For the foreign travelers who are not satisfied with the bus tour in Tokyo.

Harajuku, Shopping Area

Harajuku 2 - Shopping Area (June 2009)

There is a sacred place of Meiji Jingu Shrine in Harajuku, but it is also know as a town for young people.
You will notice its atomosphere even if your aim of visit is the shrine.
Takeshita Dori (Street) where you find a lot of casual fashion shops for teenagers,
starts just after you go out of JR Harajuku Station.





The length of the street is about 380m.
If you go there on weekend, you cannot walk easily with too many people.





If you are tired of walking or if you become a little hungry, you can find a lot of crepe shops.
Even if you cannot read Japanese menu, you can choose the taste from the plastic samples in the show window.





Another interesting spot is the entrance of Meiji Jingu Shrine.
On weekend, you can see a lot of 'Costume Players'.
Mainly teenager girls wear in Lolita style, psychedelic style or animation characters.





Omotesando Street is also very crowded but the shops are more chic.
And the people on this street are more aged than Takeshita Street.
This street has aimed to have the atmosphere of Champs-Elysees of Paris.
Zelkova trees are planted on both sides of the street.





There are a lot of brand shops.
Shopping center called Omotesando Hills was built in 2006 on the site of old apartments houses, Dojunkai.
This apartment house was loved by many people and a part of it was reconstructed on the side of Omotesando Hills.






The other side of Omotesando Hills, there is an interesting shop called Oriental Bazaar.
You will find a lot of traditional Japanese crafts which are good for souvenir.