Maon Kurosaki, Misako Aoki
Kawaii = Harajuku Culture

Aoki: Why do you think the word “kawaii” has become so popular throughout the world, Maon-san?

Kurosaki: I guess because Harajuku just had such a big presence. Harajuku is full of fashion that hasn’t been incorporated into the mainstream. There’s nowhere else like it in the world. And that’s the Harajuku that has attracted people the world over. I think kawaii = Harajuku culture.

Aoki: When I was appointed Kawaii Ambassador by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2009, I was quite embarrassed to call myself by that title at first. I thought people would think that I must consider myself really cute to call myself “kawaii.”

Kurosaki: No, but you are super kawaii, Misako-san. Everyone gets it.

Aoki: Not so, not so. But when I was travelling the globe as the Kawaii Ambassador, I really discovered just how far the word “kawaii” had spread throughout the world. “Kawaii” is above “lolita fashion” in terms of familiarity. Actually visiting all those places overseas made me realize how fulfilling a thing it was to be able to be the Kawaii Ambassador.

Kurosaki: I’ve been an avid reader of your blog for a long time now and you’ve shown me that there are lolita fashion lovers in countries the world over. Though our place of birth and the language we speak may be different, the things that girls like are relatively linear. Because you were the one going out to the frontline, I’ve always considered you a lolita god, Misako-san.

Aoki: I’m honored. Lolita fashion is loved by people throughout the world. It’s amazing.
I never thought I would be able to wear lolita fashion once I became an adult. As it were, it’s the support from people all over the world that has allowed me to keep wearing these clothes all this time.

Lolita Communities Overseas

Aoki: You visit various places overseas too, don’t you Maon-san?

Kurosaki: I do. I get to go every now and again to perform. It’s completely different to what you do, though, and I’ve always wondered what kind of things you do when you go overseas, Misako-san.

Aoki: It’s pretty much urban survival (lol). I usually go alone, too.

Kurosaki: What? You go on your own?

Aoki: Yep. I can’t speak a word of English but I’ll get invited to an event and so I’ll go over alone and come back alone. I’ll put on a tea party or take part in a panel discussion, etc. When you do everything on your own, it’s always a battle of stamina.

Kurosaki: So you even get on the plane alone too then.

Aoki: Yes. I was with Sakurai-san when I was the Kawaii Ambassador in 2009 and I was with Sakurai-san again when we did the fashion shows in Qatar and Shenyang, but everything after that has mostly been on my own.
Local fans will usually come out to meet me at the places I’m going and they often organize the events that they invite me to. There are lolita communities in every country throughout the world. Their enthusiasm is incredible. I will continue to visit these places for as long as I am able.

Kurosaki: The local people must be so happy when they see you, Misako-san.

Anison Overseas

Aoki: I would like to hear about your experiences overseas too, Maon-san.

Kurosaki: Well, I go to sing anime songs, but when I went to China the other day, I had the people request which songs they want me to sing on Weibo. I want to show everyone how we enjoy anison concerts in Japan, so I take along penlights and I tell the audience how to wave them around.
It’s so much fun seeing how the different countries react. In Thailand, the audience burst into an incredible chorus on one of my more difficult songs and we sang together.

Aoki: That’s amazing!

Kurosaki: They learnt these difficult lyrics that Japanese people even have trouble remembering and they had been waiting to show me.

Aoki: There was a time in 2009 when I was visiting Recife in Brazil as the Kawaii Ambassador and twenty thousand people turned out to see me. I felt like I had become an A-list idol (lol). I was so surprised by all the people that were before me that I didn’t know what was happening at first. It was such a valuable experience.

Kurosaki: See, I was right: kawaii = Misako-san. The real Japanese kawaii has come to see us – that’s what everyone thought.

Maon Kurosaki, Misako Aoki