What is a Harajuku Barbie? Answered!

Posted on 10 Aug. 2009
in: Other Stuff

If you use Twitter or MySpace, and you’re a fan of Japanese fashion, you’ve likely stumbled across some of the girls who use the term “Harajuku Barbie” in their usernames and updates. Last week, “Harajuku Barbie” was even a trending topic on Twitter, causing some confusion.

Why the confusion? Maybe because the girls who actually frequent Harajuku are Japanese, and most of the Harajuku Barbies online seem not to be. Or maybe it’s because the girls using “Harajuku Barbie” don’t seem to post much about Japan other than that one phrase. Whatever the reason, a lot of people were left wondering, “What is a Harajuku Barbie and where did they come from?”

It all started with a New York rapper named Nicki Minaj…

Harajuku Barbie Nicki Minaj

Nicki Minaj is a female rapper from New York who has worked with Lil Wayne. She was discovered after posting songs on her MySpace, and was signed to the hip hop label Dirty Money. What does any of that have to do with Harajuku? Not much, but somewhere along the way Minaj came up with the phrase “Harajuku Barbie” based on her admiration for – or at least her admiration for her perception of – the girls in Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan.

Check out this video of Nicki Minaj herself explaining the origin and definition of “Harajuku Barbie”:

After Minaj started using “Harajuku Barbie” in her songs, interviews, web pages, etc., her fans picked it up and it seems to have become viral over the last year or so.

As far as the Harajuku Barbie video interview – the image used in the video to illustrate “Harajuku” has nothing whatsoever to do with Japan. It appears to be something related to American singer Gwen Stefani, who is definitely not Japanese. Stefani herself is often criticized by bloggers for her exploitation of the real Harajuku and for her fake (and always silent) “Harajuku girls” dancers.

So, now we have an American singer promoting Harajuku Barbies, and another promoting Harajuku Girls. Where’s the love for the beautiful and fashionable men of Harajuku?

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143 Comments

  1. Jeff

    Jesus, what a dope. “Harajuku is a culture” – wtf?

  2. tokyo Post Author

    She says in the video something like “Harajuku girls just want to have fun”. haha

  3. Chip

    Has she actually been to Tokyo not to mention Harajuku? It takes more than one or two visits and you definitely should at least try to learn the language. Ok, when Gwen Stefani exploited the style usually promoted by the youth, shops and vendors that right in your face as soon as you hop off @ JR Harajuku, I was a bit amused. This however is ridiculous, it almost seems as if an idea or trend is being manufactured from a copy of a copy, each layer subject to a variation likely to take it farther and farther from the truth.

  4. NINAKO

    she really doesn’t know WHAT Harajuke means. its a place in Tokyo, like Soho in NY. Duh!

  5. Lizz

    Hahahaaa….. really?

    Minaj:
    Harajuku = culture
    Girls “in” Harajuku = girls that wear pink blush and clothes
    White girl in photo promoting Stefani = Harajuku girl
    Harajuku style = a culture of`girls that wear “cute” fashion like Gwen Stefani’s
    sad “copy” of harajuku trends.

  6. Tokyo

    well before she came up with the slang it was around… but she is the truth. lol

  7. Tokyo

    oh yeah and even at that… Mii name is Tokyo Barbie… Just like Harajuku is a place… so is Tokyo… Well at least i KNO WHAT IT MEANS. AND I USE IT A LOT… CUZ I LOVE THAT PLACE

  8. Pingback: Twitted by TokyoBarbi3

  9. Nell

    I like Nicki Manij as an artist. & I think its cool that she even pay attention to another culture (or what ever it is). But I’m an African American and I would not want to label myself , something that I was not rightfully given or do not fully know about. ON the strength: this is how people react.

    She spoke what it stood for to herself.

  10. T

    Who ever said you need to know the Language or even GO to Japan is funny haha
    You have the INTERNET just take 20 min and look at the google results for “Harajuku” and you should get a decent perception of the PLACE and it’s fashions…Gwen Stefani and this rapper is just using it as cheap bait for something “cool” and “edgy” and get it all wrong.

  11. lala

    bottom line:
    Harajuku: is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan.

  12. Mel

    It is so freaking annoying when people try to exploit Harajuku and when people talk as though they know all about Harajuku. There are so many misconceptions of “Harajuku” being dished out by many famous American celebrites and American media. It’s so irritating. The most common misconceptions are:

    1. all “Harajuku girls” wear rainbow-colored outfits with lots of hair pins and cute kiddy accessories (like the ones you see in FRUITS magazine).
    * First of all, that type of trend (which was huge in the 90s) is not so much popular now. (Not everyone shops on Takeshita street!!) Most “real” Harajuku girls dress like the rest of us.

