Harajuku is known as Tokyo's teenager town. It is a entire district catering for the young and trendy Tokyoite. The precinct is jam packed with hundreds of small boutiques, cafes, stores and restaurants all focusing on the youth market.
Harajuku is one of the best places in Tokyo to people watch you will see just about everthing from Goths, to Punks to adult girls in school uniforms and guys in cowboy suits, its quite bazzar some of the fashion. Threre are Japanese takes on just about every culture with Amerian and British themes being very popular, The mixture is amazing you may see guys with green hair, hello kitty shirts and tatan pants with chains, or a girl in French maid uniform and behive with fury purple boots and think your in the middle of a fancy dress party, but no this is how many the trendy Tokyo youth go out.
You could describe the fashion as ridiculous, crazy or faddish but you cant disagree its fun. If you ever wondered where Iron Chef host Chairman Kaga gets his outrageous shirts, you would probably find a design like his around the fashion shops in Takeashita Street.
Harajuku is the best spot to see some the locals engaging in the popular youth pastime of cosplay. Cosplay is the term given to wearing a costume to try and look like your favorite anime character, movie or jpop star. Cosplay is probably the next step on from some of the weird fashions you see on the street and is something rarely seen outside Japan except for behind Gwen Stefani whose entourage named the Harajuku girls were inspired by the area.
The area first became popular in 1964 with Tokyo's hosting of the 1964 Olympic Games. Many of the sports centres built for Olympics are located close with much of the housing of athletes in the Harajuka area. The area drew thousands of visitors soaking up the Olympic athmosphere.
Nearby Yoyogi Park is a popular place to relax and one of the few green areas in Tokyo. The weekends draw thousands to the park to see or be seen. Many of the more extreme fashion minded love nothing better than to pose for the photographers. Youyogi Park is also home to Tokyo's grandest shrine, the Meiji Jingu which was built to commemorate Emperor Meiji in 1920, It is a popular place for weddings and is very popular new years eve when thousands flock to celebrate the new year. Sunday is the busiest time to visit Harajuku and will offer the best sights, but be warned there will be thousands of people who will be packed like sardines down the trendy lanes and streets. While your down there make sure you try a Harajuko Crepe, this rich crepe cone is stuffed with cream, strawberries and chocolate, It might not do too good to your waistline but is absolutly delicious, you mightn't be able to stop at one. One store not to miss is the Oriental Bazaar which can be found at 5-9-13 Jingu-mae this is a kitchy Tokyo institution, it has four stocking everything from the crass to the ridiculous, including a great range of kamikaze T-shirts and kimonos. It is one of the best places to get your souvenir shopping done. You cant miss the bazzar with its recognisable building with its Chinese temple roof. Another worthy store is the Laforet department store which stocks a huge range of trendy gear. JR Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line is the easiest way to get to Harajuku, but Harajuku is only 15 minutes away from Shibuya by foot, just follow the train tracks along Koen-dori theres plenty to see along the way. |
Harajuku 
