Small time Gangster

Low level punks, the kind that you were when you were in high school are called yankees in Japan. And no, they are not from New York. 

They are the kind of kids who would cause mischief in all your classes and would often drop out and work at McDonalds. Well the McDonalds thing is less true here as it is seen as a slightly more respectable job (like I swear they all speak a little English and know just what to say when my Japanese comprehension fails for 'would you like to eat this here or is this take out?'). Also there are less McDonalds on average so it would make sense for the most degrading job to be something that is extremely common. Which just so happens to be convenience stores. I would say that working at the local 7-11, Lawson, or FamilyMart would shame me to pieces, but it is actually a really convenient job for the elderly without any higher education. And in Japan it is very different from America in terms of higher education. It really does separate blue collar from white collar, but also there is no astigmatism here that blue collar is demeaning or bad in anyway. Ok, maybe a small one. But kids can go straight into the blue collar work force from high school and start earning money, which can be a heck of a lot more appealing to them than another 4 years of education with an uncertain future career. Really, the job market in Japan is truly wretched right now; I think last year there was more than 30% of the graduates without jobs. 

But that is not what we are talking about is it? We are talking about yankees today. The term actually originated from the Yankee that you are all familiar with, being northeastern Americans. They have since borrowed it and changed the meaning just a bit. They are pretty much just delinquents. The school skipping, cigarette smoking, disheveled looking punks. They are trademarked by differences from cultural norms, such as dyed hair, piercings and ...odd clothing. They are often seen smoking, sometimes (often) underage, and will hang out in groups. They are not all that wealthy and will normally ride around on this type of cheap little bike. It looks like a shortened version of a motor cycle but it rides a lot slower. It is kind of like trying to still look cool at 1/3rd the price. Apparently these bikes are also pretty easy to hot wire and steal as well, meaning that the bikes might not always belong to the person riding it. More expensive versions that are becoming popular are actually a a legit moped. And they are huge. I think you could easily fit 3-4 people on it. They are often decorated by LEDs, much louder speaker system (you can actually hear them coming from their music) and have a really plush padding for seating. I call them boats. Nothing I can say can really describe these accurately enough. More adult versions might be seen driving one of those  tattooed cars with the dragons and anime characters on it. 

The dress code can vary it seems, but a pretty common look is baggy sweats and trainers  with the odd pant leg rolled up and a t-shirt or sweat shirt. But don't think of new sweats with the tags still on as you might see in Brooklyn on a night out, they care less about fashion than that. A stereotyped school girl, as they still have to attend school, is said to be trademarked by the longer skirts and possibly less make up than most. Though I have never really been witness to that. What I have been witness to is wearing their trainers/sweats under their skirts, which is not really acceptable by school standards. Most girls in school will actually roll up their skirts and belt them up high, pretty standard across the world right? I still remember rolling up my ugly maroon jersey shorts for middle school gym class that they didn't bother differentiating between guy and girl styles or sizes, and still not managing to really appeasing either. 

As far as their accessories go, I feel like hair dye is a mandatory. It doesn't have to be flamboyant, just the orange or brown, a fading yellow as is most common. And then piercings or tattoos. Most are still too young for the tattoos, but I know that they can manage to get the piercings  I have two boys in my schools with some ear cartilage ones. Personally I have two cartilage ones in one of my ears and my students like to jokingly call me a yankee. I have had to explain to them that in western culture this is actually exceedingly normal and tattoos are also pretty much downright common now. They were shocked to learn this. And then I showed them a group normal American girls and pointed out that one had a foot tattoo, one had a shoulder one and then the various piercings. 

These yankees have a decently rude attitude and use really bad language. Though keep in mind, there are several forms of language in Japan going from formal to super slangy and only spoken amongst friends. Pretty much you can expect them to use this casual language with anyone, which comes off as rude, and where one might say obaasan in reference to an old lady (variations being obaasan, obaachan, obaa, sobo, obahan roughly from most polite to least polite), they would go with obahan which is really not so respectful and you should never really say it to a person (also it is kansai dialect). 

It is said that these punks are kind of territorial kind of like how gangs used to be(?) in the United States and that they are rough with each other and will get in fights fro said territory, or possibly over a girl (my image of them is based on primal needs). I have never really seen them do anything except for hang out and smoke late at night by the kamogawa (river in Kyoto). Oh, and play their music kind of loud over crappy speakers on their modified bikes, or much nicer ones from their boats. But again this all gives them a bad image. 

