Modus Operandi

Elevated nonconformity. We pay homage to the outliers, the ones who dare to be different. Those who aren't satisfied with the average or status quo. Striving for better, not mediocrity. Tokyo Misfit represents the people who refuse to conform to the mindset of the masses. Those who consciously choose positivity over negativity.

Tokyo Misfit® was founded in 2017, by Jun Tanaka, a nissei, or 2nd generation Japanese. Born in Vancouver, raised in Toronto, and having lived in Tokyo during his late twenties, Jun discovered the rich diversity of subcultures thriving in Japan, but also realized how different Japanese mainstream society's outlook was on creative independent thinking, and the pressure that existed for people to conform to society's unwritten rules and ingrained traditions.

Initially, he felt a sense of ‘coming back to home', because he wasn’t a visible minority In Japan, but at the same time felt like a misfit more than a local, because of his cultural upbringing in Toronto. During his stay in Tokyo, he met other nissei's and found that they had elevated themselves by using the knowledge and cultural insights gained from life experiences in North America, and were able to apply that knowledge to their advantage while living in Japan. With a humble and deep respect towards his parent's motherland and traditions, Jun created the Tokyo Misfit brand to showcase other sides of Japanese subcultures that may not necessarily fit the typical image of Japan as perceived by the western world. There is much more to Japan than just manga, video games, sushi and crazy game shows, and I'm sure you will agree that the world needs to know more about it! 

Tokyo Misfit is a brand that supports outliers who have a message to share, and it's goal is to showcase other Japanese misfits in the world of fashion, music, design and any other walks of life. We focus on our own line of hats and clothing, as well as curated apparel and accessories from Japan, which are not found or distributed in North America. We search for the up and coming Japanese designers that are truly masters of their craft, in terms of quality, but are still relatively unknown to the global market. Our collections are carefully selected, designed, printed and handmade just for you!

We hope you keep in touch and make sure to follow us on Instagram, for special pre-order promos, and all the latest news from Tokyo Misfit!