Introduction

“If you look at the streets in Tokyo, you will instantly get a sense of
Japanese fashion trends.”
— Yoshiyo Abe, designer, Petite Robe Noire

Tokyo has been a major source of high fashion for decades, and the city’s presence on the
world fashion stage seems to be more prominent each year. Following in the footsteps of
Japanese fashion icons, such as Rei Kawakubo at Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey
Miyake, Junya Watanabe, Jun Takahashi, Chitose Abe, and Hiromichi Ochiai, new, up-and-
coming Japanese designers continue to gain recognition both from the fashion establishment
and among their devoted fans from around the world.

While you can catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji from the upper floors of tall buildings throughout
the city, it’s nearly impossible to see the end of the urban sprawl that radiates from the shores
of Tokyo Bay all the way to the outer suburbs and beyond. Walking through the streets here and
watching people go by, it seems that the possibilities for individual style are equally infinite.
Despite Tokyo’s large scale, however, the streets and neighborhoods retain individual
character, with style to match.

Experiencing Tokyo can be overwhelming for first-time visitors, but those who spend time
here can’t help but feel inspired by the creative dynamism and open, carefree approach to style
on show amid the vibrant energy of the city—the endless landscape of tall buildings, flashing
neon lights, and packed pedestrian crossings. Because people tend to observe traffic lights,
there is a delicious anticipation just before the lights change and everyone moves together.
There is also the surprising sight of hundreds of people boarding the crowded trains during the
morning rush hour—sometimes forcibly crammed into the cars by gloved attendants. Observing
so many people just going about their daily lives, visitors to Tokyo often remark on how great
everyone looks, how well-dressed, stylish, and put together they seem, whether it’s in a suit or
uniform for work, a school uniform, or a simple outfit for running errands. What’s sometimes
even more surprising is the range of styles that can be seen on any given street corner.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

“People in Tokyo have a particularly strong desire to be fashionable.”

— Shoichi Aoki, editor in chief, STREET magazine

“You’ll never get bored looking at the streets of Tokyo. It’s a perfect city
for people watching.”

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
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 — Naho Okamoto, founder and designer, SIRI SIRI

Your guides through this complex style mecca are two Tokyoites who have built successful
careers in the fashion industry. Our author, Yoko Yagi, is a freelance fashion editor, writer, and
a graduate of Tokyo’s renowned Bunka Fashion College, who has worked as a fashion editor
for the magazine Soen (Bunka Publishing), which has been showcasing Japan’s most stylish
women for more than eighty years. Through her work as a freelance fashion writer, fashion
consultant, and marketing director, companies routinely seek Yagi’s advice on brand
development. Our photographer, Tohru Yuasa, also a graduate of Bunka Fashion College,
majored in styling for his degree before pursuing photography as a career after graduation.
Yuasa’s sense of craft (he shoots using increasingly hard-to-find film in his spare time) and
stylist’s eye for fashion and composition are evident in the shots you’ll see throughout the
book.

“What is important in fashion is whether you can be yourself or not.”

— Mariko Hayashi, designer, jonnlynx

Our goal is to showcase a range of individual styles through photographs and interviews with
Japanese fashion designers, editors, artists, photographers, and fashion influencers. Each of the
individuals featured possess an instinct for original style and an independent, bold approach to
fashion that allows them to wear the clothes that help them express their points of view.

In the pages that follow, we’ll hear from stylish individuals and learn what makes their
approach unique and what their thoughts are on Tokyo fashion in general. We’ll take you on a
treasure hunt through some of Tokyo’s best vintage stores, and hope you’ll be inspired by the
ways in which Tokyo’s most stylish people incorporate vintage into their own looks. We’ll
also explore the often misunderstood style concept of kawaii (which means “pretty,”
“adorable,” or “cute”) by talking to fashion designers, shop owners, and other influential
personalities who elevate Japan’s renowned “cute” culture to a more witty and sophisticated
level. Their stores and clothes might seem soft and girly on the outside, but their razor-sharp
take on kawaii has had a major influence on Tokyo street fashion and the designers and fashion
labels defining Japanese style today.