Overall they are harmless and if you are nice and polite to them, they will return the favor, but of course if you come off superiorly, they will mock you mercilessly.

short bike. notice the street tires

for size comparison against a more normal sized (though still small) rice rocket.

Japan Fashion: Winter '13 edition

Remember that rule about dress yourself warmly for winter and then take an article off?

In Japan's case that article is a hat...or maybe brain.
Apparently skirts and mini skirts never go out of fashion. It was snowing the other day and I just watched a couple walking at a major shopping arcade. The girls skirt was shorter than some of my panties and well she wasn't alone in her short skirt-ed-ness. There were certainly others there without half the clothing that I had on. But that shouldn't really be a surprise to anyone anymore.

I mention the hat because it is one obvious thing that all people should wear to keep their heads warm but guess who doesn't? I think I read somewhere sometime that we lose 80% of our body heat through our heads. Where that little nugget of parenting trickery is clearly not true (if it were true then we could walk around nearly naked and keep our heads warm and still not be cold because our heat is conserved), the Japanese take it to the extreme and decide not to wear hats all together! Well for the most part. Or at least the womens part. I asked why it was that they don't wear any hats to keep them warm and they patiently explained to me that they had big faces. Well I have never been concerned with the size of my face or head, and have never heard such worries over in America before, so I inquired further. They explained that if they wear a hat and they have a big face, then it will push their hair down and make their face look even bigger by comparison. I have some students so adverse to wearing hats they will literally run away from any offenders trying to place one upon their heads (often their friends) so that no one will ever know. Again it isn't something I really see or notice people for, but they seem to care a lot.
On the flip side, there are some extra chicly dressed people strutting themselves around Japan wearing some of these guys right here. Not exactly Por Pie hats, so I guess a little closer to Fedoras, but there are tons of shops all over with this kind of selection so there is clearly a good market for them. As you can guess the predominant type of person who wears this is men, but there are a good number of women stores around. You just see them wearing their hats less. I think these are slowly coming into fashion as you see more and more people wearing them on television shows and commercials.

So one thing that pretty much every normal person, and I can admit to wearing right now, will be wearing this time of year, is Heattech or Heat Fact. It is a heat conserving technology used in clothing to keep people warm without them wearing 18 layers. They sell it in a variety of different styles of shirts, leggings, socks, and scarves and such. Pretty much the idea is to look like you are still only wearing one layer of clothes. These can easily be bought at nearly any generic department store like Aeon or a bit more popular in the rankings is Uniqlo. I remember Korea also had, and I am sure still has, something like this at least in tights. They were nice and kind of fuzzy on the inside and kept you nice and warm. Though they were a bit thicker.

Another raging fashion I have been seeing all over the place, is fur scarves. And yes, I too have fallen victim to it. Don't judge. They are very warm...and soft. Anyways! These scarves have been around for quite some time actually and were used in combination with kimonos before. But this year and perhaps last year, they have been outfitted for everyday fashion. They are mostly rabbit fur with some fox tails (which are noticeably more expensive) and are colored and styled to ever style of fur scarf I could possibly imagine. I even found this crazy mustard colored one I was sorely tempted to get my mustard-loving friend. They are mostly shorter in style, as the wrap around ones are going to be more expensive and thus have a much limited market. Some are thick and will go down like a capette toward your elbows in a fancy dress me up sort of way, and other are simple around the neck and tidy claps sort of affairs that are for every day use. And I sincerely believe that nearly every woman in Kobe must own at least one. And all those women in Kyoto, especially the fancy-pants kimono ladies, they have one too.

And one last piece of winter fashion advice, peacoats. I remember when I was in college especially that they were the exact coat that everyone should own. But in Japan things were different last year. Everyone and their mother went out and all bought down jackets. Not a hard feat to accomplish when Uniqlo sells them for 2990-3990 on sale. But even more popular last year, were these puffy down coats. The sort that only a tall slim figure could pull off and not look overweight. Those coats would go in or tie or they would have some belt at the middle so as their figure would not be diminished. They were typically a bit longer sometimes even going to mid thigh or knee. So those coats are still around this year of course, but since last year when I was disappointed to see that not many were wearing peacoats, I have been doubly surprised to see their resurgence. Again I would blame idols and the television as when I think about all of the fashion conscious commercials, I remember in specifically a nice bright read peacoat and a cute navy beret. So needless to say, they are in fashion and there are more styles of them than I can count, but the odd thing I find is, is that the stores were not quite ready for this trend to take hold and a good many of them are still serving down jackets.

