Walking the town in search of Kawaii! Walking the streets of Tokyo
In recent years Tokyo Style has started to attract the world’s attention. There are many unique and charming spots in Tokyo for things like fashion, sundries, and food. Here, we’d like to introduce some store-lined streets that you should be sure to visit when you’re in Tokyo.
Takeshita Street 竹下通り
Takeshita Street is a fashionable street in Tokyo that has been at the very leading edge of fashion since 1970. Stretching about 350m from the Takeshita exit of Harajuku Station to Meiji Avenue, it is lined with countless stores selling fashion goods, sundries, and food, and is bustling daily with young people and tourists. With countless stores, such as “SoLaDo Harajuku,” it’s like walking right into the heart of “Tokyo Kawaii”!
Meiji Avenue 明治通り
Meiji Avenue is a busy and often congested avenue that is representative of Tokyo, and connects the three busy hubs of Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, and Shibuya. When passing between Harajuku and Shibuya, we recommend visiting fashion buildings, such as “Laforet Harajuku” and “Tokyu Plaza,” the many specialty shops of popular brands, and surprisingly cheap thrift stores. The avenue is teeming with an assortment of stores, like general stores where the latest appealing designs can be found.
Omotesando 表参道
An avenue connecting Aoyama Avenue and the Meiji Shrine intersection, it takes its name from the Japanese word “sando,” which means a road leading up to a shrine (the Meiji Shrine in this case). On this avenue where the air of high society lingers, you’ll find fashionable buildings like “Omotesando Hills” and luxury brands such as Gucci and Dior. You’ll also find “Kiddy Land,” which sells character goods such as “Hello Kitty,” “Doraemon,” and “Rika-chan,” and is very popular with foreign tourists.
Cat Street キャットストリート
Running parallel to Meiji Avenue, Cat Street is over flowing with apparel shops, and is commonly called “Urahara.” Since it’s got so many unique thrift stores, it is popular with those who want to dress unconventionally and stand out from the crowd.
Shibuya Center Street 渋谷センター街
A shopping street that starts between the Tsutaya and Taiseido book shops in front of the Shibuya Station crossing. Famous as a street where many young people hang out, it is also where a lot of street culture was born between the late 90s and early 2000s. Day and night, the street overflows with people visiting its many fast food outlets, bars, accessory shops, and gyaru-kei shops such as “ANAP.”
Dogenzaka 道玄坂
A bustling street located west of Shibuya Station. This is where “SHIBUYA109” is, a fashion building occupied by Shibuya-type shops. Once you leave Shibuya Station and enter a small lane on the right at the top of Dogenzaka, you’ll find numerous bars, clubs, and live music houses, which means it’s always bustling with young people from late night to morning
Shibuya Park Street 渋谷公園通り
A fashionable street that winds past the large fashion malls “Marui Shibuya” and “Shibuya Parco” to Yoyogi Park. Since there are so many small apparel shops in the backstreets that run parallel to Shibuya Park street, there’s no doubt you’ll find something that you love if you take a stroll through the neighborhood!
Spain-zaka スペイン坂
A roughly 100m sloping road connecting Inokashira street and “Shibuya Parco,” both sides of the street are tightly packed with shops selling unique accessories and sundries. There’s also a good chance you’ll stumble across photo shoots for fashion magazines. Once you get to the top of the hill you’ll be at “Shibuya Parco” where, on the first floor, live radio is being broadcast from the “TOKYO FM Shibuya Spain-zaka Studio.”
Ameya Yokocho アメヤ横丁
There are over 400 shops lining this street under the elevated JR Yamanote line from Ueno Station to Okachimachi Station. Commonly called “Ameyoko,” it started out as a black market after the war. Now, it’s mainly a place where seafood and dry foods are sold. On the Okachimachi side, there are many stores that sell fashion goods and sundries, and since you can get good prices no matter which store you go into, it’s a great place to buy souvenirs in bulk.
2k540 AKI-OKA ARTISAN
A shopping street that extends along the elevated JR Yamanote line from Okachimachi Station to Akihabara. This area was created based on a “craftsmen’s street” theme and there are numerous workhouses doubling as shops and fashionable cafes. There are many things that you can buy only here, such as handmade cloth and Edo glass.
Kitchen Town (Kappabashi) かっぱ橋道具街
A street full of wholesalers dealing in tableware, cookware, and food models, which have recently been getting a lot of attention. Food models, which were unique to Japan, have been extensively introduced overseas and the streets are filled with tourists looking for these Kawaii goods. Hands on food model-making experiences are currently available at “Ganso-Shokuhinya,” where you can even make your own tempura.
Nakamise 仲見世
Created in the Edo Era (1603 to 1868), this is one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan, and should not be missed by anyone visiting Tokyo. This shopping street is about 250m long and runs from Kaminarimon to Sensoji, and is where you’ll find everything from souvenirs like ornamental beckoning cats (manekineko) and paper lanterns, to stores selling kimonos and yukatas. If you want some Kawaii goods that are uniquely Japanese, this is the place!
Your Japan Travel Made Easy.
Highlights
How about putting Kimono on and have pictures taken? Your Japan tour turns special because of that. It’s also a good way to commemorate your anniversary day.
You can choose 4 shots to have them burned onto CD!
Plus, 2 of the 4 shots will be presented to you on 2L-sized paper matting. They witness your deep affection toward each other.
Highlights
☆☆Japan’s popular “Kawaii gel nail”☆☆
Our English speaking staff will assist you with any requests
★Comparing to manicure, gel nail has longer durability and stays for about 3~4 weeks on your nails. Gel nail also helps fix the shiny stones and stickers on your nails so they will not come off easily!
★By using gels which are made from newly developed materials, only 5 seconds are needed for curing so you can save your valuable time to explore the fashionable town of Shibuya!
Let’s enjoy Japan starting out from your fingertips with kawaii nails!
★Japan boasts the world’s top-class gel nail technologies. The usual price is at 7000～10000 JPY.
In this plan, however, you will enjoy high-quality nail artwork at a value price.
★Just tell the interpretation staff your requests!
＊＊You need to be over 16 years of age to apply for this course.＊＊
Highlights
☆☆Japan’s popular “Kawaii gel nail”☆☆
Our English speaking staff will assist you with any requests.
★Comparing to manicure, gel nail has longer durability and stays for about 3~4 weeks on your nails. Gel nail also helps fix the shiny stones and stickers on your nails so they will not come off easily!
★By using gels which are made from newly developed materials, only 5 seconds are needed for curing so you can save your valuable time to explore the fashionable town of Shibuya!
★Nail product souvenirs are included so you can maintain or remove the gel yourself after leaving
Japan.
★Japan boasts the world’s top-class gel nail technologies. The usual price is at 7,000～10,000 JPY.
In this plan, however, you will enjoy high-quality nail artwork at a value price.
★Just tell the interpretation staff your requests!
＊＊You need to be over 16 years of age to apply for this course.＊＊
Highlights
☆☆Japan’s popular “Kawaii gel nail”☆☆
Dress up your nails like a princess with shiny rhinestones!
Our English speaking staff will assist you with any requests.
★This plan provides you a special fixed price for nail application service with unlimited rhinestones! Same price no matter how many stones you want to add!
★Let’s enjoy Japan with gorgeous and customized nail art!
Comparing to manicure, gel nail has longer durability and stays for about 3～4 weeks on your nails.
By using gels which are made from newly developed materials, only 5 seconds are needed for curing so you can save your valuable time to explore the fashionable town of Shibuya!
★Just tell the interpretation staff your requests!
＊＊You need to be over 16 years of age to apply for this course.＊＊
