Hotels near Harajuku

Harajuku, the area immediately east of Meiji Shrine, has been the centre of Japanese street fashion since the 1970s. Takeshita-dori, the narrow 350-metre pedestrian street emerging from Harajuku Station, packs 100+ youth-fashion shops, crepe stands, and souvenir stalls aimed at teenagers. Saturday afternoons see the most-photographed cosplay outfits and Lolita fashion subcultures. Pure shopping mayhem, not a tranquil cultural experience.

Parallel Omotesando, often called Tokyo's Champs-Élysées, holds the luxury flagship shops of Prada (Herzog and de Meuron), Dior, and Louis Vuitton in some of Tokyo's most architecturally interesting buildings. Cat Street between Takeshita-dori and Omotesando is the destination for independent streetwear. Allow 3 hours to walk Takeshita-dori, Cat Street, and Omotesando in sequence.

Pro Tip: Visit Takeshita-dori on a weekday morning to walk it without elbows; visit on a Saturday afternoon for the actual youth-culture spectacle. The crepe shop Marion Crepes (operating since 1976) is the original Takeshita-dori dessert at 600-900 JPY a crepe.