Harajuku in Tokyo was one of the interesting places I visited during a trip there in February 2012. It has been 20 years since I last visited, and so much has changed. I last visited Harajuku 原宿 in 1991, when I worked in Tokyo, Japan. But after two decades, the crowd still manages to astonish me.

Harajuku in Tokyo

Harajuku has been known as the capital of fashion for many years. From the trendiest fashion right to the most outrageous fashion can be found here. Apart from the main walking street, which is known as Takeshita Street, there is also the high-end shopping area known as Omotesandō (表参道) Street.

Another highlight of this place is the famous Yoyogi Park, where the best in Japanese fashion can be seen on weekends. Among the unique fashion observed here, you see defunct Rockabilly fashion right to the Punk Rock era.

Most travellers or tourists would go here via the JR Yamanote line and exit at the Harajuku Station (原宿駅). You would first notice the massive crowds surrounding the entire area from here. Most of them are teenagers who come here to shop or hang out. The weekend is the best time to visit Harajuku, and you should spend at least half a day there.

The best time to come here is from late morning to late afternoon; if you go early, nothing is open, and Japanese retail shops love to open around 10 to 11 AM. The same goes for cafes and restaurants.

Apart from fashion and shopping here in Harajuku, you should look out for Cosplay Fashion, where teenagers dress up as popular Japanese Anime characters. Overall, they come in many outlandish costumes that make heads turn everywhere.

Another style to look out for is the GothLoli or Gothic Lolita Fashion, where girls and boys overdo the goth look but in style. There are also many other fashion trends, like Visual Kei, Ganguro, Gyaru, and Kogal, and the “cute” Kawaii style.

When I walked along the streets, I saw many of them but did not get a chance to photograph them. If you are into Japanese fashion, this is the place to visit.

While the many shops around here sell almost all fashion genres, you would find something suitable if you want to pick up a souvenir. They do have decent everyday fashion, but since you’re all the way here, you should get something unique. Well, I did, and it’s not one of those Cosplay uniforms!

Walking down the main street in Harajuku is also no joke; at any one time, there are thousands of people moving about, as you can see in the picture above. Shops found there are mainly fashion, restaurants, and fast food. Several food and drink stalls and kiosks are at most junction corners.

The street stretches for about a kilometre down to the main crossing, which leads to Harajuku Street, another area where up-and-coming designers have their boutique fashion shops.

Harajuku Street is more relaxed than the main Takeshita Street; there are fewer crowds here, and you can find many specialized boutique designers and shops here. You will likely find something unique if you spend some time exploring this part of town, and I recommend you do it when you are here.This street also leads to Omotesandō Street, where you make one big turn and find yourself back at the Harajuku Station. Overall, it’s not easy to get lost there.

For the record, if you know the term Harajuku Girls, it generally came from here, and it is more popularly known in the hit song by Gwen Stefani, done in 2011.They are, in fact, four young Japanese and Japanese American backup dancers who were featured in stage shows and music videos for Gwen Stefani during her solo pop/R&B/dance-record phase.

One thing’s for sure: if you are a serious fashionista, you would most probably go crazy for the items they have on sale here. Price-wise, it is decent and not as expensive as you may think. They also follow the season so, during winter, you will get more winter fashion.When Is The Best Time To Visit Harajuku?

The best time to visit Harajuku is undoubtedly in the Spring and Summer of Japan, and this is when the place goes into full action, with thousands of visitors, including locals that flock here. You should also come early, just before lunchtime, as the main street gets crowded after lunch.

If you like photography, you will find this place fascinating as the trendy Japanese teenagers here do not mind having their picture taken, provided you ask them politely; they will even pose for you.

Omotesando Street in HarajukuThose who indulge in branded fashion will be pleased to know that Harakuku’s Omotesandō area carries top branded names like Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Gucci, Zara, and many others.

The area is also well known for one famous Japanese toy store called KiddyLand. Omotesando is also known as “Tokyo’s Champs-Élysées” and is highly popular among the Japanese. Shopping mall lovers can check out Omotesando Hills, a modern urban development of multiple buildings catering to trendy shoppers.

 

How to go to Harajuku? First, you must take a train to Shibuya or Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. Then, you must take the JR Yamanote Line from Shibuya Station or Shinjuku Station and stop at Harajuku Station.

You exit into Takeshita Street here. This is the easiest and most common way here. For other methods, there is the Meijijingu-mae Station, served by the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin Subway Lines.

Omotesando Station is at the eastern end of Omotesando Street, served by the Chiyoda, Ginza and Hanzomon Subway Lines. Alternatively, you can take a taxi, which will be pretty costly.

Harajuku Station is your main entry to this fantastic place in Tokyo.

Conclusion

I flew to Tokyo, Japan, with AirAsia, as the airline flies directly into Haneda Airport in Tokyo. It is actually much nearer than flying in via Narita Airport. You can sometimes get discounted fares from as low as RM299 (US $ 100) one way, making it very affordable to visit Japan.After I did some calculations, a single person can visit Japan for 5 to 7 days with RM5000 (US $ 1400), which includes flights, hotels, and food, minus the shopping. And for anyone doing a double city visit in Japan, and if you are visiting Osaka, here is a list of what to do in Osaka.

When you visit Japan, known as the Land of the Rising Sun, you should see the fashion capital Harajuku in Tokyo. Who knows? You may find something unique while exploring this pop-culture location in Japan.