Harajuku / Omotesando - Tokyo Intro: Experience #16 of 55
These two districts are right next to each other. For trendy styles and fashions, these are the places to visit. All sorts of interesting cafes and shops are in these areas. The famous Shibuya district is to the south and east of Harajuku.
Harajuku
This is famous for young, creative, Japanese fashions, and where the term Harajuku Girls originated. Teenagers flock to this area. The fashion of kawaii and Lolita made their debuts here and splashed across the world. Bright, colorful, cute, cartoony, and individual describes the look. All types of little shops and cafes are in this area bordering on Omotesando. The main street through the area is Takeshita Street which you can get to by walking right out of Harajuku Station. The backstreets here are full of little stores with cool to kitschy clothes and accessories. A large Daiso 100 yen store is on Takeshita Street, and a Sailor Moon Store is now in the area. Gwen Stephani also has a great music video "Harajuku Girls" that you can watch on Youtube.
Some Tokyo Stores for Street Fashion and Bearbricks or Vinyl Toys
My Favourite Tokyo Starbucks and Bills for Breakfast
Omotesando
This neighborhood is centered around Omotesando Dori, a broad avenue lined with trees providing a lush green canopy. People have said this is the Champs-Elysees of Tokyo. In this area, mainly along this street are many international designer brand stores. If they didn’t set up in Ginza, they set up here. Restaurants, shops, and malls line the street here and the sidewalks are often busy. Stores like the Softbank store with Pepper Robots, the renowned Kiddyland toy store, ASOKO flagship for lifestyle products, fashion, and accessories, H&M, Flying Tiger, BAPE, Oriental Bazaar for souvenirs, and hundreds more are here.
Harajuku
This is famous for young, creative, Japanese fashions, and where the term Harajuku Girls originated. Teenagers flock to this area. The fashion of kawaii and Lolita made their debuts here and splashed across the world. Bright, colorful, cute, cartoony, and individual describes the look. All types of little shops and cafes are in this area bordering on Omotesando. The main street through the area is Takeshita Street which you can get to by walking right out of Harajuku Station. The backstreets here are full of little stores with cool to kitschy clothes and accessories. A large Daiso 100 yen store is on Takeshita Street, and a Sailor Moon Store is now in the area. Gwen Stephani also has a great music video "Harajuku Girls" that you can watch on Youtube.
Some Tokyo Stores for Street Fashion and Bearbricks or Vinyl Toys
My Favourite Tokyo Starbucks and Bills for Breakfast
Omotesando
This neighborhood is centered around Omotesando Dori, a broad avenue lined with trees providing a lush green canopy. People have said this is the Champs-Elysees of Tokyo. In this area, mainly along this street are many international designer brand stores. If they didn’t set up in Ginza, they set up here. Restaurants, shops, and malls line the street here and the sidewalks are often busy. Stores like the Softbank store with Pepper Robots, the renowned Kiddyland toy store, ASOKO flagship for lifestyle products, fashion, and accessories, H&M, Flying Tiger, BAPE, Oriental Bazaar for souvenirs, and hundreds more are here.
Walking along Omotesando Dori is also an architectural paradise with specially commissioned buildings going up to showcase the various designer brands here. Do not miss going inside to see the unique Omotesando Hills Mall that is built on a hillside. At the far western end of Omotesando Dori is Harajuku Station and the entrance to the Meiji Shrine. At the far eastern end of Omotesando Dori lies the less known, but significant Nezu Art Museum with its Japanese & East Asian art collection.
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