimed by the subculture. Jirai approximately translates to ‘landmine’ - the term was used to refer to young women deemed ‘explosive’ in nature. Girls who were perceived to be too emotionally unstable or neurotic for regular society, often due to complex mental health and life circumstances, were labelled with this misogynistic term. Over time the young women who had been labelled as ‘Jirai Jyōshi’ (Landmine Girls) began using the term as a self identifier, and with the growing subculture of young people in difficult circumstances and a fashion style inspired by sadness, the term Jirai became well established as a name for this blossoming community.
Idol Culture
The Japanese entertainment industry has a unique phenomenon - a genre of entertainment known as the idol industry. Idols first rose to prominence around the 70s, with solo female artists being the most popular for the first few decades. These artists primarily focused on music but also furthered their careers through modelling, acting and appearances on variety shows.