Japan Takeshita Dori

Takeshita Dori [竹下通り] - a pedestrianized street (between the hours of 11am and 6pm) in Harajuku Tokyo that is filled with restaurants, cafes, fashion and accessory stores and a lot of people. Most of the stores are aimed at the younger generation so you will see a load of students after school hours too.

When I first came to Japan, I would come here to buy whats known as Nama Shashin [生写真]  unofficial or paparazzi photos ) of my favorite idol at the time -Nishida Hikaru. Today, they still sell Nama Shashin here of the most popular idols like AKB48, Arashi, and more.

If you are looking for some casual clothes and want to see the latest trends with young folks then this is where you should come. Get off at Harajuku station on the JR line. Close by is Meiji Jingu park which you can also enjoy. Harajuku is also home to one of the largest toy stores in Tokyo - Kiddy Land.

full of crowds on the Takeshita streets

Harajuku (原宿) refers to the area around Tokyo's Harajuku Station, which is between Shinjuku and Shibuya on the Yamanote Line. It is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also offers shopping for adults and some historic sights.

The focal point of Harajuku's teenage culture is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) and its side streets, which are lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlets geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens.

In order to experience the teenage culture at its most extreme, visit Harajuku on a Sunday, when many young people gather around Harajuku Station and engage in cosplay ("costume play"), dressed up in crazy costumes to resemble anime characters, punk musicians, etc.

Just south of Takeshita Dori and over twice its length is Omotesando, a broad, tree lined avenue sometimes referred to as Tokyo's Champs-Elysees. Here you can find famous brand name shops, cafes and restaurants for a more adult clientele. The stylish Omotesando Hills complex was opened in 2006 and targets fashion conscious urbanites in their 30s and 40s, while Kiddy Land has hundreds of unique toys for kids of all ages.

 
Harajuku is not only about teenage culture and shopping. Meiji Jingu, one of Tokyo's major shrines, is located just west of the railway tracks in a large green oasis shared with the spacious Yoyogi Park. Beautiful ukiyo-e paintings are exhibited in the small Ota Memorial Museum of Art, and the Nezu Museum has an impressive collection of various Asian art as well as a traditional Japanese garden


sites must review SINDIKET