Friday, March 30, 2012

Tokyo Part 2: Harajuku!

Ok, so this was the one place in all of Tokyo I was most excited to see. Why? Because of the crazy street fashion! I've read books on Tokyo fashion and the crazy colorful, vibrant, youthful spirits that flock the streets of Harajuku decked out in the coolest outfits. Thanks to Belle and Sebastian (the song 'I'm a Cuckoo' in particular) I knew the gang gathers on Sundays, and so we planned to go on the second day of our trip. But it was a total letdown! It was cold and rainy, and I think because of this I didn't even notice any crazy fashion, besides Lolita(which is not that rare in Japan, anyway). I was bummed, but I ended up walking around the city and shopping all day with my bestie Tif. It's a pretty great place to shop, and especially cheap for Tokyo, but it was a bit reminiscent of Shinsaibashi in Osaka. That's the thing about Tokyo--besides the lack of Kansai-ben(Kansai dialect), it seems like a combination of Osaka and Kyoto.  
St. Patty's Parade
We went on the 18th, and for some odd reason there was a St. Patrick's day parade(a day late?) with a bunch of foreigners and green! It added a nice care-free vibe to the mix, but the loud drunk guys walking around with cups of beer in their hands were a bit trashy...
Also, before we went shopping we went to the Meiji Jingu shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji.. which is apparently the most famous shrine in Japan? I didn't think it was too special, having seen a million shrines and temples in Kyoto, but the cool thing about it is it hosts a lot of weddings! I saw 2, which I actually thought was one really long wedding. Notice the mix of traditional wear and western-style suits in the picture? I felt bad for them because it was raining on their wedding day. But it was a really unique sight, and definitely the first wedding I've seen in Japan.
Wedding(Bride)
Wedding
Best place to shop


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