Japan for the Uninvited

The ganguro look intentionally flies in the face of conventional Japanese aesthetics.

Inspired by tanned Okinawan singer Namie Amuro and British model Naomi Campbell, this slightly disturbing fashion exploded onto Tokyo’s streets in the mid-90s.

“Yamanba” (referring to a mythical Japanese mountain ogress) is the next step - adding white make-up and blue contact lenses in a grotesque imitation of Western women.

Although there are claims that the ganguro trend has died out, it’s influence is still clear on Japan’s streets.

• Ganguro
• Where are they now? The metamorphosis of the yamanba tribe (MDN WaiWai)
  “The yamanba have pretty well disappeared, even from the streets of Tokyo’s trendy Shibuya district - a place they once considered their own hallowed ground.”