Why Japanese gyaru make their parents cry (5 photos)

Among all Asian nations, the Japanese stand out. They are a distinctive and conservative people with a unique culture—they often look down on foreigners, calling them "gaijin." For most Japanese, adhering to traditions and established social codes is very important. But when Japan began to adopt Western fashion, some emerged who made it their way of life.

Gyaru are the representatives of Japanese glamour. Their motto is "Biba jibun!" (Japanese for "Long live me!"), and in their home country, they are known as "oya o nakaseru" (Japanese for "making parents cry"). We explore why this little pink army irritates the Japanese so much.





Gyaru weren't the first Japanese youth to set themselves apart from society. Their prototypes emerged in the 1970s, and the subculture finally took shape in the early 2000s, during the height of fashion for pink blouses, high heels, and tons of makeup. In other words, the typical gyaru is the stereotypical glamorous blonde from jokes with a hint of "Japanese flair." She's not particularly smart, but she's cheerful, and loves nightclubs, small dogs, and rich men. The gyaru's main value is the pursuit of a luxurious and carefree life.



Japanese glamorous young ladies adhere to their own codes of behavior and use their own slang, gyaru-moji (which has something in common with the "Albanian" slang known as "padonkaff"). Among the gyaru, there are even distinct castes, such as ganguro (Japanese for "black face")—gyaru who deliberately overuse fake tans. But all of them, without exception, love to wear short skirts and low-cut tops, dye their hair white, and wear heavy makeup.





Naturally, such behavior in a country where even walking hand in hand is considered inappropriate is shocking and perplexing. Particularly targeted are another representative of Japanese glamour—the kogyaru. This is the name given to high school girls who try to combine a school uniform with the gyaru style. Since Japanese schoolgirls have strict requirements for their appearance, kogyaru can be expelled from school simply for their appearance. This, of course, makes them more akin to Soviet punks than to glamorous Europeans.

There are also male representatives of the gyaru, called gyaruo. They differ from the females in their style of dress, which is slightly more "rock" than the pink-haired girls' appearance. However, such guys are rarely seen on the street; they are mostly seen in nightclubs.

Japanese society criticizes this subculture for promoting debauchery and a lack of spirituality among Japanese youth. Due to the gyaru's provocative appearance, many Japanese believe they are engaged in prostitution. However, the gyaru themselves categorically deny any involvement in prostitution.



Unlike European and American women, gyaru are still Japanese, with typical Japanese features and body types. Combined with their bleached hair, makeup, and provocative outfits, they look somewhat doll-like. It's also worth remembering that no matter how "Westernized" a gyaru may seem, deep down they still have Japanese traits. So, don't go to Japan just to meet these cuties. Even if you're a young millionaire with an Apollo-like figure, to them you'll still be a gaijin—an outsider who's always slightly inferior to their compatriots.