VISUAL KEI HORROR BAND SATAN IS BREAKING UP. HARAJUKU GIRLS FASHION: STREET SNAPS OF SWEET LOLITAS, DECORA JAPANESE FASHION.
More shakeups in the Visual Kei world! I was at the Candy Spooky Theater and Satan concert tonight in Tokyo, and they announced that this was Satan’s final show with the original 4 members. Shiya and DK are leaving the horror metal band to pursue new projects. Mr. Satan and leader Hi-na will soon find new members and restart the project.
I’ll have videos, photos and a full report of the last Satan concert coming up on my blog. Until then, you can see Satan live in my concert video and article from last May (with GPKISM).
Back to the Sony Australia travel show shoot. I hardly had any sleep after partying at Decadance Bar’s Seileen release party (and filming it for the Australian travel TV show). No sleep for the wicked… up and at ’em! TV hosting and arranging is a marathon; one must be Strong to make it through. So I rolled out of bed and headed to Harajuku station.
Pirate military buttons top: Putumayo, from Closet Child
Red skirt: Emily Temple Cute, from Closet Child
Little red plaid hat: Putumayo, from Closet Child
Platform Mary Janes: h.NAOTO, from Closet Child
Coffin backpack: h.NAOTO, from Closet Child
Holy knee socks: old things
One of the Aussie hosts, Tim, thought the main shopping street (Takeashita Doori) sounded like “take-a-shit-a”… Hence the mature pose.
The heyday of Jingu-bashi is over. You’ll no longer find cosplayers and Gothic Lolita fashionistas congregated on the iconic Harajuku bridge. On this particular Sunday, there was a matsuri (traditional festival) on a make-shift stage.
However, in Harajuku, you can still see Tinseltown-baroque fashion moving about on two legs. On-camera, I spoke about the district’s history and the various fashion tribes that blossomed here. We interviewed these Decora girls, who mix Sweet Lolita (Angelic Pretty dresses) with a rainfall of kawaii kitsch accessories.
The spirit of Harajuku fashion is DIY. Experimentation. Choose your own adventure. I interviewed two horned and black-winged girls who called their style Devil Kei. This pink-headed lady from Nagoya calls her look Zombie Kei. Every aspect is brilliantly coordinated, don’t you think?
On the weekends, many Japanese girls dress up and shop in Harajuku with their friends. Angelic Pretty remains very popular among the Sweet Loli set. I’m personally more of a Goth-stomper-boots type.
The Pirates had made arrangements to visit Takuya Angel’s cyber Goth boutique. Excellent news: the shop is no longer closing. It’ll be in the same location, but now you use the back entrance to access it.
The Australians were blown away by Takuya’s cyber-techno designs.Next, we visited Sex Pot Revenge around the corner.
Many TV crews ask me to take them to weird Japanese theme restaurants, since I wrote a book about them. We ended the day at Kayaga, possibly the maddest, wildest bar in Tokyo. Vibrating beers!
The owner, Mark, stunned the Australians with his surreal kindergarten performance art (here is a video.) To boot, he’s a talented chef who whipped up one of my favorite foods — kabocha, or Japanese pumpkin. (I’m also obsessed with the citrus, yuzu, which is a Frappucino flavor at Japan Starbucks.)
Want to learn more about my company La Carmina & The Pirates? We offer coolhunting, translating, Japanese travel arranging, TV hosting and production coordination. Come aboard our fair ship!
Japanese Word of the Day: Ginga = The Milky Way
Song of the Day: Galyernus – Destiny (This Japan metal band is my new favorite.)
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31 Comments
Love your skirt!
xoxo!
NO MORE JINGGU BASHI DRESS-UP? D:
I specifically timed my Tokyo trip so I could shoot streetsnap on a Sunday :'(
There may be a few people hanging out, but you rarely see Visual Kei cosplayers or elaborate, fantastical costumes anymore… However, the clubs are still vibrant!
D: sigh…Well, thanks for sharing this it’s good to know~ even if it’s not the best news.
Happy Halloween La Carmina!! I hope you have a Sugoi Night!! Congrats on your blog award. I voted for you of course and keep up the great work. Since I can’t go to Japan you are my window on the life and culture there. Arigato! <#
That’s not surprising. ;/
Aw man, they rocked =(
That’s a shame :-C
CST and Satan too? noo! I hope to hear from their other projects then!
(sigh!) well – I give up on trying to find out what are causing all these bands to break up or go on hiatus for a while. It seems to be a plethora of reasons to me. I mean as for break-ups and stuff…most of the time the reason is regarding how the band just can’t cooperate and actually have a direction with their sound, or that their sound just doesn’t evolve. Or sometimes they might realize that even if they’re getting a great sound to themselves…it’s just not paying the rent and helping them move on day to day (which is understandable) considering the competition there is in the music industry…not so much the competition but just how different the industry is with the digital era.
Glad that Tim & Tim had a great time. Gotta hang out with that chef one time haha! I want him to draw me a duck.
And those 2 Sweet Lolitas…awwwww how sweet. But…TOOOOOOO SWEEEEET LOL. Gothic Lolita is just right!
hahah I can’t wear pink, myself…
That outfit is one of the best! It really suits you! and yes, happy belated Halloween (:
Aww thank you so much! Halloween was amazing. Photos to come!
SaTaN are NOT breaking up!!!!!
Shiya and DK left… thats all… Mr. Satan and Hi-na are still playing… and since ALL songs are Hi-na’s SaTaN is still Rokin…
They said it over 3 times yesterday at the live… get your info right… or just study Japanese…
I’m glad you are sharing info and all but make sure you get the right info out….
:/I feel like bands in japan break up so more easily than elsewhere o.O
I absolutely LOVE your top! And don´t the Ozzie guys really look soooo Australian, they can´t be any more Austrayyylian (except for carrying some surfboards maybe) ;)
Aww thank you dear! <3 They are super Australian haha. Great guys.
love the pink haired japanese zombie girl!
Your hair/makeup looks great in this shot. d(^_^)
i’m def going to his store!! wanna get infor.. BTW, that pumpkin dish looks sooooooooo YUM !! :)
I love it!!
ccuuuuute outfit! ^ ^ I guess its not too chilly in Japan to wear tanks & skirts. Booooo I’m so sad to hear that SaTan is breaking up. Makes me weepy.
Great！I loooove it.
okay, once i get rich, im so going to japan and taking a SHOPPING TOUR!!! or is it actually affordable, with euros?
Tx for updating your info…
and Shiya and DK are retiring… they won’t be working on any other projects :(
Heh, I dropped into Takuya’s later that day…and ended up gong out wth them for dinner at a nearby izakaya, instead of coming out to your do at Kayaga (afetr hana-bi on the porch).
Too many events, not enough time! :)
wait, so NO MORE Cosplayers at Harajuku bridge?! :(
There are still some, but they are getting rarer and rarer. Tomorrow, I’m going to post photos of people who were on the bridge this Halloween!
It seems to be a plethora of reasons to me. I mean as for break-ups and
stuff…most of the time the reason is regarding how the band just can’t
cooperate and actually have a direction with their sound, or that their
sound just doesn’t evolve.