For those who have never went to Tokyo, one of the locations one should visit is Takeshita Street in Harajuku.
Right when you get out of JR East’s Harajuku Station, go across the street and you will see a big alley full of people and shops.
There are a lot of shopping to be done at this location, also plenty of restaurants and cafe as well.
It’s an area where everything goes, so don’t be alarmed to see people who are trendy, people who are counter-culture and people dressed up anyway they want.
When I went to Takeshita-dori, the place has changed a lot since when I last went. Back then, there was a heavy emphasis of visual kei and J-Pop with a lot of shops catering to music-related shops. But now, it’s a location where it caters to everyone. But also, many antenna shops for manufacturers to do their test-marketing.
And once you get to the end, keep walking a few blocks and you will enter the posh Omotesando Hills.
A lot has changed in Takeshita-dori, since I first went to Japan back in 1999. But here is my first shot of Takeshita St. way back then, and you can compare it with recent shots above.
