Harajuku Travel Guide

  My Harajuku
by robertbaum
  • My Harajuku
      My Harajuku
    by robertbaum
  •   Favorites
    by machomikemd
  • the JR Train Station
      the JR Train Station
    by machomikemd
  • the street
      the street
    by machomikemd
  • at omote sando
      at omote sando
    by machomikemd

Explore Harajuku

Things to Do  

Omote Sando

Omote Sando, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  the champs elysees of Tokyo, luxury shopping galoreJapan's Champs Elysees! if takeshita dori street which lies 200 meters away from Omotesando and is parallel to it is the funky teenage shopping heaven, Omotesando is the Center of Luxe in the Shibuya district (yes, harajuku... 

Takeshita Dori Street

Takeshita Dori Street, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  the 500 meter long shopping arcade for japanese kawaii teens. the teeny booper street famous around the world for japanese teenage fashion and the goth subculture unfortunately when I was here was a weekday so I saw no goth characters. In order to experience the teenage... 

Restaurants  

HARAJUKU Elephant Cafe: Asian Food

HARAJUKU Elephant Cafe: Asian Food, Harajuku

 tigerjapan Says:  This restaurant is a part of a popular chain of restaurants that are in Tokyo and Osaka.The food is mainly asian and the prices are quite reasonable (for Japan). 

Marion's Crepes: also famous for Harajuku Crepes

Marion's Crepes: also famous for Harajuku Crepes, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  the rival of Angel's Heart Dessert cafe. the wold famous Harajuku Crepes was first made by marion's crepes in 1976 they claimed. (marions's crepes are more popular with tourists while the nearby Angel's Heart is more popular with locals). a basic harajuku crepe here in... 

Angel's Heart Dessert Bar Cafe Crepe: famous Harajuku Crepes

Angel's Heart Dessert Bar Cafe Crepe: famous Harajuku Crepes, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  the famous harajuku crepes! although Harajuku Crepes were originally made by the nearby Marion's Crepes, this Store is more popular to the Japanese Teens and the Marion's Crepes more popular with tourists. the wondrous harajuku crepes, very filling! It originated in the... 

La Cuisine Japonaise (Kaikaya): Great Sake

La Cuisine Japonaise (Kaikaya): Great Sake, Harajuku

 Mr.Sparkle Says:  Great sake and excellent food is what you get if you take the effort to find this out of the way Japanese sake restaurant, just outside the Shibuya drag. The atmosphere is tops and staff is playful. They’re sake selection is superb, to say the least, with 18 top sakes from... 

DaiDai: The tantanme is to dai for!

DaiDai: The tantanme is to dai for!, Harajuku

 Mr.Sparkle Says:  This ramen restaurant is great little gem hidden away from Shibuya. DaiDai cooks up some of the best Tantanme I’ve ever had. If you’re not in the know, tantanme is spicy ramen, usually with pork. The staff doesn’t speak any English. I don’t even think they’re Japanese... 

Transportation  

Harajuku JR Station

Harajuku JR Station, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  the main train line going to Harajuku. Tokyo's Harajuku Station, just one station north of Shibuya on the Yamanote Line. The Harajuku Station is in the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also offers shopping for grown-ups and some... 

The JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku

The JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  travelling to harajuku from our hotel in shinagawa via the famed JR Yamamote Line. the JR Yamanote Line is running as a circle and it connects most of Tokyo's major stations and urban centres including the Yûrakuchô area, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro with all but two of... 

Shopping  

Omote Sando: luxe capital of Japan

Omote Sando: luxe capital of Japan, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  luxury shopping at it's best, this is shibuya's answer to Ginza (yes, Harajuku is part of Shibuya!). Harajuku Shopping then shifts to the very upscale Omotesando, which is a broad, tree-lined avenue leading downhill from the southern end of the JR Harajuku station. This is... 

Takeshita Dori Street: Teenage Japanese and Goth Fashion

Takeshita Dori Street: Teenage Japanese and Goth Fashion, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  it is a teenager shoppers haven and fun way to do girl watching of Kawaii Japanese Girls heheh. The parallel streets of takeshita dori for female teen shopping and omotesando for luxury shopping! they are just 200 meters apart. Shopping in Harajuku starts opposite Harajuku... 

Daiso: the number 1 100 yen store

Daiso: the number 1 100 yen store, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  the number one discount store in japan. for those on a budget, these 100 yen shops offers a cheap way to buy japanese goods (but they sell mostly home furnishings and a little bit of japanese trinkets). There are thousands of 100 yen shops across Japan, ranging in size from... 

The Daizo: 100 Yen Shop

The Daizo: 100 Yen Shop, Harajuku

 shintarojon Says:   (last date visited - June 12, 2007)The Daizo21 items @ 105 Yen = 2,205 Yen30 items @ 210 Yen = 6,300 YenTotal = 8,505 Yen 

Local Customs  

Big Traditional Drum

Big Traditional Drum, Harajuku

 victorwkf Says:  There is a big traditional drum located at the Meiji Shrine which is rather colourful and impressive. Big traditional drums are rather popular in Eastern Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, China and Mongolia which I have all visited. 

Making a wish, traditional style

Making a wish, traditional style, Harajuku

 victorwkf Says:  It seems that you can make a wish in the Japanese traditional style at the Meiji Shrine and they will put it into wooden plates like the ones in the photo. 

Warnings and Dangers  

Beware of the weekend crowds
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3.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

victorwkf 4529 reviews
Weekend crowd at Harajuku, Tokyo

The weekend crowds at Harajuku can be enormous as many people come here, especially the teenagers. Come during the weekdays if you want less crowd, and keep a lookout for your belongings just in case even though Japan is a very safe country.

Written Oct 7, 2005

Related to:
 Budget Travel
 Business Travel
 Backpacking

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Off The Beaten Path  

There's a charm for Everything

There's a charm for Everything, Harajuku

 bpacker Says:  Want to pass your driving test? Or perhaps give birth to a healthy bouncy baby? Well, your life borders around the grey edges and if you're definitely not Christian, you can buy one of these charms. They're available at Meiji Jingu Shrine in Yoyogi Park. Bpacker's Harajuku... 

Shinjuku & Ginza

Shinjuku & Ginza, Harajuku

 victorwkf Says:  Actually Shinjuku and Ginza are not "off the beaten path" places, but rather famous shopping areas which you must visit together with Harajuku as there are so many things to see and experience there. More information and photos of Shinjuku and Ginza are at my VT Shinjuku... 

Favorites  

Kawaii Japanese Teens

Kawaii Japanese Teens, Harajuku

 machomikemd Says:  lots of Kawaii and utsukushii japanese teens! there are many cute teenage japanese girls in Harajuku! When you walk down the streets of Japan, especially in a large city like Tokyo, you see girls dressed in things westerners would never wear. Flamboyant colors and shoes so... 

Wide and tranquil walkway leading to Meiji Shrine

Wide and tranquil walkway leading to Meiji Shrine, Harajuku

 victorwkf Says:  I enjoyed the wide and tranquil walkway leading to the Meiji Shrine. It gives me a very relaxing feeling and the surrounding trees add to the atmosphere. 

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Map of Harajuku