    2. if you want to check out hot Harajuku fashion, check out the cosplayers on the bridge off of the JR Harajuku station next to the Meiji shrine.
    * Hello…these cosplayers only come out to play on Sundays, and they’re not always being looked at in a positive light in mainstream Japanese culture (until recent years). And they’ve only become popular cos damn tourists can’t keep their cameras and/or roaming eyes away.

    3. Gwen Stefani brings Harajuku fashion stateside via her fashion line Harajuku Lovers.
    * Harajuku Lovers does not even remotely represent “real” Harajuku fashion at all. In Gwen Stefani’s song “Harajuku Girls” she surprisingly mentions: Yohji Yamamoto, Comme Des Garcon, Hysteric Glamour & A Bathing Ape. Gwen, sweetie…those styles are from AOYAMA not Harajuku. That just goes to show how much she really knows about Harajuku. And by the way Gwen, if you want to see “super kawaii” or cute girls prancing around in school uniforms, you go to SHIBUYA, also not Harajuku.

    Just a little word of advice: If you are ever going to talk about Harajuku, Harajuku fashion or being “Harajuku-like”, please visit Japan at least once to get a taste of what it’s really like. And if you can’t go to Japan, then at least do some factual research. Google anyone?

  13. Shibuya_Kitty

    Omg how dumb can people be. I swear! Just her talkin just shows how freaking dumb she is to the Harajuku fashion culture. Go look it up bimbo and find another name while your at it.

  14. jpgkorea

    All you people are Haters. Minaj is Mixed japanese. It’s not a must that she have been to Tokyo or Japan. American’s Asians have scare knowledge of their home countries. She is being hated on because she is mixed.

  15. jpgkorea

    And for the people using the “place” argument. What about Malibu Barbie..Malibu is a city in California….a place…so should Matel Recall all those Malibu Barbies….so dumb you people.

  16. Electronic M.A.C BARBIE

    I will just first say that Nicki is awesome…..I feel that there is nothing wrong with her using Harajuku barbie, for the simple fact because she was saying I wanted to do research….it made me think and actually look up what it is. Thats cool on her part bc thats what rappers and artist are supposed to do, make you think and research. I agree with Jpgkorea, because its a thousand Barbie titles out there….she happen to choose that bc she likes the style and thats cool bc even though we arent in the 60s and 70s we still wear bell bottoms or “flare jeans” GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN, DONT MAKE A BIG DEAL OVER IT……….*Electronic M.A.C BARBIE*

  17. w

    There’s nothing wrong or stupid bout the Harajuku Barbie concept/idea.
    What may seem ridiculous can suddenly turn big. Look at the pet rocks , cabbage patch dolls, furbies, virtual pet and so on. They all seem silly but look at how they suddenly sold big. Everything is derived from something. We would of never gotten so far with all the nifty stuff we have today if it weren’t for something before. People throughout history has thought some things that we use today were crazy or absurd. Enstein brains take a break on the serious stuff. Having fun is more healthy for all.

  18. SHAY MINAJ;

    WELL..ANYTHING NICKI MINAJ DO OR SAY&&COME UP WIT IS RAW.

    SHES MA IDOL..

    LOVE YOU NICKI:

    -SHAY MINAJ;

  19. MAMAS DA PRINCESS

    OK SO I LIKE HER AND GWEN AS ARTIST’S AND WHO EVER SAID THEY WERE TRYNA TO SET TRENDS THEY ARE BUT IT ALSO MEANS THAT YOU SHOULD SHOW ORIGIN OF WHERE THEY GOT THE CONCEPT FROM AND EVEN THO NICKI DID NOT GIVE THE FULL 411 SHE GAVE U ENUFF INFO TO LOOK INTO IT ON UR OWN AND IT’S A CUTE NAME BTW AND IM FROM BOSTON AND I KNOW MII TOWN/CITY PRETTY WELL AND I CALL MII SELF THE BOSTON BARBIE BUT I REPRESENT MORE OF THE TRENDS THAT MII CITY GOES AND OR IS GOIN THRU….DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE TO YA’LL JUSS A THOUGHT AND ANALYSIS PROCESS…BOSTON_BARBIE SIGNING OFF….

  20. Marianna

    all ya’ll who hatin on minaj need 2 get ova yaself because she make mo money than yo mother make in a year so if she wanna call herself HARAJUKU BARBIE LET HER AND SHE’S A BAD BITCH like she said so go **** yourself bastards

  21. Caitlin

    Ninako, now you don’t know what your talking about.
    Yes Harajuku is a place like Soho, but it is a Culture so get it bitch, Tumble Dry. haha;

    Harajuku is a way of life for some girls.

    I’m coming from experience cause I am and I am part asian so yeahhh.
    you maybe or whatever, but Nicki Minaj the Harajuku Barbie knows what she is talkin bout =]

    that goes for everyone who is hatin on her.

