Ganguro

Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. It's not Halloween, just another day out on the town for this ganguro girl. Ganguro was a fad among teenage girls in Japan around 1999....however my friend Hiromi in Kyoto (the wonderful photographer) has discovered that this trend is still alive and kicking. The dictionary translates the word ganguro as black face, charbroiled face (that's my favourite), burnt-black look or dark tan. I find these fads socially interesting, but I get tired watching these girls perform - so much effort to maintain a look. That's not me for sure.....actually I have been feeling guilty that I haven't worn a scrap of make-up to work for about a month. Do you wear makeup to work? I just find it tiresome - of course if I have a meeting, then I try and make myself look pretty, but if there's no meeting, then it's au naturelle for pinku!!!

Here's a great article about these Japanese fashion fads from Salon.

One of my favourite quotes from the article is:

On her 25th birthday, an unmarried Japanese woman automatically becomes what's laughingly referred to as "spoiled sponge cake," in honor of the Christmas sponge cakes that are discounted and rarely purchased after Dec. 25.

I guess my cake is not only spoiled, it's been thrown into the trash. Personally though I think of myself as a delicious bottle of red wine (not those Japanese chilled screw-top ones) - it justs gets better and better as it gets older. I definitely feel slightly wiser - that's for sure.

photos by Hiromi in Kyoto this week

Comments

[gleek]

i do wear makeup to work everyday (not quite as much as the girl in this photo though!) because i'm not blessed with even skin-tone. i do work in a very corporate environment where most people wear suits and i get to be casual because i work in IT. i feel it's sort of necessary, then, for me to wear makeup. the routine of putting it on is comforting to me (it only takes 10 minutes).. and i could really spend hours in sephora just looking at all the great colors makeup comes in. that's my favorite part! shopping!

[Jenn]

I hardly wear makeup at all. I like makeup, but I suck at putting it on. When I had a job where makeup was preferred, I only wore mascara and tinted lip gloss. It's the only thing I can handle.

I wonder about girls like this. What does she do to make a living, do you think? Does she go to work in full on drag queen, florescent hearts glory? Can you imagine walking into an office and having this girl greet you? Hee.

[Jenn]

Oh and don't worry about your cake. Mine is right there next to you keeping you company. Pass that half-full beer can this way, will you? ;)

[indigirl]

I rarely wear makeup to work... only a bit of pink shiny Mac gloss when I want a pick me up. It seems like so much effort!

[mindy]

I still remember an article from a couple years back about scores of Japanese teens that were ending up in emergency rooms because they were falling off their monstrous platform shoes. And one girl who crashed her car because her platform became wedged over the gas pedal. And they say New York fashion is extreme.

These days, makeup is exclusively lip gloss/lipstick; when I remember.

[Noreen]

I really doubt that this girl has a job. She probably just hangs around to be seen (and photographed)!

[kat]

umm, my guess is that she gets money from her parents and lives at home.

[Tokyo Books]

I agree kat. She's probably only about 17.
I think she look great!! There is nothing like a bit of individulism especially in Japan altough it does look like Kyoto is a few years behind Tokyo. Can't say i have seen much ganguro action around town much at all over the past 18 months or so. I do spot the odd one and it always makes me laugh and cringe at the same time. I love fucked up fashion!!!

[Lauren]

Well, it certainly requires vision. Of some sort. ;)

(Is it bad if I think it's kind of cute?)

[Masha]

if you remember or not, I asked about Asian kitchen in Tokyo a few month ago before my spring break started. I flew to Japan and I had such a nice time with my friends... and besides of my favorite isakaya "watami" i dragged my friends down to Asian kitchen... it was fun. im back in chicago now... thanks to those who gave me the information :)

[Mariko]

That girl kind of scares me! It always cracks me up how a lot of Japanese kids try to dress all badass, but then you talk to them, and they are totally polite and cute! It's not like here in the US where the kids are punks.
Since I work from home, I don't have to wear makeup, and I never do. I used to do the lipstick thing, but now I rarely do that, either! For some reason, though, I enjoy buying makeup.
Geez, I'm blabbing on and on! Oh, and you are no spoiled sponge cake, girlie!

[waterlily]

just curious, do you know why Japanese teens always pose with the peace sign when their pictures are taken? one of my friends came back from Japan and her cousins did the same thing. she still had no idea why. i'd like to know if that's also a fad or something. thanks!

[Julie]

aah! Yamambas=scary!

[Jonathan]

That picture is not a ganguro but infact the newest evoluton called Yamanba, notice how it has developed into white stickers on the face, definitely not ganguro.

http://www.yourencyclopedia.net/Yamanba

You should try to get some pics of the new male version called 'Morio' you will realy laugh. The boys now do the same with black face, white face make up, hair extensions, and 'yamanba' clothes.

[Cherry]

She's not ganguro , she's a manba , Ganguros wear light panda make-up and no stickers. Manba is the new words.

Manba4ever

[Singer]

I was teased for the way i dressed in highschool but it made no dif to me. She's not spoiled yet. The makeup I don't understand. She is kawaii in her own way

[melly]

YIIIIOOOOUUUU!!!!!lé fi vs ete troooo béleuh!!!!viv le japon!!!Yiooouuu!!!moi jabite en france!!!a la réunion!!!une ile tro manifik!!!jador lé zaponaise!!tro belles!!!yioouuuuu!!!!vs ete o top resté com sa!! Kiiisssssoooouuuxxxx

[Avy]

I love the Ganguro look. The girl in your picture did really good panda/yamanba face, but I prefer the banba looks. the panda is only fun sometimes for me. Luckily, Halloween is coming around soon and I can go ganguro in the office without the HR department calling me over lol.

Anyway, nice blog/site in general.

[moggy]

I love the Ganguro style. :D

I could never go as ganguro anything.
I'm waaaaay too white haha.

I love your blog :D

[lulu88]

haha this looks interesting... i wear makeup to work! well that's if i have a job currently looking for on) yeah ganguro i think only looks good in animation haha. but then i call myself the semi ganguro lol. i have a NATURAL tan complexion and about 50% of my head is BLEACHED platinum blonde and i actually don't look bad in light-white eye makeup and lipstick. oh yeah i'm vietnamese (though i have no idea why people think i'm anything but viet)

[Sascha]

As the comment to the peace sign I think it means victory. It's referred to that in a lot of animes so I guess it could be that. Oh well :D

[Kana]

Hmm I perfer the Harajuku/Lolita styles \(^.^)/

She is wearing wayyyy to much make-up, nice clean and simple works better with make-up, but I do like all the colours that she has on ^_______^

I wonder how long it takes her to get ready in the morning...

[Dingo]

She looks like some girls I see at raves... but thats just it, a rave! not everyday. I wear make up to work, im 17 though I love make up. :)

[anominous]

i found this picture : http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i38/chazline/?action=view&current=ganguro-1.jpg
on http://www.myspace.com/chazline
looks like the trend is spreading to england...??