Jirai/landmine/地雷 (romaji/english/kanji)
Jirai is a subculture based in Japan. It popped up around 2020 as kids-young adults where running away to live in Toyoko (therefor the name Toyoko kids). There they would make money via usually unsafe ways. They usually ran away because of the pressures of society and they knew they would find people like them in Toyoko. Most of the jirais who all hung out/'lived' in the street would engage in self destructive tendencies like s3lf h@rm, substance abuse, clubs/host clubs, pr0stituti0n and more.
Jirais are people who dont want to get better/dont care about getting better/want to get worse. there are jirais who flip flop between wanting to get better and wanting to get worse but the majority dont want to get better. We often find comfort in being messed up
credit 2 The Japan Times for this picture
Jirai started off as an insult towards mentally ill ppl/the toyoko kids in Japan. Jirai was/is now reclaimed by actual jirais. Even where i live in Canada ive been called a landmine as an insult.
Often jirais have mental illnesses/disorders that make them have mood swings or make them "act crazy" (ex. bpd, bipolar, npd, aspd, ect).
Jirai fashion. What is it reallly?
The fashion associated with jirai is called dark girly kei and it falls under the girly kei umbrella. Now its less in fashion in Japan with jirais (there are still jirais who wear it!)
credit 2 lolitainside for the first pic
The classic makeup associated with jirai is called pien makeup. Its supposed to give off a sad look or like this emoji: 🥺
Saying all it is is a fashion/ignoring the roots of jirai can and is watering it down. Going into jirai spaces and trying to "reclaim" it as just a fashion is dumb as it was/still is an insult towards actual jirais.
Q: Is jirai only for female people?
A: Nope any gender can be jirai!
Q: Do you have to wear the stereotypical jirai fashion to be jirai?
A: Nope! Jirai is a lifestyle. Youre just more likely for people to recognize that youre a jirai if you wear dark girly kei.
Q: What if i want to wear dark girly but im not a jirai?
A: Wear whatever you want! You only live once. I would suggest to stay away from calling yourself jirai tho. Not only cuz it can water our safe space down but also so people dont assume things about you that are not true.
This hopefully made sense if not i can try to explain farther! And id love to hear other peoples sides!
