Since its arrival in Japan in the late 1970s, the punk rock scene has remained an integral slice of the Japanese music landscape. Now, in the 21st century, the heartbeat of Japanese punk rock is alive in cramped rooms and underground venues throughout Tokyo and Osaka like Zone-B, Rathole, Hokage, and King Cobra, to name a few. These venues play host to just about every punk genre under the sun. Whether you’re into Oi!, hardcore, crust, pop punk, ska, psychobilly, or anything else, chances are you can find a show for you. Beyond the mohawks, tattoos, and fashion, the Japanese also adopted the ethos of early punk rock. Tours are self-booked and funded, music is released independently, and there are scores of local record stores catering to punks looking for something old and new.
In many ways, the edge and noise of Japanese punk rock reflect that of the Western bands that influenced it, but in others, the scene in Japan is totally different.
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In the West, the punk rock scene split into two factions—one of them notorious for racist sentiments—but Japanese punks, like in other parts of the world, hold non-racist ideologies and sprung from an anti-government movement.
Japanese punk shows also have a style of their own. It’s commonplace to see Japanese punks thrashing wildly in a circle pit, and then politely bowing to make their way through the crowd for another beer. At shows featuring lineups of hardcore bands, Japanese kids throw windmill kicks and air punches, then return to a more solemn note in between songs. Lead singers with shaved heads give the crowd the middle finger and bellow sing-along anthems, while in between songs they’d bow and soft-spokenly engage the crowd.
The Japanese punk rock style, both musically and fashion-wise, is uniquely impeccable. An adjective not commonly used to describe punk rock elsewhere. Some in the scene sport immaculate spiked jackets and dyed hair, while Oi! fans rock neatly pressed and cleaned button-ups and polished boots. The songs are also meticulously written to incorporate the best of each genre. Catchy choruses, fast guitar riffs, and driving rhythm sections are so calculated that you can tell a lot of thought went into crafting these perfectly simple punk tunes.
At first glance, Japan would not be thought of as a type of place to have a thriving scene dedicated to a brash genre like punk. Yet the Japanese code of honor, which drives a lot of their arts, and their extreme attention to detail are what make the Japanese punk scene what it is. It’s a subculture that is well-crafted, curated, and executed. After scratching beneath the surface, we can see a music scene that is thriving in the underground. It is a scene created by, and for, those that seek a place of their own.
Below are photos taken in 2018 that capture Tokyo and Osaka’s thriving punk scene.
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