Shopping Streets III - Japan

When you are in Japan, there's always one thing that you will notice that's different from any other country you visit. The way their local shops are set up in a cooperative known as a shopping street. I've mentioned about the shopping streets in Kyoto previously - Kiyomizuzaka and Sannenzaka.

In any city, you will find shopping streets like Oxford Street in London, Rodeo Drive in LA or Orchard Road in Singapore. These are major thoroughfare with malls and brand name shops along the street usually on both sides. More often they will be known locally as Main Street or High Street shops.

But in Japan, the shopping streets are distinctly different and have a unique flavor all of its own. The shopping streets tend to comprise small shops banded together rather than having malls or brand name shops.
Famous shopping streets in Tokyo would be Takeshitadori in Harajuku, Nakamise Street at Asakusa, Ameyokocho at Ueno or Sunshine 60 Street at Ikebukuro. These are unlike 'Main Streets' like the Ginza, Shibuya or Shinjuku which are dominated by major departmental stores.

In these 'neighborhood' shopping streets, you will find that shops are usually of no particular type. You will typically find restaurants next to clothing stores, cafes next to market stalls, shoe shops beside pharmacies. These shops are mainly owner occupied and most work under an informal association arrangement and you will find that many streets are covered with a roof over the street.

Typically, these streets are 100m to 200m long and going through these streets are a must if you visit Japan. The shopping streets usually do not have vehicular traffic so you can safely browse along the streets most of which have their wares all laid outside to attract customers.
The atmosphere and friendliness of the shopkeepers are completely different from those of the major departmental stores on 'Main Street' shops.

Cosplay at Harajuku

Harajuku district in Tokyo has always been the epitome of youthful exuberance. Off beat, irreverent and often rebellious in nature, Harajuku has a life of its own.

Takeshita dori (street) just opposite the Harajuku train station is the place where this youthful subculture flourishes. Ever-changing and always trend setting, this is where the happenings are.

Cosplay, or costume roleplay, is the activity where the Japanese youth dress up as their anime or manga comic characters. Harajuku is where cosplay events dominates the weekend. The area just south of Harajuku Station is the grand mecca for all things relating to cosplay. This culture has even spread to areas outside Japan, including Singapore which has a large cosplay fraternity.

I shot this video around 2005.
Sorry for the low-resolution as some of you had mentioned the slow downloads.
If you want to see a high res version, click here

Travel Movies - Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Japan

Within the heart of busy, bustling and fast paced Tokyo lies one of the most serene and peaceful green havens to be found.

This is the Meiji Shrine, located next to Harajuku, built in 1920 to commemorate Emperor Meiji. He was the first emperor of modern Japan, having regained power back from the Shoguns in 1868. It was he who pushed Japan from a feudal country into the modern westernized country that it is today. He was the emperor in "The Last Samurai" who finally defeated all the traditionalist warlords with modern weapons. He died in 1912.

Video was shot in 2004 at the Meiji Shrine featuring a traditional Shinto wedding procession.

Sakuratei- Finding a gem in Tokyo

Harajuku, Tokyo, February 22, 2009

Since my last posting about dining on Monjayaki back in Sep 08, the truth was that I had not had this dish despite the number of trips I've made back to Tokyo since then.

Thus, it was to the greatest of satisfaction that I found Sakuratei in the back street area of Harajuku. This delightful little restaurant, with its youthful and friendly servers, may be a little off the usual beat for tourists at the moment. But as Harajuku is still spreading from the main Omote-sando and Takeshita-dori areas into the back lanes, this restaurant will soon, no doubt, be right in the midst of the growing Harajuku cultural area.

Sakuratei is located right at the edge of the residential area. I had found the place after walking right through Takeshita-dori, that youth and fashion mecca street, and into an entirely new area which I had yet to venture, and was on the verge of turning back when I spotted this semi-hidden gem.

There are about 20 tables which can can seat 2-6 persons and their specialties are Monja-yaki and Okonomi-yaki. The decor is fun and youthful in keeping with the Harajuku culture.

They have an excellent menu which, because I was gaijin (foreigner), was given to me in the English version. Accompanying this menu were also instructions on how to cook your monja-yaki. Nothing could have been easier.

Cooked Monja-yaki (..I hope!!)

In my previous posting on recommending you to try Monja whilst in Tokyo, I would now specifically direct you to this gem of a restaurant in Harajuku. You won't be intimidated by the strangeness of this Tokyoite dish here and I can assure you that it is delicious. Goes along great with some sake or beer.

Crossing outside Harajuku Station