Also boots. Boots are always in.

center is a fur scarf. left is a peacoat. and all of them are wearing boots and no hats.

and these...I don't know why...
They are sold all over and I don't really see anyone using one.

Japan Fashion: Autumn-wear 2012

90's grunge where seems to be in full swing this autumn with all of the flannels and plaids that nearly every store is selling in prediction for this years most popular fall wear.

You would think it weird, because I certainly do, but they are even shipping USED AMERICAN flannels into Japan and selling them for 26.00USD per. Incredible is it not? These shirts get an entire second life. Also their second life in Japan might just be worth more than their first in America. And for those of you who might ask as to the validity of this statement. Just check out stores like WEGO in Japan and look at the brand names of the shirts. Faded Glory? Yeah, definitely American. Target brand? I think that one must be extremely old, because I don't recall that they even make Target brand clothing anymore.
And what's more? They are mostly, if not all, men's. Or well boy's at least, since Japanese ladies can be very slim and can easily fit into the boys clothing section of stores. They all have the buttons on the wrong sides and everything.

If flannel isn't your thing and you are more of a skirts and blouses kind of gal, then the more popular fall accessory to have is the tattoo tights. Appear like you have tattoos without any real commitment. Trust me this first time I saw these I about fell over. Well, because first of all I saw them on a Japanese lady and second of all I thought they actually were tattoos. And if you know anything about tattoos in Japan, then you would know that showing them off all over your legs like that is pretty taboo. Man was I wrong. I simply had to exit the coffee shop I was inhabiting and walk across the street to see the tattoo tights displayed in all their illuminated glory.
Personally, I am not a fan of this fashion. I find it a bit geared toward the younger-and-perhaps-grew-up-with-too-much-sugar generation. I feel like it kind of resembles a Alice in Wonderland meets Kyary Pamyu Pamyu in style. Because like all things, when something first works well in a simple fashion, it soon goes overboard with graphics and colors.

Your other nouveau fashion accessory, that I was told is a borrowed act from Korea, are the hats with ears. OK, I know you are thinking that either I am too into the animal-human culture in Japan or that Japan itself is too into it. Or possibly you might want to tell me that this is nothing new. But it is! It is not those beanies or toboggans with ears flapping around on the sides. This is like a bowler with ears on it. I have even seen people wearing it. You know like outside. In public.

Lastly I have the say boots. Boots seem to be everywhere this fall. I don't know if they are making a special push for it this year or what, but the fashion-true high heel has been moved to the backs of the stores with the boots up front and in the windows. Who knows if their marketing skill will actually work in the next few weeks when it really begins to cool down.

Japanese-Engrish

Interestingly there isn't much of it.

Sure there are some occasional places where it is amusing, but it is not as rampant as it was in Korea. Here the funniest thing I saw was an omelette on a menu which described it as using 'enough eggs'. We had a good laugh over that dish. But most of the mistakes you will find are normally on chalkboard-like signs with advertisements or changeable English menus and such. They are typically hand written affairs and easily fixed. For example on a little chalkboard by a sink someone wrote 'You got a me'. A little water took that 'a' right off and fixed it.
Other places where you hope to see awkward English is typically pretty hard to find. Like the store fronts of the names of restaurants. Those are best found in Korea. I kid you not. There was one English academy in my town in Korea named 'Winning English' I always got a good laugh out of that. Especially when the Charlie Sheen 'winning' thing happened.
Other places you may see it are on T-shirts. You won't find it on too many adult t-shirts, though on the ones that you do find are going to be awkward anyways since you know you will almost never see that on a grown person in the U.S. Where you do find the most awkward English, is on the t-shirts of the young-ins. Their shirts are cheap and colorful and something that they wear and don't think twice about, and perhaps the larger contributing factor is that they come from China. Kids are not picky about their clothes and wear them into the ground. Pretty literally. Therefore most parents get whatever is cheap for their daily use. And those just so happen to be from China. Not to say their own clothes are not from China, but they take better care in the selection of their own clothes and will go for brand names and more expensive things and do not have the awkward English problem.
Kids on the other hand...
Sometimes it is not so awkward as it is just wrong. I had one kid who had a bunch of writing artfully arranged on their shirt, and as it seems their new favorite task for me is to read their shirts, I had the pleasure of reading hers...'fununglement' the heck does that mean. Others are amusing like a shirt my friend found and bought displaying GET KRUMP GET KRUMP GET KRUMP and even worse, a good portion are not something you would want your kid to wear. For example, I have a student who walks around school in a black shirt with SKANK written in pink glittery letters on the front. Oh my indeed.