  22. RieMixx

    O.M.F.G, yes she maybe should have looked up wut it is, but the way she’s using it is also fine. Geez, i’m tired of ppl trying 2 make things bigger than wut they have 2 b. Who cares if it’s a friggin’ place n tokyo…ok, mayb sum care, but all this history is not needed. If sum1 really wanted 2 go and get the history on it, they’d do it themselves (this is n fact the internet). They don’t need ppl posting stuff about wut THEY themselves know, wen they can just get the info from a well-known source. Take myself 4 example, i love learning about different cultures from around the world and wutnot, but wut she takes it 2 believe and wut she’s putting it as is fine. It’s her opinion on it, it’s not hurting ne body. I just started listening 2 her and already i’m running n2 ppl who just wanna say sumthn just bcuz. Post like those b4 this rn’t needed, so srry 2 tell ya =P, lmfao

    I like Nicki Minaj’s use of it. It’s fun , creative, and cute ^_^

  24. heather

    get over it ppl!!! She’s mixed with asian and she’s not technically referring to the race harajuku its just a cute girly term and who gives a freak…i love nicki minaj so quit hatin n find a new hobby! u guys r the only dumb ones for looking so much in2 dis sh*t!

  25. LolaLewinski

    Nicki Minaj is Chinese not Japanese. I love the phrase “Harajuku Barbie” and I love her as an artist. I like how she dresses and her, “swagg” as u will, but being as though my lil sis is an artist that specializes in Japanese animation, I know what a real Harajuku girl is and Nicki Minaj isnt it. Gwen Stefani shouldn’t have even tried to do a song abt Harajuku girls cause she has no idea what shes talking abt. Im doing my research bc I wanna b a “Harajuku Girl” for Halloween. I think the way the dress and their fashion sence is AWSOME. Think I’ll be a Lolita (goth) style Harajuku girl They look really feminine as well as dark…. Pretty cool.

  26. Amber Romance

    Nicki is the coolest female rapper in the game right now and i dnt care wat nobady say….. SHE KNOW WAT SHES TALKIN ABOUT WTF

  27. Amber Romance

    YALL TOKYO MUTHA****AS NEEDS 2 GONE SHE LIVES IN THE UNITED STATES STAY YALL ASS DOWN THERE IN TOKYO AND JAPAN WTF….. YALL DNT KNO SHIT ABOUT THIS U.S. MONEY….. LOL LOL HAHAHAHAHA AYYEE…. YO…… SHE IMA BAD BITCH IMA IMA BAD BITCH IM BAD BITCH IMA IMA BAD BITCH…. SHE YALL GOTTA LEARN HOW 2 PICK YALL FRUIT OUT…..

  28. mrs legacy

    yall need 2 stop trippin n leave nicki minaj alone. there r a lot of people out there who use names like that. eminem is not a candy but people love him. 50 cent got way more than 2 quarters 10 dimes or wtf ever. nicki is real and if she wants to b a barbie then so be it. so stfu wit yall surfboard tumble dried azzes. if yall dnt kno what it means then look it up….

  29. chicago barbie lol

    okay so I like nikki, and the harajuku barbie thing is cool. people are making a bigger deal out of this than they should. so what shes never been to Tokyo…. what difference does it make??? let it go, find something else to complain about.

  30. nicki minaj barbie

    Ok people how the f*ck yall know she’s never been… the girls’s half chinese for gods sake..give the chick a break and stop hatin..Nicki Minaj is the SH*T keep doin ya thing mama.

  31. Bahd-Blackk Barbiee

    Uhmmm, Yall Are Haters :)
    Onika Maraj Is The Ish….

    –Harajuku Barbie<–_ [Mariah]
    "Tighter than face lifts, flyer den spaceships"

  33. SHAE BOO

    i love the user (jpgkorea),.. because like they stated… its her choice, i think its cute and she is MULTI- RACIAL….SHE CAN CALL HERSELF A “HARAJUKU” barbie…. you do you care!!!

    -I LOVE YOU NICKI

  34. brriskee

    in case yall didn’t know she has asian in her also so that’s why she calls her self the harajuka barbie like she said how people call them selves the black barbie she’s da harajuka barbie.

  35. MiamiMinaj

    Mel you have too much time on your hands to sit and break all that down lmfao! as well as many others on here i see who are deeply affended by Ms.Minaj using the term”HARAJUKU BARBIE” and yes Nikki is mixed with a little of the overseas…she does say…”tell em that im black-chinese and butter pecan…” so kids…please lol relax. i wasnt gonna comment but i f*cks wit Nikki…so lay off suckers or hate wit heart cause ya basically sound like potential fans lol lmao lmfao lol….gnr!

