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Are There Goths In Japan ?
Originally formed around the gothic rock genre that appeared in the UK during the late 1970s, Goth has also developed in Japan as a spectacular subculture thanks to it’s dark and elaborate aesthetic.
What are the differences between Western Goth and Japanese Goth ?
In the West, the Gothic aesthetic heavily relies on cultural symbols such as the crucifix or historical events lie the Victorian era and takes its roots in music ( Alien Sex Fiend, Siouxsie and the Banshees…). Those cultural elements don’t have the same resonance in Japan, making Gothic much more of a fashion centric movement. You’ll see a lot of details in the outfit, intricate lace, elaborate make-ups and sub-movements such as Gothic Lolita. Casual gothic, such as dark pants and a tee-shirt, is more a thing of the West, whereas Japanese representations of a Gothic look are more romanticized.
As for Gothic Lolita, Mana, of the famous visual kei bands Malice Mizer and Moi dix Mois, is frequently credited with coining or inventing the fashion, based on his own clothing lines. Gothic lolita stands out as an important manifestation of the Japanese Gothic culture, but is similarly removed from any traditional Gothic values.
Overall, being a Goth in the West is more of a lifestyle, while in Japan, it is more of an aesthetic.
How is Gothic culture represented in Japan ?
A lot of the Japanese goth bands base their music off hard rock or add a Halloween inspired element to it. Sometimes, it's more about the look, the spooky make-up, the costumes, than the music itself which solidifies this idea of Goth being more of an aesthetic than a cultural movement in Japan. Some well known Gothic bands from Japan include The Candy Spooky Theater, SaTan and 13th Moon.
Some early 90s and early 2000s Visual Kei bands are just dripping in gothic aesthetics, such as Kuroyume, Dead End and Buck Tick.
The Gothic aesthetic is also widely represented in Anime and Manga with Bleach, Death Note and Ergo Proxy clearly drawing inspiration from the it’s dark and macabre vibes. If you’re fond of vampire stories, Hellsing and Vampire D will be your new must watch ( or read !).
What do Japanese Goths do ?
They love to party. In Japan,alternative culture lovers flock to clubbing nights like Tokyo Decadance, Midnight Mess, Tokyo Dark Castle and similar events, where all the gothic, industrial and cyber kids come together. Some of those events even travelled to the West, such as Tokyo Decadance, and were huge successes in Europe and in the US in the 2010’s - that’s some great cultural exchange at play !
What about you ?
Do you think the lifestyle element in the gothic movement is more important than the fashion - or are you all about making a spooky fashion statement ? Would you like to visit Japan and why ?
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