Here are a few good select shirts I found in the mall the other day. I don't know about you guys, but Notable Jabberwocky...

Yep, you're doing it right Japan. hahahaha

Japan fashion: Swimsuit Season

Everybody Swim Suit Up!

So now it is actually the end of swim suit season, but no less of a reason to talk about it. 

I have been absent from Japan for well, nearly all of the summer so I never got to see the style choice of Japan's finest in their water clothes, until recently when the times called for a trip to Nagashima Spaland, a water park in Nagoya. 

So I guess you can say that the fashions are largely similar in the largest area for concerned men. Yes, they all do wear bikinis. Or nearly all. Many girls seem to prefer a fashion that is very similar to their clothing choices: in specifics, mini skirts. Their bikinis are comprised of a top and a mini skirt bottom. This bottom would be one with the typical bottom of a bikini suit, more like a skort. And a pretty unanimous factor would be the multiple ruffles cascading down below their butt. 

Though another interesting choice that I saw all too much of, was denim short bottoms. A friend informed me after I was vocalizing the uncomfortability of wet denim shorts and the rashes they give, that they make and sell denim shorts that are made of a lighter material, so that they dry faster, specifically to be worn in the water. No, before someone says it, they were not bathing suits made to look denim, and also they would have a bathing suit matching to their top underneath their shorts (you know they because they would have it sticking out or their shorts lowered on their waist and the barest hint of the bathing suit to be seen above). 

Another style that would make men rather more eager to see, would be the T-back swim suits. T-back is what the Japanese call a G-string, a thong, butt floss. Mostly due to the 'T' shape it makes. And when I say this, do not get excited that they are walking around a family water park wearing only a bra and thong. No, they are wearing something like two bikinis, and in one case, three. I can't actually tell if it is multiple bikinis or just one with a look-alike stringy thing attached. I mostly assume the latter, but you can never really tell, especially with some of the more hostess-looking patrons. 

In addition to the multiple bottom style of swimsuits, is the multiple tops as well. This one seems to be less popular, but is still seen often enough. It looks like the girl is wearing two different tops in two different colors, often only solid colors or at the very least, a patter with a solid compliment. These two tops are again likely a single top, and just appearing as two separate tops. One would be an over the shoulders strap and the other would be an around the neck strap. Leading to what must be some awkward tan lines. To describe the shape a bit more, one of the bikini tops would looks like a normal top or bra in all shape and form and the second one would look more like some sort of false bra only used to as a push up, without covering much of anything. 

Notably there was a sincere absence of the strapless bikini tops. Everything seemed to be overly straps. Their tops and bottoms alike. Also gone are the triangle tops that can be scrunched or expanded to the wearers whim. You know the kind that slid along the string that ties at the back. 

Among the bikini top clasps, a simple sliding hook seemed to be the most popular choice, with knot tying the least popular. Another alternative were bra hooks, but again they were less popular. Japan seems to vastly favor these, typically plastic, hooks, having multiple attaching loops for tighter fits.

And lastly, I saw a lot of dress like clothing. I could not tell if they were actually swimsuits, or if they would transform into swim suits, or if the girls just wore them around for looks. These are a less popular choice, with bikinis being vastly more popular, but still a present difference between cultures.

As far as the men went, trunks were most preferred with only small boys ever wearing speedos or jammers. Stripes and solids seem to be the way to go, with not much decoration or accouterment. Simple I know, but I fee like not much more needs to be expanded upon this. Actually, I suppose there is this as well, they do not typically wear their boxers, or boxer briefs as it is in Japan, under their swim suit as men occasionally do in America. They prefer a style au naturale, as seen when their trunks slip just too far down then the wave pool's current progresses outward. 

Japan Fashion: Doll

There are these people, well women, in Japanese society that I often refer to as dolls. Primarily because they make themselves, or at least their faces and hair to look like that of a dolls.

