Japan's Mod Culture: From M-51 Parkas to Italian Scooters
Mod culture, like many of you might know, has its roots in Great Britain.
Beginning in the 1950s, the mods were called as such because they listened to modern jazz, although more guitar-driven bands such as The Who, The Yardbirds, and The Small Faces were the kind of music/bands the subculture was often highly associated with. Other genres, such as R&B, soul, and the blues were also quite popular within the mod subculture. In the late 1970s, when there was some kind of a mod revival, the movement was pioneered by the band The Jam alongside their fans.
Other than the music, mods were also noted for their affinity towards tailor-made suiting and their love and appreciation towards scooters from manufacturers such as Vespa and/or Lambretta. The M-51 fishtail parka is also a big icon for mod culture. It’s original purpose was to protect the rather expensive tailor-made suits while riding around in a scooter.
The recreational consumption of amphetamine was also a significant part of mod culture as it helped with powering all-night dancing at clubs along with the stimulating effects it provides. While the subculture eventually died down there were also periods where a mod revival emerged in the late 70s and the 1980s.
Like lots of other foreign subcultures, mod culture also made it to Japan. Unlike in Great Britain however, mod culture got to Japanese soil in the late 1970s, which was totally in line with the mod revivalist movement that was going on at the time. Much like the English, Japanese mods were also heavily into sharply tailored suits, M-51 parkas, and Italian scooters.
Nowadays, while mod culture it may not be as popular as it was in Japan in the 80s or 90s, the subculture is still very much alive especially with the addition of events like the annual MODS MAYDAY scooter run that also happens all over the world.
