A day for Shibuya's iconic gyaru scene

Today, and April 28th annually, is Shibuya Gyaru Day 渋谷ギャルの日a commemoration created to honor one of the most iconic youth cultures to emerge from Tokyo. Gyaru comes from the katakana for gal, but it represents a distinct style so it is best not to translate. The date of the anniversary comes from a play on the reading of the date: 4/28 can be read as "Shi (4) bu (2) ya (8)". 

The day highlights the vibrant history of Shibuya's gyaru scene, a movement that transformed fashion, media and street culture in the 1990s and early 2000s. Shibuya became a fashion powerhouse in the 1970s with the opening of PARCO and later, the infamous, SHIBUYA109, which grew into the symbolic home of gyaru style. By the mid 1990s, gyaru, kogyaru (school uniform style) and Gyaruo (male) filled the streets with tanned skin, loose socks, dyed hair and bold makeup. 

Although the movement is not as prevalent as it once was, it continues to inspire some young people, and you can occasionally see the gyaru style in Japan. "Shibuya Gyaru Day" preserves this cultural legacy, reminding Japan of a generation that reshaped youth identity through creativity and confidence.