Bōsōzoku: Japan’s Kamikaze Biker Gangs 🚲

The Bosozoku, a group of Japanese bikers, represents one of numerous subcultures that were allowed to prosper during the difficult, yet hopeful post-war era of Japan. They are loud, their fashion choices are OUTRAGEOUS, and at times, they were not only a pain in the butt of the Japanese, they were also genuinely violent AND terrifying. Today, we take a look at how a group of rebellious biker gangs was born from the LITERAL ashes of a devastated post-war Japan. We’ll take a look at how they dressed, how they drove and why you don’t really see these guys anymore, nowadays.

#japan #crime #motorcycle

SOURCES:

https://www.mookychick.co.uk/indie-fashion/japanese/bosozoku-japanese-biker-gangs-and-bosozoku-style.php

https://web.archive.org/web/20091228030702/http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/668/feature.asp

https://www.returnofthecaferacers.com/video-motorcycle-cafe-racer/bosozoku-biker-gangs/

https://www.vice.com/en/article/kzz79e/inside-japans-most-violent-biker-gang

https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/bosozoku-japanese-gangs-fashion/

https://it.oneblockdown.it/blogs/archive/bosozoku-biking-culture-tokyo-japan-90s-crime-subculture-sabukaru

https://www.anothermag.com/design-living/14448/b-s-zoku-the-rebellious-film-legacy-of-japan-s-unruly-biker-gangs

https://academic.mu.edu/meissnerd/erickson.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMpZLrODd3k&t=736s


CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro
01:44 - History
04:57 - Second Generation
08:30 - Fashion
09:39 - Bikes
11:43 - Driving
14:37 - Decline