DIGGING POP CULTURE IN HARAJUKU, TOKYO

If you’re with a 14 year old on a Sunday in Tokyo, it’s a no- brainer to join them in a Harajuku foray, the epicenter of pop culture in Tokyo.

In this case, a picture is most definitely worth a thousand words, so here’s some highlights of our day:

Our spirits were high as we began our immersion on Takeshita Dori, in a crush of young women, tourists, hawkers, vendors and noise!

The most interesting encounter of the day was the creature in pink, not sure how to classify!

I was the only one in our group who could have spent more time in this circus, so we moved through as quickly as the crowds would allow, although if on my own I could have easily enjoyed some more intent exploration.

The streets surrounding Takeshita were cheek to jowl with all kinds of  creative dress up items, which led to some inspired browsing. FYI, there are about Y120 to the American dollar.

In the sneaker department, this was just the tip of the iceberg of footwear. Some places don’t like you taking pictures, so you’ve got to be fast and/or charming to get away with it. The yukata is the traditional Japanese summer robe, worn at onsen, or at festivals.  It was interesting to note that designers have taken to updating the look for young, contemporary taste.  It was surprising to learn that these limited edition items can sell for $500-$1000!

Along the way, we met a few new friends. What a wide and wonderful world we live in!