When most people hear the word “Harajuku”, “KAWAii fashion” may come to mind.
However, Harajuku is also famous for other areas besides fashion, such as Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine, and there is a famous street called “Takeshita-dori” where Lady Gaga visited. Harajuku is a very popular place not only among Japanese but also among foreign tourists.
'In this article, we will introduce what Harajuku is famous for.
Harajuku was an area where international fashion gathered
Harajuku is one of Japan's most popular areas among young people.
Post WWII, Harajuku was an area lined with housing for U.S. military personnel, called “Washington Heights”.
The luxurious housing in Washington Heights was almost dreamlike for postwar Japanese people, with houses filled with state of the art kitchenware, appliances and furniture.
Many young Japanese at the time looked at Washington Heights with envy.
Thus, American fashion naturally spread through osmosis from Harajuku, creating the foundation for the current image of Harajuku as a mecca for cutting-edge fashion.
Although Washington Heights later disappeared, Yoyogi Park and the National Stadium were built on its site, and to this day, it remains a popular area in Tokyo where people can experience nature and the latest fashion culture.
Takeshita-dori is filled with Harajuku culture
As mentioned above, “foreign fashion” spread in Harajuku, but little by little, Japanese culture and foreign culture began to meld together, and around 2010, Japan's unique “kawaii” culture and fashion, known as “Harajuku KAWAii”, began to attract worldwide attention.
Takeshita-dori, the most famous street in Harajuku, is one of the most popular areas in Harajuku, with a variety of fashion-related stores lining its 350-meter-long alleyway, and even Lady Gaga has visited there.
It can be called the mecca of kawaii culture.
Take-shita-dori is not only a place for fashion, but also for sweets and cafes, many of which look great on SNS, making it a popular sightseeing plan for young people to take a break from shopping and enjoy crepes, waffles, and other sweets.
Areas such as Meiji Shrine and Ura-Harajuku are also popular
Harajuku offers easy access not only to Takeshita-dori Avenue, but also to popular areas such as Meiji Jingu Shrine and Uraharajuku. Meiji Jingu Shrine, in particular, is about the 15 times size of Tokyo Dome and offers a lot to see just by paying a visit. Moreover, it is surrounded by dense greenery that it is hard to believe that it is in the center of Tokyo, and is visited by many tourists from overseas every day. Since weddings and Shichi-Go-San ceremonies are held in the Kaguraden, you are likely to see newlywed couples dressed in kimono and children wearing hakama.
There are also places to eat inside Meiji Jingu Shrine, so it is recommended to spend some time relaxing and experiencing Japanese culture.
After visiting Meiji Jingu Shrine, you may want to go on to Uraharajuku. The recommended route is from Meiji Jingu Shrine via Takeshita-dori Avenue. You can surely enjoy the whole day visiting the Meiji Shrine, Takeshita Street, the birthplace of many fashion trends, and Uraharajuku with its many vintage clothing stores and galleries.
Harajuku is a hybrid area of old Japanese culture and the latest trends
Harajuku is an area that can be enjoyed by men and women of all ages, with the younger generation enjoying the fashion and cafes on Takeshita-dori and Uraharajuku, and those who want to experience Japanese culture can do some sightseeing around Meiji Jingu Shrine. Furthermore, JR Harajuku Station is characterized by its easy access to sightseeing, as the East Exit is a fashion-centered area for young people, while the West Exit is an area where you can enjoy traditional Japanese culture, and the station is divided into two parts.
Also, Yoyogi Park is located adjacent to Meiji Shrine, so if you are tired of sightseeing, you can relax in Yoyogi Park.
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