We’ll move from superfeminine florals and frills to more androgynous, boundary-pushing
looks, which Japanese designers have been producing for a generation and the rest of the
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

world seems to be only just waking up to. It’s fairly common for women to wear men’s
clothing and be called stylish, and Japanese designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Rei
Kawakubo at Comme des Garçons (which, of course, literally translates to “like the boys”)
have been pioneering genderless styles for more than forty years. But the ways that the
designers, fashion brands, boutiques, and other influencers of street fashion featured in this
book conceive of gender and gender-free clothing these days are truly revolutionary and are
sure to play an important role in the years to come, as gender-free styles become more central

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
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 to global fashion movements.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
Created from etic-ebooks on 2021-04-23 15:27:21.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
Created from etic-ebooks on 2021-04-23 15:27:21.
 Akane Sasaki, fashion publicist (left) and Hitomi Nomura, director, and buyer, Marte (right), both have devoted followings on
social media attracting the young women who are regulars at the vintage shop Marte and who are interested in street fashion in
Tokyo, due to their individual charisma and distinctive personal style.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
Created from etic-ebooks on 2021-04-23 15:27:21.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
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 Masami Sato, staff member of the popular select shop Anatomica, is wearing a US Army–style military overcoat next to the
Sumida River in Asakusabashi where the shop is located. The jacket worn underneath, along with jeans, and matching shoes are
all original products by Anatomica. The men’s scarf is Drake’s.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
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 “Fashion literacy is high in Tokyo.”
— Hirofumi Kurino, senior adviser for creative direction, United Arrows

Then we’ll take a closer look at concept stores and select shops—Japan’s unique multilabel
stores, each with its own curated concept and approach to styling—which have had
tremendous influence on street fashion in Tokyo since their beginnings in the late 1980s. And
since a book about Tokyo, a city famous for its world-class restaurants, wouldn’t be complete
without a look at the food scene, we’ll explore the connection between fashion and food, to
discover how food is a fundamental part of a completely stylish life.

If you are searching for sources of inspiration for your own style, pay close attention to the
feature on hair, makeup, and nail art, as worn by some of Tokyo’s coolest people, and the
profiles of up-and-coming brands that are influencing street style in Tokyo, many of which are
shoppable overseas. And if you do make it to Tokyo, we’ve also included a detailed list of
spots in our Tokyo Guide that attract some of the most devoted fans—or “maniacs,” as they’re
called here—including recommended boutiques stocking the latest brands and some of the
world’s best sources for vintage finds, along with our picks for the best areas for people
watching, shopping, eating, and drinking that the city has to offer.

Whether you are a frequent visitor to Tokyo or you’re encountering the city and its stylish
residents for the first time in the pages of this book, we hope you’ll get the impression of
Tokyo as not just a city where anything goes, but also one that inspires you with its constant
creative energy, as a place where true experimentation is possible.

We want to celebrate the way stylish Tokyoites take inspiration from around the world, always
keeping an eye out for new and exciting influences wherever they might be found as they mix
different elements together in each outfit they wear. We also hope you will adopt a very Tokyo
attitude of indulging—completely guilt-free—in the beautiful clothes, delicious food, and
unique treasures you can find throughout this vibrant, one-of-a-kind city.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
Created from etic-ebooks on 2021-04-23 15:27:21.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
Created from etic-ebooks on 2021-04-23 15:27:21.
 TOKYO FASHION BY NEIGHBORHOOD

Tokyo is divided into twenty-three wards. Here we focus in on the neighborhoods that are home to some of the
best spots for observing street style and for shopping. See the Tokyo Guide (this page) for more detailed
information.

SHIBUYA
One of the most popular shopping and entertainment districts of Tokyo, with large department
stores, cosmetics retailers, and more. Perhaps best known for its neon lights and “scramble
crossing” in front of JR Shibuya Station, which sees thousands of people crossing in all
directions with each light change.