These dolls are not really spotted by the fashion of their clothes, but more the fashion of their visage. Their faces are highly colored with tanning or whitening and powered to the max. They have bright spots of color that adorn their cheeks and their eyes are a drama all to themselves. They are dark with long fake lashes, with seductive moody glances. They have shadow up top that can vary from natural shades to those that are more vibrant. Sometimes and sometimes more often than that, you will find their eyes heavy with eye liner. And then their lips of course have some shiny colorful sparkly gloss to them.
Their hair is another sort of matter entirely. There is something that a Japanese friend of mine calls 'a Nagoya girl' in honor of their hair. What he means by this is that it is dyed and curled and placed all on top of and really all over their head. It looks like it simply either must be a wig ( which is not a stretch in this culture) or that they spent three hours to get it to look like that. This do can vary from being elegant seeming or extremely trashy and disheveled. But either way it is, curling seems to be the way to go for people of this sort. I suppose it is because the vast majority of Japanese persons' hair is straight that they curl it in order to stick out; as I try to call up a memory of any doll with straight hair I come up empty. Their hair is often dyed to a fashionable brown that is a bit hazelnut in color or sometimes even an orangey color that is clearly the product of trying to reach some sort of blonde. Browns are very 'in' right now, and I suppose it might have been this way for a long time. It is a way to stick out from everyone and not be the natural elegant black of the vast majority of Japanese people.

Their clothes. Their clothes make me think that there simply must be no other explanation other than that they work in a hostess club. They go with short shirts or skirt-like shorts (how modest!) or even dresses. Either way there seems to be a theme about their clothing. Revealing. Accompanying their leggyness, are tights. These range in color from nude colored to tights to accent their sleek legs to printed tight for added cuteness or sex appeal. Their shirts and blouses are also pretty varying. It seems to be a bit popular right now to have loose blouses that leave more for the imagination but still seem to be a touch elegant and a touch revealing if they fall a bit off the shoulders. Also popular is a knit, see through short sleeved sweater blouse. Since the Japanese census is that shirts must have sleeves to be proper, they can wear sleeveless shirts with one of these on top to still be considered proper. These sweaters do nil in the way of warmth in the winter as they are knit such that the holes give you a very clear image to the interior clothes.
But perhaps the most important aspect to their clothing is their heels. You will hear me complain time an again about how Japanese women do not know how to walk in heels. And it is very true, just look at the size of them. No wonder they have back problems when they are older! But you will hear them clunking along the side walk in stilted sloppy paces or tipping their feet while standing on the subway, when they are very clearly tired of wearing them already. There is no moderation in heel size either. The higher the better. In fact, for as many nice moderate heels I see being sold in Kobe (famous for shoes), I see rarely a soul wearing them. I feel like shoes must at least be 4 inches to be properly worn out in public be this sort of folk. And indeed it gives their figures a lovely leggy appearance. As for the shoe design, I feel like wedges are a slight be more popular than the stilettos, I suspect there is a minor comfort difference here. Additionally platform heels are entirely acceptable raising oneself an additional few inches to tower over any fancying men.
Jewelry is not an option. It is a necessity. Hair accessories are the most popular but necklaces and bracelets are not far off. And I feel like the one stipulation to their jewelry requirements is that it must be shiny, for that is by far and large the case more often than not. Rings are not as popular here as they are in the west; I feel like this is because if you are wearing a ring, any ring, and on any finger, you might possibly be married. I know I have a ring on my middle finger of my right hand and my students often like to ask me if I am married or if my boyfriend gave it to me. Apparently rings are often tokens of affection from boyfriends and such here. It could also be the significance that Koreans give rings, where rings are often seen as possible couple rings, in which any couple could be in possession of them and it does not necessarily mean they will get married...just that they are a couple. They seem to be a bit like promise rings from the west, but they are a bigger deal to Koreans. Those are normally more elegant and shiny (especially more so than the one I wear!). Earrings I also haven't noticed as much of, but they are occasional accessories. I get the feeling here that more people in the west have their ears pierced than those in Japan. Perhaps this is because of the view they have on piercings. You will also notice in any accessory shop a lack of earrings, with more significant placed on hair products.

So without further a-do I give you what I have titled in terms of Japanese fashion, a doll:

 And two more here. The left one has a more appropriate look I am trying to describe. The right seems a bit more care free and less in control with her features such as a doll would be.

Japan Fashion: the Otaku

I think that one of the biggest misconceptions I had about Japan dealt with the word Otaku.

