To keep with the law, we have to get permits for every walk and also follow these rules. Some rules are set by the committee, and some by the police. In order to have a good walk, we need to respect those around us, which means people who are part of the walk and also members of the public.
We’ve been affected by bad walkers before and that has limited our walks a fair bit, so please read the rules and FAQ before coming, if you do anything that could harm yourself, the community or the public, we will remove you from the walk and stop you from coming with us.
♔ This is not a march, demonstration, or parade. Please do not advocate a claim and raise a poster or a flag or a signboard and speak loudly.
♔Please be cautious when taking photography in the crowd, to avoid being a nuisance to people around. It will be a walk for a large number of people therefore please pay attention to the surroundings.
♔ Please avoid wearing too revealing clothes as this is inappropriate for walking in the public. If you do, it would be better to wear this over an over-garment such as a jacket or shawl.
♔ As it is prohibited by law, kindly do not buy or sell, solicit, cause damage to property, graffiti, and flyer distribution. Keep the minimum morals to make this a pleasant event. We believe everyone. Of course!
♔ Please do not sit in the streets and stairs, nor the entry into private property, or block up the entrance in front of a store and building, and interfere with the traffic.
♔ Please do not litter to help keep our town beautiful. Kindly do dispose the garbage into a trash box.
♔ Drinking alcohol and smoking during the walking is prohibited. We would like everyone to cooperate as some of the participants is below 18.
QN 1) f I am accompanying my friends, but I am not wearing Harajuku fashion, can I take part in the group photos?
AN) No, if you are not wearing Harajuku fashion, you should not be in the group photos. It is not because we want less people to join us and neither is it because we want to separate the friend groups. It is because the people who are in the photo should be the people representing the Harajuku Fashion community here, and if you join in wearing non-Harajuku fashion, you are not correctly representing our community.
You are still welcome to the walks in non-Harajuku clothing to support your friends, but please do not join the group photos.
QN 2) Can I play music when I walk with my friends?
AN) You can play music on your personal devices only if you use headphones or earpieces. You should not be blasting music aloud on speakers, regardless of what type of music it is and how big your friend group is. By attending the walk, you are effectively representing part of the Harajuku Fashion community, by walking with us and playing your music loudly, you are also affecting the public and being a nuisance to them. We have spoken to the police about this and we need to enforce this, so if you are behaving badly, we have no choice but to stop you from walking with us.
QN 3) Can I bring props to the walk?
AN) Yes, it is alright to bring props to the walk, but only if it is coordinated with your outfit. Props such as stuffed toys are alright, but props shaped like weapons as a general rule should be avoided if they are realistic, even if they are marked as toys. The props should also not be brandished in a threatening manner, such as toy guns being pointed at people or toy swords being used in mock combat. Again, we have spoken to the police and if you are being seen as a threat or a nuisance to the public, we have no choice but to stop you from walking with us.
QN 4) Can I smoke when I’m at the walk or at the rest points?
AN) No, as stated in our rules, smoking and consuming alcohol is not allowed on the walks, whether at the rest points or not. Smoking is also already prohibited along Orchard road as well.
QN 5) If I am in casual cosplay can I come for the walks?
AN) No forms of cosplay are allowed at the walks, even if it is meant to be casual. We are a fashion community, and cosplay can be inspired by that but it is not fashion. Even if your cosplay is casual and inspired by Harajuku fashion, your purpose was still cosplay, and it is not allowed. If you are dressed in cosplay, we have no choice but to stop you from walking with us.
QN 6) Are there specific places I can take photos along the walk?
AN) You are free to take photos along the walk, but please refrain from stopping for photos while we are walking from place to place. We stop at the rest points for the purpose of chilling and letting our walkers take photos there. So for both photographers and walkers, please do not stop for long periods of time to take photos while we are walking. We have to keep to our schedule to respect those of us who have to rush off after the walk.
Another important note, while the public art pieces can be pretty backdrops, please do not climb on top of them or sit on public artworks, because we don’t know how fragile they may be, and you may damage it by climbing or sitting on it. We have had cases of people climbing onto the sculpture in front of the national museum, so please respect the works and do not climb or sit on them.
We hope you guys understand why we have to enforce some of these things and follow them accordingly. We just want everyone to have a good walk and stay safe!
