Western (cowboy) clothing in Japan?

Hi there. I'm 21 years old, and live in the U.S. I've always been fascinated with Japanese culture and have wanted to visit Japan. As it turns out, I may get a chance to go relatively soon, like maybe within the year.

One question/concern I had was that for most of my life, my style of dress has been in the category of Western-wear (cowboy boots, hat, occasionally a long duster jacket).

If I were to dress this way in Japan, do you think the reaction of the locals would be positive, negative, or neautral?

Some people have told me that the Japanese are fascinated with American cowboy culture, and that Western-wear is very fashionable there. However, I do not know the truth to these claims, and I wouldn't want to come off as trying to flaunt my culture or appear as if I'm going out of my way to let people know I'm an American or something.

Anyway, thanks in advance for the info!

-Matt

I heard it was really popular too but i am not too sure.....

Well some Japanese people, specially teens are into something called "tribes" and seem to change cloth style once every month or when a new fashion pops up! The western style was popular a few years agoo combined with some other fashion, so don't think it will be any head turns on the street if you come walking in your western cloths.

Would probably think they turn their heads and look at you because you are a foreigner, at least that what I notice everytime I'm there and it's always interesting with all the attention one get compared to back home in Sweden.

Last time I was in Osaka I noticed a Japanese guy who really looked like John Wayne haha! He was cool tho, so it didn't look weird, but it was probably the only one amongst all millions of Japanese people that had his own western style that I've seen of all those times I've been to Japan :D

I love boots, Spanish boots. The first time I visited Japan, many years ago, I was wearing my favourite pair of boots, but after two days I rushed to the closest Japanese shoeshop to buy some easy-to-slip-in shoes like all Japanese are wearing. Why? Because travelling around in Japan, city or countryside, means taking of your shoes quite some times each day while entering familyhouses, shrines, museums, etc. And taking of and putting on my boots so many unexspected times each day made me decide never to wear boots again in Japan. Except during motorcycletrips.
Sakurarider, Amsterdam, Holland.

Matt, the women love cowboys. I wore my hat and boots a few times there and was swarmed! It's fun, but can be tiring. Plus boots on concrete are hard on the back.