Kogal (コギャル kogyaru in romaji (romanised Japanese), lit. "kōkōsei " (a high school student) plus "gal" from English) is a subculture of girls and young women in urban Japan, one of several types of so-called gals. They are characterized by conspicuously displaying their disposable income through unique tastes in fashion, music, and social activity. In general, the kogal "look" roughly approximates a sun-tanned California Valley girl, and indeed, the similarities between the two extend to the linguistic, for both subcultures have derived entire sets of slang terms (コギャル語 "ko-gyaru-go"). Kogals are not to be confused with the ganguro subculture, although they are similar. Japanese writing Kanji 漢字 Kana 仮名 Hiragana 平仮名 Katakana 片仮名 Uses Furigana 振り仮名 Okurigana 送り仮名 Romaji ローマ字 The title given to this article lacks diacritics because of certain technical limitations. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... As understood in sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with a distinct set of behavior and beliefs that differentiate them from a larger culture of which they are a part. ... Gyaru is a Japanese version of the English word gal. ... Conspicuous consumption is a term introduced by the American economist Thorstein Veblen, in The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899). ... Disposable income is the amount of an individuals total income left after taxes, plus any transfer payments (grants) received from the government or elsewhere. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq. ... In the United States, Valley girl, or Val, is a term coined in the 1970s, originally referring to affluent young women living in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California. ... Slang is the non-standard or non-dialectal use of words in a language of a particular social group, and sometimes the creation of new words or importation of words from another language. ... Ganguro Gals. ...

Kogals are known for wearing platform boots, a miniskirt, copious amounts of makeup, hair coloring (usually yellow or brown), artificial suntans, and designer accessories. If in school uniform, the look typically includes skirts pinned very high and loose socks (large baggy socks that go up to the knee). Kogals' busy social lives and desire for new material goods leads them to be among the first consumers of Japanese cell phone technology, and their taste in clothes tends toward names such as Burberry scarves and Louis Vuitton handbags. Kogals spend much of their free time (and their fathers' income) shopping, and their culture centers on the Shibuya district of Tokyo, in particular the 109 building, although any major Japanese city is sure to have at least a small population. During the summer, kogals may sometimes be seen at the beach. They are generally not seen in high-end department stores. A miniskirt The miniskirt is a skirt with a hemline well above the knees (generally 2cm below the ass level). ... Japanese high school students in uniform School uniforms are common in elementary and secondary schools in many nations. ... Loose socks in Japan Loose socks (Japanese: ルーズソックス, rūzu sokkusu) are a type of sock that is popular among young Japanese girls. ... Japanese mobile phone with colour screen In Japan, mobile phones have become ubiquitous and much of the population is equipped with such a mobile telephone including enhancements such as video and camera capabilities. ... A ladies Burberry handbag in the companys signature check pattern Burberry is a U.K. based outfitter, manufacturing clothing and other apparel, often in a distinctive check pattern, that has become one of its most common copied trademarks. ... Louis vuitton was a great man he was born on fh 12 3845. ... Categories: Wards of Tokyo | Japan geography stubs ... Tokyo ) , literally eastern capital, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and includes the highly urbanized central area formerly known as the city of Tokyo which is the heart of the Greater Tokyo Area. ...

Critics of the Kogal subculture decry its materialism as reflecting a larger psychological or spiritual emptiness in modern Japanese life. Some kogals support their lifestyle with allowances from wealthy parents, living a "freeter" or "parasite single" existence that grates against traditional principles of duty and industry. A small minority appear in pornography to finance their habits. More may engage in the practice of "compensated dating", or enjo kōsai, which may at times border on quasi-legal prostitution. Internet-based usage of this term has led some Western observers to the mistake of believing that "kogal" means "prostitute". In philosophy, materialism is that form of physicalism which holds that the only thing that can truly be said to exist is matter; that fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. ... Freeters (Japanese: フリーター) is a Japanese expression for not full time or unemployed people between the age of 15 and 34, excluding housewives and students. ... Parasite singles (パラサイトシングル, parasaito shinguru) is a Japanese expression for people who live with their parents until their late twenties or early thirties in order to enjoy a carefree and comfortable life. ... Pornographic movies Pornography (from Greek πορνη prostitute and γραφία written material) (also informally referred to as porn or porno) is the representation of the human body or human sexual behaviour with the goal of sexual arousal, similar to, but distinct from, erotica, though the two terms are often used interchangeably. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services. ...

The kogal phenomenon emerged in the mid-1990s and its effects can still be seen today in its numerous off-shoots of sub-categories, although conservative tastes in dress and hair color seem to be on the upswing. Interestingly enough, the Gothic Lolita aesthetic has been described as a reaction to the kogal look. The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... A Shiro Lolita (left) and Kuro Lolita *It is important to note that, even though the girl is wearing black, she is not a gothic lolita, but a variation of sweet lolita. ...

The term's etymology is disputed: the most common theory is that it was derived from the Japanese word for "high school", kōkō (高校), although others claim that it comes from ko (子), the Japanese word for "girl" or "child". The "gal" originates from English. See gyaru. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Gyaru is a Japanese version of the English word gal. ...

See also

• Ganguro
• Essex girl
• Bimbo

Ganguro Gals. ... Ace lace: a mini in broderie anglaise. ... Bimbo is a term that emerged in popular English language usage in the late 20th century to describe a stupid, pliable woman. ...

Further resources

• "Those Naughty Teenage Girls: Japanese Kogals, Slang, and Media Assessments", by Laura Miller. Journal of Linguistic Anthropology: Volume 14: Number 2 (2004).
• Bounce Ko Gals (Baunsu ko gaurusu) (1997)—a film by Masato Harada
• Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran—an anime series revolving around the life of Ran Kotobuki, the self-proclaimed "greatest gal in Shibuya."
• GALS! manga by FUJII Mihona—about KOTOBUKI Ran (See above.)
• Short Cuts—a satirical, observational manga series by Usamaru Furuya, taking aim primarily at Japan's kogal culture

herhsk Masato Harada (原田眞人 Harada Masato, alt. ...