So you are interested in Oshikatsu and don't know where to start? Then this guide is for you! I'll walk you through where to start and what you can do, of course you don't have to do everything on the list, though step 1 is essential. I am going to assume you are at least familiar with the terms, if not you can check out my glossary that goes over terms used in oshikatsu and idol culture. Let's get into it.
Quick Start Checklist:
- • Find a group or idol that catches your eye
- • Follow them on X and their official group account
- • Watch their music videos and live clips
- • Set a budget before you spend anything
- • Like and reply to their posts
- • Find one or two other fans to follow
- • (Optional) Buy your first piece of merch
- • (Optional) Set a goal to see them live someday
Step 1. Choose Your Oshi
This is the most important step, without an oshi you simply cannot start oshikatsu. So how do you find an oshi? Or rather, how do you let your oshi find you? Start with social media, search for idol music on youtube, look for idols on X and Tiktok or Instagram and follow them. If any group or idol catches your eye, watch their music videos, watch their livestreams, watch clips of their performances on social media, and there you will find 1 or more idols you can relate with, maybe because they are cute, maybe because they are a bit wild, or because they just have this thing you cannot put into words. Or you can just have a hako-oshi and have the whole group as your oshi or even have oshis from different groups, there really are no rules to this. Having an oshi is more like a gut feeling, you don't have to logically explain why your oshi is your oshi, you just know!
Step 2. Choose Your Style of Oshikatsu
Now that you have found your oshi, it is time to do the katsu (活) part of oshikatsu. The easiest way to do oshikatsu is simply by being a fan. Listen to their music on streaming services, reply to or repost their tweets, watch their youtube videos, etc. This is the most casual way to support your oshi, but maybe the most important, because we basically all start from here.
From this baseline you can branch out to other styles. Do you have the money to spend and want something in return? Buy merchandise, participate in online cheki events, get the birthday merch, collect pictures. If you bought merch, show it off online, your oshi will love seeing you’ve bought their merch, and they might even reply! Of course some agencies don’t allow sharing pictures of chekis or bromides so always check, a good way to check is by looking if Japanese fans share their merchandise, you will see a lot of Japanese otaku take pictures of chekis with their food.
Or are you more creative? By all means, make fanworks for your oshi yourself, make fanart, share clips (if allowed), you can also make your own pins, keychains, buttons and uchiwas at home if you have the equipment. You might even make an Ita-bag with your self-made merch!
You can also decide to become an active fan, for this you will actively promote your oshi, go to live shows often, learn the songs, go to the extra events etc. this is mostly for people located in Japan, but you can always chase your dreams and move there if you really want to.
If you choose a style you are by no means stuck on that path, you can always switch or combine. This is just to give you an idea of what to do.
Step 3. Set Boundaries Early
Before you start it is important to set boundaries for yourself, mainly time and budget. Don’t let oshikatsu consume your whole day, by all means spend as much time as you want but if it starts to hamper your social life or important tasks like doing taxes then it is better to take a step back and reconsider how much time you can permit yourself to spend on it.
Same goes for money, if you have to worry about not being able to afford gas to drive to your job, do not buy merch. Your own financial needs always go above supporting your oshi, there are enough free ways to do oshikatsu and it doesn't make you any less of a fan.
An often less talked about boundary is your emotional boundary, feelings for your oshi can easily get out of hand. It is okay to love your oshi, it might even be okay to have a little crush on them, however stay in reality, do not let it obsess you, and definitely don’t make advances on them. This is how these (rare) stalking stories start. You don't want to be the next person Vice writes a piece about and uses to attack idol culture.
Oshikatsu should enhance your life, not control it.
Step 4. Set Goals
Ask yourself, what do you want to achieve? Are you fine with being a casual fan, or are you more ambitious? There are no right or wrong answers, however I personally believe that any otaku’s goal should be to attend a live show of your oshi. Now it does not matter if you reach that goal or not, but you should at least try. Seeing them live, talking with them after taking a cheki gives you so much more perspective and it will make you see idol culture in a whole new positive way.
Step 5. Take Your First Step
Now that you are set to go, start following your oshi on X, this is where basically everything happens. You will see selfies, announcements, and your oshi’s thoughts. Also follow the official groups account, here you will find most news on the group. You can also follow your oshi on Instagram and TikTok for fun videos, if they have it.
Like your oshi’s posts, repost their selfies, call them cute in the replies (めちゃ可愛い！(✧ω✧)). Some idols do good morning and goodnight tweets, these are really easy to interact with, just reply with a supportive message like, おはよう！今日もがんばろうね～ for mornings, or 今日もお疲れ様でした、おやすみ～！ for goodnight posts.
Decorate your profile, check if your oshi has an oshi mark, or just put them in your bio. Just keep in mind that by doing so, you are representing your oshi’s fanbase. Your oshi account should be about your oshi, not your personal views. Don’t pick fights. Don’t turn it into a place for debates. And yes, identity politics are politics too.Keep that on a separate account, or don’t make it obvious who your oshi is
This is also to point you can start thinking about buying some merch if you can afford it.
Step 6. Connect With the Community
Through your oshi you can find the community surrounding the oshi, you can just start following people that also reply to or repost your oshi’s tweets. Some might follow back, others won’t, don’t take it personal. Try to get familiar with how they interact, lurking is okay, it is good even! Just test the vibe and try to play along, if you make a mistake they won’t ostracise you or anything, but it is important to conform to their way of doing this.
If you’re not planning to fully adapt to Japanese fan culture, you can always try the Western fanbase if there are any. you can check Reddit or see if there is a Discord server. Personally I don't hang around them, mainly because my oshi doesn’t have an overseas fanbase, and most of my run-ins with Western fanbases have been drama of the week. The Japanese side also sometimes has drama but it dies down quickly and is easy to ignore and they are mostly just chill and love their oshi. So I prefer them.
Within communities you will also find sub-communities. Some idol spaces overlap with Toyoko kids or landmine fashion circles, and while there is nothing wrong with those people, they often carry personal struggles that can make the community dynamic complicated. As a newcomer, and especially as a foreigner, it is easier to just find your footing in the main community first before navigating those spaces.
Step 7. Avoid the Biggest Beginner Traps
As a beginner don't feel like you aren’t a real fan for being new, everyone started where you are now, even that one guy with a home shrine for their oshi was once a greenhorn. Also don’t feel like you have to buy everything or participate in everything, it is okay to miss things, you don’t need “Cherry blossom viewing online cheki #3” although it is cute and nice to have, you do not need it to be a fan. And don’t burn yourself out, also listen to other music, engage with different hobbies, this keeps oshikatsu fresh and manageable. Overengagement might turn into resentment or numbness, and you don’t want that.
Conclusion: Start Small
Just start. Pick one idol, follow them on X, and see what happens. You don't need to have everything figured out, you don't need to buy anything, and you don't need to be an expert on idol culture to enjoy it. Oshikatsu grows naturally, your style will evolve, your collection will build, and your understanding of the culture will deepen on its own. The only wrong way to do oshikatsu is to not do it at all.
Who is your oshi?