Harajuku

Tokyo Day 4
15-7-6

Caught train to Harajuku - one of many of Tokyo`s `trendy suburbs.` Lonely Planet describes it as been a place where fashionable youths like to go to be seen & shop. So Tere & I decided we would go & check it out.
It`s Saturday & when we arrive out of the subway we are meet with masses of people - looking down the main street, equiv to something like Auckland`s Queen Street are swarms of people covering the entire footpath as far as the eye can see. It`s insane.

The street is lined with some pretty big fashion-houses, such as Dior, Yves Saint Laurent etc... I daren`t even enter incase I`m automatically footed with $1000 NZ entry fee.
Lots of couples out for the day, carrying their shopping bags all styled up. People are out as much to be seen as to go shopping.

Off the main streets are lots of tiny little alley-ways lined with designer boutiques. Styley clothing stores with price tags to match. One alley-way is literally just swanky hair dressing salons & cafes.

We have lunch at this tiny little cafe on the 3rd floor of a little building on the main drag. The menu is in Japanese, but they have a large open hot plate where the chef is cooking these crepes filled with cabbage, egg etc, so we just point at those & order x2 - although i request `bejitarian` & Tere has pork (bacon).
Part of the fun is watching the chef cook them - first he pours batter onto hotplate & cooks crepe, then fills with freshly chopped cabbage, bean sprouts & herbs & bacon, then sprinkles chopped nuts inside, then he cooks another crepe which he then places ontop & flips (so looks kinda like crepe burger). Then he cracks an egg on the hotplate and spreads it out while frying it, places filled crepe inside, finally spreads a soy-sauce paste ontop & sprinkles with green stuff that looks like oregano, but isn`t.
Then he slices it up into 6 small squares and places on plate. Nb: this is all done using x2 fish slices to flip, cut, etc. very skillful.

Result is a mouthwatering, fantastic, filling meal!
Unfortunately I don`t know what they are called in Japanese as couldn`t understand menu, but they were damn good whatever they were.
Arigato gozaimass to the chef!!!

After lunch T & I decide to split up and do our own thing for an hour. Tere wants to check out a couple of the toy shops & I, of course want to check out the fashions.

I head off down the street and round the corner where I come upon a couple of vintage/retro stores. It`s madness, crowds of youths pushing through to find the perfect piece for their wardrobe. Really cool layout (ie) grouped into certain looks - 60`s mod, cowboy, rockabilly etc.
Although the goods are second hand - still pricey, however not so different from back home, where Hunter`s & Collectors & Ziggurat(Wellington vintage stores) are simlar. Vintage is in demand. But so is every/look/style etc. here.
I wander up & down the street popping in & out of various shops.
Meet up with Tere & we head into a department store -& I have a photo taken with 3 teenage Japanese girls, all dressed up in `costume-like` attire. Basically look like they`ve stepped off the set of Clockwork orange. cwaaazzzzy cool!

Come across another little alley-way area, where we stock up on a drink from vending machine.
We decide to have a rest & sit there for about 20 mins people watching.
Tere & I are constantly amazed at the fashion. There seems to be no right or wrong. Anything goes, and if they are into a certain style - they are not half-hearted. It`s do or die & they look fantastic.
Even the guys - we saw guys going through the racks in the woman`s section of store, finding accessories, trinkets that they can style into their outfits. Whether it is hung off their belt or tied around their wrist, they will find a way to style it.
I admit to been somewhat of a fashion-junkie, I enjoy fashion & dressing up, and I really admire that in Japan people seem to be so open to different styles & for both men/women, it feels really liberating. There is no wrong. Just experimentation.

Nb: Point to anyone planning on visiting Harajuku the alley-ways are the best parts, they are like little rabbit warrens with really cool little independant shops & great for people watching. Variety of clothing styles, hip-hop stores, retro hippy, designer t-shirts etc, shoes etc.

We head off back to subway as we are going to see a gig tonight at a venue in Shinjuku.

Harajuku was really cool, a very pretty area too, streets are lined with big trees. Very popular with young people & tourists. Unless you have a platinum card, I wouldn`t expect you could do too much shopping, as fairly pricey, but if you look hard enough you will come across some reasonably priced stores.

We are coming back to Harajuku tomorrow to check out Cosplay (aka Costume play) where all the kids go nuts & dress up in over the top in goth, maid outfits. COOL, that will be an experience in itself.

Signing off now - it`s 11.20 pm & our hostel has a 12.00 midnight curfew so...
Peace out.