For the most part, I imagined an otaku being some unshaven overweight undesirable who would frequent maid cafes in order to fulfill real life fantasies that he envisions with the help of anime or manga. Often I picture them wearing glasses and in need of...well, SOMEthing to happen on their head (normally some kind of a haircut, but I suppose there are some cases where it really just needs a shower). Pretty much I imagined them to be more or less like this:




Turns out I am pretty far from the truth with my imagination. Otakus can be anyone or anybody, and you can't tell them apart normally. Sure some might be on the local train reading the latest One Piece, but then again most people read One Piece. So how do you tell them apart?
Well I was told that they look a bit more nerdy like an I.T. worker and I automatically conjured up a Japanese-American image, but here the nerds aren't so nerdy. I actually could not tell you who was an otaku and who wasn't. So the explanation had to be brought a bit further. Sure they look like and hell they are normal people who just happen to use a ton of their free time playing games or reading manga or watching anime.
Their fashion is more or less a casual business Japanese office worker fashion. Often wearing jeans or something Japanese people call Chino pants, which are more casual than khakis and they tend to roll them up at the ankle, and a white button down shirt that is more often than not, tucked in. I should also mention a stereotype of plaid or check button down shirts. Sounds pretty normal right? Apparently what sets them off the most is a bookbag that they carry about. I can't tell you what is inside it; maybe manga. But apparently they are sort of known for carrying about bookbags. I never noticed it until someone said that otakus seemed childish carrying about their bookbags, as if they were still in school. Their hair might run a bit on the longer side, but unlike manga and anime would lead you to believe, they do try to socially conform a bit...

But personally I think images like this take it too far again...sure they have the roll pants (but let me point out, these are NOT chino pants), and the button down shirt. Cross body converted belt backs have actually made a bit of a resurgence in Japan, especially among men (as carrying a bag here is not queer), but I don't ever really see the belt bags as shown here. The raincoat...well it certainly can be true, but again I think this poor soul is taking it too far when all of Japan is fairly fashion concerned. You can see the backpack I was talking about and the longish hair (again, taking it too far in my opinion). And as for the glasses, glasses are again fashionable in Asian countries, but I think this is still a mis-perception of a stylized, excessive otaku that probably has trouble socializing with the rest of the world.



Some better examples:

Japan Fashion: Hippie

If you see anyone with a head band in Japan they are probably not in fact hippie; rather, they are more likely to imagine themselves as some sort of fashion icon of the modern pop culture.

Hippies in Japan are not the same as we envision them in America. They are not the bright colored dread-locked unwashed masses listening to the Beatles with rose colored glasses. In Japan they stick to a more natural sense of the word. Actually it is just that, natural. Hippies in Japan carry about themselves a natural style and air.

Here they are the ones adorned in plain cotton, linen, or hemp clothing in plain but interesting fashions. There is no extravagance to their clothing and the cloth itself is typically not overly processed or synthetic. They often wear naturally dyed clothing (Japan is famous for indigo colors, often called Japanese blue) that does not have any shiny or superfluous accouterments that many of their societal counter parts might possess. Their clothes are a bit more loose, though not in a baggy sort of way...more like if a breeze were to happen by, their clothes would billow a bit in it. They don't stick to the skin in the slightest and have an extremely simple, natural air about them.
Hippies here often like to fashion their own simple clothing and are rather adverse to the color-techniques of the  pop culture. They pride themselves on being pretty simple. Though oddly they still seem to remind me a lot of hipsters in America. Not that they were the big glasses or the stupid clothes that they think are ironic or fashionable, it is just that they do like to grow their own food here, and they do like it organic, and that does make them judge others a little bit. Oh I don't mean in a bad way, but the majority of people who like organic food, especially if it was wrought with their own hands tend to be a tad bit more reserved than most. You will not find them bumping around in the bustling downtown Umeda with shopping bags all over their arms, and in fact you might not hardly find many in that area at all. I have found the majority of them frequenting craft fairs or located closer to the suburbs (whatever that might mean in Japan) or inaka. There are quite a few who live in Kyoto as it is a large culture hub in Japan, welcoming every aspect of society.
I find that their style often draws imagery to Buddhism with their very peaceful manners and composure. It probably is no help that they are most likely Buddhists themselves (what with a country that is for the vast majority Buddhist). Their careful thought process is another tell tale sign. Let me back up and tell you that I am mostly referring to an older crowd when I make these remarks. For the last half year I sat next to someone in the office who was more or less (with lots of Japanese mal-translations and broken English) a self described hippie. Our conversations were few, but I did glean quite a bit from her.
And as a last piece of fashion advice for Japanese hippie-ism, is that jewelry is extremely minimal and simple in taste. Sandals are largely preferred because of the calm composure they keep; they see themselves in no rush and as such have less of a need for tennis shoes. And lastly headgear, hats and these cloth tube-like hat headband variations are also worn, where many Japanese, especially women will not often wear hats, unless it is a sun hat, but more on that later.

  

These last two are more fashionable than most but also
 younger than most. Still, the baggy, flowy style is still the same.