©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 106 Harajuku & Aoyama HARAJUKU | AOYAMA & GAIENMAE Neighbourhood Top Five 1 Meiji-jingū (p108) rary architecture, the work 4 Takeshita-dōri (p109) Leaving the city behind of Japan’s leading architects, Scouting new looks while as you pass through the and the eyebrow-raising strolling through Harajuku’s towering cedar torii (gate), consumerism along this famous teen fashion bazaar. which marks the entrance wide, tree-lined boulevard. 5 Nezu Museum (p111) to the abode of the gods, 3 Yoyogi-kōen (p109) Retreating into the calm and following the wooded, Stretching out on the grassy galleries and gardens of gravel path to Tokyo’s most lawn or catching a food this excellent antiquities impressive Shintō shrine. festival at the city’s most museum. 2 Omote-sandō (p110) popular park, which buzzes Gawking at the contempo- with life on weekends. Shut oExpwy ¦#Kokuritsu- SENDAGAYA No 4 Kyōgijō £# 0 500 m Tokyo e# 0 0.25 miles Shinanomachi Metropolitan ō Gymnasium d ¦# Kita-sandō Sangūbashi £# n a s Meiji- - Meiji- M Jingū- a jingū t jingū i e gaien Gyoen K i Gaien j i 1#æ - d Meiji- ō kōen r i i r ō d - i h s SHIBUYA-KU i n - n e i a Tōgō- G South jinja Pond #þ T 4# ak #÷ es 3# hi dō ta- K Harajuku £# ri ill er Yoyogi- JINGŪMAE -d ¦# Meiji-jingūmae ¦# ō Gaienmae ¦# Yoyogi-kōen kōen HARAJUKU ri 1 1 1 i r 1 1 1 1 ¦# Meiji-jingūmae ō Aoyama-reien d - 1 1 1 i a (Aoyama K r #æ 1 1 1 1 ō 2# m a I a Cem1 ete1ry) 1 m n d o - O KITA- y m o G k e 1 1 1 1 iy a i r r o A a i t AOYAMA a s e 1 1 i 1 h ō - e m F s i d a n a r - n 1 1 1 1 a ji d - S - i ō n d e 1 1 1 i h ō ¦# MINAMI- s ō r M Omote- 1 1 1h 1 t i e AOYAMA i sandō 1 1 - 1 n JINNAN d g 1 1 1 1 a ō i 1 1 r 1 Miyashita- i UDAGAWA-CHŌ 1 1 1 1 kōen 1 1 1 Ko 1 1 1 1 tt â# SHŌTŌ ō- 5# 1 1 1 SHIBUYA-KU dō ri 1 1 1 1 For more detail of this area see Map p276 A 107 Lonely Planet’s Explore Harajuku & Aoyama Top Tip Harajuku is a neighbourhood that rewards an early Harajuku, and especially start: grab a coffee at Little Nap Coffee Stand (p113) and the boulevard Omote- walk through Yoyogi-kōen (p109) to the shrine, Meiji- sandō, can get extremely crowded – with foot traffic jingū (p108) – you’ll beat the crowds this way. Then make HARAJUKU & your way up Omote-sandō (p110), before the shopping moving at a slow, platform- starts in earnest (the better to see the striking contem- shoe shuffle. If you want to porary buildings that line this boulevard). For a retreat, seriously shop or zip around step into the hushed environs of one of the excellent art to see the museums and museums here, like the Ukiyo-e Ōta Memorial Museum architecture, then head over on a weekday. If you want to of Art (p109), for woodblock prints, or the Nezu Museum A (p111), for antiquities. get caught up in it all, check OYAMA Harajuku is Tokyo’s real-life catwalk, a world-re- out the markets and people- nowned shopping destination where the ultra-chic (and watch, then come on a Sat- urday or Sunday afternoon. chic-in-training) come to browse and be seen – a sight in and of itself (and a must if shopping is on your itiner- ary). Work your way back through the snaking side al- leys of Ura-Hara (the nickname for the side streets on 5 Best Places either side of Omote-sandō, where the fashion is edgier to Eat than on the main drag), to Takeshita-dōri (p109). This ¨ Maisen (p111) trendy shopping strip, beloved by teens all over, should ¨ Harajuku Gyōza Rō (p111) be heaving by now. ¨ Yanmo (p112) Once the shops close, Harajuku becomes eerily quiet. Aoyama too, though there are some swanky establish- For reviews, see p111.A ments here that fuel the well-heeled after hours. There are some excellent (and not unreasonable) dinner op- tions here, if you’ve planned for a splurge night. 6 Best Places to Drink ¨ Two Rooms (p113) Local Life ¨ Oath (p113) ¨Hang-outs On sunny weekends, Yoyogi-kōen (p109) ¨ Montoak (p113) draws crowds of picnicking families, frisbee-tossing For reviews, see p113.A students and amateur musicians and dancers using the grassy lawn as free practice space. ¨ Street Fashion Photographers for street-fashion 7 Best Places magazines line Omote-sandō looking for the next big to Shop thing. Teens and 20-somethings know it and dress for a shot at their 15 minutes of fame. ¨ Dog (p116) ¨Markets On weekends the most popular lunch spot is ¨ Sou-Sou (p116) the cluster of food trucks at Aoyama’s farmers market ¨ Laforet (p116) (p109). ¨ Musubi (p116) ¨ Bedrock (p117) For reviews, see p116.A Getting There & Away ¨Train The JR Yamanote line stops at Harajuku Station. ¨Subway The Chiyoda line runs beneath Omote-sandō, stopping at Meiji-jingūmae (for Harajuku) and Omote- sandō (for Aoyama). The Fukutoshin line stops at Meiji- jingūmae and Kita-Sandō. The Ginza and Hanzōmon lines both stop at Omote-sandō Station..