  36. MiamiMinaj

    Oh…Thanks for yall who googled the definition tryin to get ya point cross…LaLa lol and others hahahahahahahahahaha wait wait hahahahahahaha! IM OUT. 1 TIME FA MIAMI(DADE COUNTY) WE DA BEST WHAT DA BUSINESS IZ KHALID??? LIBERTY CITY OVERTOWN CAROL CITY LIL HAITI GOULDS PERRINE FLORIDA CITY RICHMOND HEIGHTS CUTLER RIDGE KENDALL (I GUESS LOL) 22 AVE 32 AVE ROBIN HOOD ETC ETC…… MUCH MORE THAN SOUTH BEACH BYE HATERS

  37. mixed barbiw

    All of yu are idiots. Maybe y’all should google nikki minaji. She’s half asian. How do y’all kno she’s never been to harajuku? And y does it matter. She follows the fashions obviously. Lay off. She’s the sh*t!

  38. harajuku barbie bissshhhh

    man and if yhu know how 2 spell harajuku barbie den ok but if yhu dont den wats dha use of commentin and hating???? can sum1 answer disz question???????

  39. me

    really thank u she really is asian trini and black so how yall feel and wats funny is that she could be the bummest person in the world but guess wat she got money and wat yall got????????????………………uh huh comments so wen yall get as much $ as she got then yall can talk:D

  40. Shroom

    she doesn’t know what she’s even talking about lol.
    it’s not a culture rofl.

  42. adriana

    Niki Minaj is not “fascinated” with Japan. She’s half Japanese. You can tell by just looking at her. Do a little research first next time buddy.

  43. Kina

    She’s Chinese (not Japanese *different culture*) & Trinidadian. And maybe she wanted to branch out and learn something new, such as a Japanese culture. Some of yall need to get a life and let her do her thing.

  44. Dymond

    i think shes really cool and it is so nice of her to even bring up that culture because once someone brings it up everyone looks it up and more people know of it and get fascinated and plus i luv her raps

  45. Marlo

    For the record, she’s signed to YOUNG money, not DIRTY money. Dirty Money is a terrible group assembled by P. Diddy, YOUNG Money (child of Cash Money Records, joke intended on “old money” reference) is Lil’ Wayne’s group of super rappers. ^_^

  46. DrucilA_SHAwDEE

    i HAVE 3 W0RDs FA ALL..YALL
    .
    .
    GET.
    .
    .
    AH.
    .
    .
    LiFE..
    .
    !

  47. Ditr Brampfton

    OK. So.

    #1. Gwen Stefani is indeed exploitative. But, her ‘Harajuku Lovers’ girls stopped being “Authentic” the second they left Tokyo. Harajuku as a fashion community is constantly evolving, and what you see on the streets last month, or even last week, might not match what’s there today.

    #2. Gwen Stefani is annoyingly lame, even though her fashion line is loosely based off of Harajuku fashion from a while ago.

    #3. Harajuku is fairly silly anyways. It’s frequented pretty much by a bunch of overly privileged teenage girls who have no life other than trying to be cool.

    #4. After all is said and done, Nicki Minaj is pretty retarded. Trying to play off of the fame generated by a pop star, based around a bunch of outdated silly teenagers. Even then, what’s depicted doesn’t even really match Miss Stefani, who at least has a bit of a clue.

    #5. “Harajuku is a Culture”? Harajuku, at least in the terms they’re talking about, is a crowded street in Shibuya, Tokyo. It’s only a quarter mile long, basically. Clearly Miss Minaj has never been there and consequently is just trying to invent a buzzword to further her own career.

    Can we just call a spade a spade, and say that Harajuku is now a Brand and not a Place?

  48. Monae'

    ..omg people are so stupid when she said “Harajuku Barbie” she was talking about herself, she is Chinese….stupid. If yhu go hate find out ALL yo facts…..STEP YAH PXXXX UP MAMMIES…..

  49. Bianca

    Omqq yall didn’t noe what a harajuku barbie was???? well its basically what she said… its a kind of culture and they dress really wild and crazy like and lyk she said, thats how her musikk is and thats how her personality is…. and who evedr is hatin on Nicki, need to chill out. Dnt hate her cuz yuh cant beh her…. i♥ nickii :]

    -no homo-

  50. Bella03

    I don’t really understand the problem people take words from different cultures on a daily and use it to describe themselves. She’s not using it in a bad way its just cute and describing herself. I don’t think she means any harm to anyones culture. Nobody says anything about taking africa american culture or french culture and using it as you want becuase its all about personal style. Just because she doesnt know exactly where everything came fom doesnt mean she’s wrong. Plenty of ppk dont know the true basis o things they talk about its just cute personal style which comes with our rights!

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