Toyoko Kids: The lonely street children of Tokyo

Tokyo’s Shinjuku is a vibrant business and entertainment district that is home to skyscrapers, buzzing clubs and neon-lit alleyways, making it a popular place for a night out in the capital.

But just out of sight of visitors filming the spectacle with their phones, between the newly built tourist hotspot Tokyu Kabukicho Tower and the Toho cinema, is the gathering point for the 21st century street children of Tokyo — the Toyoko Kids.

Marked out by their heavy anime-style makeup and generally baggy clothes, the Toyoko Kids — a mix of permanent runaways and those seeking community, but all marginalized in one way or another — have emerged as a major presence in the area in recent years. Together, they have formed a unique youth subculture based around shared neglect, internet-driven popularity and a distinct fashion sense.