Sayaka on Alien BFFs, Harajuku and Fashion
There’s a youthful joy that follows Sayaka like an eager puppy. Pairing nostalgic toys and stacked bracelets, her playful looks make those around her feel giddy with joy! Sayaka works in Harajuku, wants to befriend an alien, and possesses a smile that lights up a windowless room. We sat down with the Harajuku style maven to talk fashion, DIY hair dye and joy!
Please introduce yourself.
Hello, my name is Sayaka. I work at Sugar High! in Takeshita-dōri which sells sweets and knick-knacks. I love colourful and kawaii things and I’m an earthling who wants to be friends with an alien.
What do you think spending time with an alien would be like?
We wouldn’t speak the same language, so we’d talk to each other using telepathy. I need to practise! I want to do small talk, gossip, and talk about each other’s worries. Please let me know if you know anyone who has a translator for alien languages.
Your sense of humour is on full display on YouTube and TikTok. What’s happened recently that made you laugh uncontrollably?
I feel like I am constantly laughing out loud about all kinds of things. Everyday things, things on TV, YouTube etc. There have been so many interesting things going on recently—it’s hard not to have fun. My mother and I had a good laugh about her gaffs, and I was just laughing at myself for trying to wash my hair with body soap and my face with a conditioner.
Your style is so bright and fun! How did you develop it?
The reason why I started dressing this way has a lot to do with my depression and having to avoid going out because of the first state of emergency. I was fed up with having to stay inside and I wanted to be free of my depression as quickly as possible. I really felt like I wanted a change, like I wanted to have a go at doing the things I had been thinking about doing for a while. That’s when I started wearing the kawaii and colourful Harajuku styles I’d always wanted to wear.
But honestly, I have only been dressing in this colourful style for a year. Before that I was only wearing black which is the polar opposite of colour. I also preferred a more masculine style, and I used to have a close-cropped haircut. I have always appreciated colourful, kawaii styles, but I didn’t think that kawaii clothes like skirts and dresses would suit me. Now, I’m at the point where no one would believe that I used to wear black and I’m so happy that I have become a colourful person!
Who and what are your style inspirations?
Haruka Kurebayashi. For her style, of course, but also because I’ve been inspired by the amazing way she lives her life and her mindset. Her blog, especially, has been like a textbook for me and I have learnt a lot by reading and re-reading her old and new articles.
Describe how you feel when you are confident about a look you have put together.
So happy and full of confidence! I feel like “This is how I should be!” and I skip around all giddy and happy. I definitely look really weird to the people around me, but I think that I have always been a bit strange and that’s me, so I’m super comfortable with it.
Besides fashion, how do you express yourself?
I draw and make music. I get stressed easily, so I do those things to get everything stuck inside my head out. I draw and make music based on what I feel in the moment, so I create a variety of things and they can be fun or negative.
Tell us about a fun day-out in Harajuku. Where do you go and what do you do?
I go to Laforet to get snapped a lot. It’s of course great, but I also really enjoy the time I spend talking to the people who are there.
After that, I will take a look at the shops on Takeshita-dōri. I especially like Daiso so I go there a lot. Then, I head over to the vintage shops to check out the new clothes. Lately, I’ve been enjoying Closet Child.
What do you like about being part of the Harajuku fashion community?
I think it’s wonderful that there are a lot of people who treat each other’s styles with respect, and it is a place where people of all ages and jobs can meet through fashion. People get along with me whether my style matches theirs or not, and we learn a lot about fashion, Harajuku and other things when we talk to each other. I’ve never been good at socializing, so being part of this community has been a major thing in my life.
What does Harajuku mean to you?
For me, it’s a really important place. I don’t think I will ever leave it and I never want to because it is the reason my life is great and so much fun. I want to live there forever when I become rich. I want to go there to have fun in my colourful co-ords even when I become an old woman.
Any last words?
If you know an alien who likes Harajuku or if you are an alien, please, please, please contact me!
TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter
Introduction and questions by Ash, interview translated by Anna.
Images courtesy of Sayaka.