原宿 (Harajuku): Underground Fashion at it's BEST!!

Well I can't talk about anything else before I talk about my favorite place in Japan; 原宿 (Harajuku).

原宿が大好き～！！！（＾＿＾）日本に行った時に原宿でよく買い物に行ったんだよ！

I love fashion and the underground fashion capital of the world I think is in Japan. Harajuku has some of the most diverse and outstanding fashion I have ever seen. The genres that are covered through fashion in Harajuku alone are amazing! From gothic lolita to hip hop, every person is dressed to impress and express themselves through a way that many wouldn't consider to be a loud statement. I feel it's much more of a loud statement then what any words could describe! It crosses borders that language cannot!

Let me just start out by saying, if you love fashion... you will LOVE Harajuku. Every other weekend while I lived in Japan, I would travel to 原宿 and shop for the fashion styles I looooove! 竹下通り (Takeshita Street) was the street I usually went to shop, since it was so trendy and crowded with tons of people all dying to be part of the fashion scene in Harajuku.

Sundays are usually the fun day to visit Harajuku because of all the cosplay and people dressed up in unique fashion! I would try to look my best, but I could never compete with some of these guys and gals of the Harajuku fashion world!

My favorite store that I shopped at pretty much everytime I went to Harajuku is Elle Me. I'm a tall girl and Elle Me had a lot of clothing that fit me with room to spare, and most of the clothing is really cute and trendy! One time I found a shirt that was 2 sizes too big and I almost died from a heart attack! I couldn't believe it!

Jeans Mate is another fun store, for both guys and girls! Jeans Mate even will customize fit your clothing if it is too big. I actually got pants made into shorts at this store! Can you even do that in America?

Socks are a major fashion accessory in Japan, I think it's still #1 actually! TuTu Anna is probably the best store to find your sock needs! Mighty Soxer is another great store to buy socks, leg warmers, anything in that area! There are a couple other sock-like stores on this street.



You want girly? Liz Lisa is the place to go! I never really bothered going in there because I am not the size of a japanese girl...

Body Line is the top on this street for Lolita fashion! The ladies are this store are so helpful and nice, I had a nice 20 minute conversation with one of them who was... well 1, amazed that I spoke Japanese... but also that I loved this kind of fashion!

For two tiny stores with an explosion of wacky fashion, check out ACDC and RAG STORES! They are right next to each other and the squeeze inside might shock you... but the fashion is so unique and awesome, I just had to buy something!



Off a corner street, Sexy Dynamite London is hidden down an alley way... but boy is the punk fashion awesome there! Another "From London" Favorite is Vivienne Westwood! I loooooooove LOVE LOVE Vivienne Westwood, just about everything she designs, I want! However, on the expensive side... That's why 竹下通り is the place to buy cheap(er) Vivienne Westwood products! I bought my favorite piece of jewelry (seen in my picture below) in Closet Child, another great gothic lolita/punk/AWESOME store!　

You certainly can't miss the flashy outfits from Takenoko, clearly visable as you walk down 竹下通り. I was almost afraid to walk into this store because of how crazy some of the costumes were!

Honestly, you can't walk down this street without getting a delicious crepe from one of the many vendors! They have so many kinds and they are soooooooo good!!! すごくおいしい～！！　いいな～　食べたいな～～～

There are so many other stores I'm forgetting, but I just wanted to give you a little taste of my love for Japan, and for 原宿! (^__^) I focused on 竹下通り because that's where I shopped most of the time and I'm very familiar with that area!

戻りたいな～　また竹下通りで買い物に行きたいな～　一緒に買い物に行こうか？？　（＾＿＾）

Until Next Time

またね～
Chao, Tokyo!

~<3>