HARAJUKU
The center of Japanese youth culture, subculture, and street styles famous for its weekend
gatherings of people dressed up in incredible outfits in a wide range of styles, as well as the
variety of clothing stores, candy stores, fast-food restaurants, and so on that line the district’s
main road, Takeshita Street.

OMOTESANDO
Harajuku’s grand older sister, a tree-lined avenue sometimes called Tokyo’s Champs-Élysées,
full of high-end designer flagship stores and boutiques.

AOYAMA & NISHI-AZABU

Exclusive, wealthy, sophisticated adjacent residential neighborhoods. Aoyama is famous for
its excellent bookstores, stylish boutiques, exquisite cafés and restaurants. Nishi-Azabu is
known for its nightlife.

AZABU-JUBAN
Azabu-Juban is a residential area with a small village vibe in the middle of the big city. It's
packed with cozy neighborhood cafés and bars frequented by the locals and intrepid travelers
venturing away from more crowded and touristy Roppongi.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

ROPPONGI
A bustling shopping and nightlife district popular with foreign tourists, which is full of
interesting restaurants and clubs. Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Hills shopping centers offer
high-end luxury fashion alongside fast-fashion names like Zara.

EBISU
A beautiful, high-end residential and commercial neighborhood, featuring office buildings,

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
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 luxury homes, shopping malls, and restaurants centered around Yebisu Garden Place, a popular
date site and home of the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, the Museum of Yebisu
Beer, an extraordinary annual Christmas light display, and the Yebisu Marché, a French-
inspired farmers’ market.

DAIKANYAMA
A cosmopolitan fashion district close to Shibuya, with many foreign embassies, art galleries,
and bookstores, including the famous Tsutaya bookstore Daikanyama T-Site.

NAKAMEGURO
Many of Tokyo’s best vintage shops, restaurants, and laid-back cafés can be found in this
bohemian shopping and residential area, centered around the cherry-blossom-lined Meguro
River.

YOYOGI-UEHARA & YOYOGI-HACHIMAN

Close to Yoyogi Park, these extremely stylish adjacent neighborhoods, where fashion seems to
fill the atmosphere, not just in the cosmopolitan mix of great restaurants and cafes, but also in
the many different styles on the streets. It's becoming known as a birthplace for new concept
stores.

SHIMOKITAZAWA
KOENJI
Known for excellent vintage shops, independent bookstores, cheap bars, and cafés, frequented
by students from nearby universities.

SHINJUKU
Famous for its skyscrapers, electronics stores, and major department stores, as well as the
world’s largest train station. Kabukicho is one of the liveliest nightlife districts in Tokyo.

GINZA
A stately, high-end shopping district full of world-famous fashion, cosmetics, and jewelry
brands, along with Japan’s major department stores. Nearby Kyobashi is one of the oldest
commercial districts in Tokyo, and includes the world’s first department store, Mitsukoshi, and
other small shops selling Japanese food, traditional handcrafts, and more.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

EAST TOKYO
Dominated by Tokyo Skytree tower, this area has a more “downtown” Old Tokyo feel about it.
Lower rents encouraged many of the first select shops in Japan to open here in this favorite
area for artists looking for cheap studio space, alongside traditional mom-and-pop shops and
old-style Japanese inns and restaurants.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
Created from etic-ebooks on 2021-04-23 15:27:21.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
Created from etic-ebooks on 2021-04-23 15:27:21.
 Outside Facetasm in Harajuku, noted staff member Chang combines bright yellow sports gear with a tiered, ruffled, camouflage
print skirt, pieces from the spring/summer 2017 collection.
Copyright © 2018. Abrams. All rights reserved.

Yagi, Yoko. Tokyo Street Style, Abrams, 2018. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/etic-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5336203.
Created from etic-ebooks on 2021-04-23 15:27:21.