Heisei era

Published: July 27, 2026 · Updated: July 27, 2026

1989–2019

In the Heisei era Tokyo street fashion drew global attention — Harajuku, gyaru and Lolita styles — while Uniqlo grew into a worldwide fast-fashion brand and the kimono became largely ceremonial with a vintage-led revival.

Overview

Youth street styles made Tokyo a reference point: the layered looks of Harajuku and Ura-Hara, gyaru and ganguro, Lolita and gothic, and decora, documented by street magazines and exported under the Cool Japan banner.

Key garments and style

Mass fashion was reshaped by domestic fast fashion. Uniqlo’s late-1990s fleece boom launched a global expansion in the 2000s, and its casual basics, alongside GU and other chains, dominated everyday wardrobes.

Transition

Everyday kimono wear kept shrinking, sustained by rentals and vintage, and the Reiwa era would foreground sustainability and gender-neutral dress.

History of this period

Heisei era