Shibuya Mummies

Posted on January 4, 2008

I stumbled upon a rare sight whilst walking along the front of Starbucks at the Hachiko crossing. It was nothing unusual at first as I noticed a group of young, trendy girls having a quick cigarette by the roadside.

Soon, my view cleared up and I saw these girls standing by two baby strollers. It was my first experience seeing a “ShibuyaOne of Tokyo's 23 wards and a center of business, fashion, and nightlife. Mummy” let alone a Shibuya "Gyaru” mother!

For those who are unfamiliar with the slangs of the j-folk, the word “Gyaru” is a katakanised version of the English word “girl” used to describe heavily made-up, brown haired, Japanese girls. These Shibuya mothers walk around with their strollers, a cigarette in hand constantly blowing smoke right in their children's faces. Shocking isn’t it? Well after living in Tokyo for a few years, sights like these often lose their shock value.

I was fascinated with these tiny "real life dolls" who were exact replicas of their mothers. These funked-up baby models even had dyed hair like their bigger counterparts. If having children were as trendy as it looked then Japan might possibly have found a way to solve its aging population crisis. The marketing giants of the city should just promote kids as a must have hot accessory for the next season…