Today, we move to spend some time at Harajuku and
Omotesando, and this is a trip planed for Sunday. To get to Harajuku, we have to take the JR Yamanote line, with Harajuku Station being two stations south of Shinjuku station. Before heading to Harajuku, we will go
to Meiji Jingu Shrine and Yogogi Park, which is a short walk away from the station.
The Meiji Jingu is one of Tokyo’s most important Shinto shrines, and
although it’s not the most beautiful, it’s surrounded by lush woods giving it a
powerful ambiance. On a Sunday, our
chance of witnessing a Shinto wedding ceremony is very likely. After the shrine, we’ll take a stroll in Yoyogi
Park where on Sundays, many people gather to practice their favourite hobbies,
such as acting, sparring with swords, playing in a band, etc.
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| Top: Meiji Jingu Shrine Bottom: Yogogi Park |
Next is Harajuku and Omotesando, and since we are
planning this trip for a Sunday, a simple stroll on Harajuku’s streets is the
perfect day for people watching. As
anime and manga enthusiasts, we are well aware that people love to dress up
as their favourite character for conventions (Lisa and Maansi actually went to
a couple Toronto anime conventions where they dressed up as various anime
characters). Role playing, or cosplay,
is usally seen at events but every Sunday, youth cosplay various anime
characters on Harajuku’s Cosplay bridge.
Anything from video-game cosplay to the most bizarre gothic Lolita
outfits can be seen (prefect for taking some pictures and learning about the Youth culture in Japan!). Examples of types of people we might see:
Visual Kei- a rock movement in Japan, and they are
characterized by their over the top make-up and outfits
Lolita- a precociously seductive girl, taken from
Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita.
Different types of Lolitas are Gothic (sinster but innocent and carry
crosses, leather handbags, heavy makeup), Sweet (have a more childlike look, very
influenced by Shojo mangas), Erotic (a sexy look with short skirts and high
boots) and Wa style (a mix between traditional Kimono styles and Lolita
elements)
After some type at the Cosplay bridge, we move to
shop at Takeshita Dori. This is
Harajuku’s main commercial street, filled with cosplay shops as well as well
priced clothing, accessories, etc.
Omotesando Hills, the most expensive department in the country, will be
a great place to either window shop or to splurge a bit.
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| Top: Entrance to Takeshita Dori, Visual Kei style, Lolita style Bottom: Gothic lolita, Sweet lolita, Wa style lolita
Images: Google Images
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9:53 PM |
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