Japan: Harajuku Illuminations 2012-11-22

Harajuku is a vivacious and colorful district of Tokyo renowned for it's "Harajuku girl" fashions. 

Trendy and fun though the fashions may be, they are primarily geared towards teenaged girls rather than 20-something adults…that's where Omotesando comes in!

Catering to a slightly more mature audience, the styles are still eclectic and fun without being quite as avant garde (and the prices reflect it). Don't be too quick to dismiss either neighborhood as there are all sorts of fun shops and unexpected surprises around every corner. 

You can quite literally shop high & low by walking only a few short blocks! 

Whichever your preference, there's no denying the charm of walking through the winding streets of these neighborhoods and good company just makes it better.

On this particular evening, Kazu and I met in Harajuku with plans to take in some of the illumination displays that were going on. Several of the displays crept through the entire building, causing the crowds of curious to wind their way up to the roof. Kazu had the map and led the way, I gawked and took photos. 

Japan: Lazy day in Urayasu & brief Harajuku visit 2012-10-11

Due to the demands of my job, I was often worn out and exhausted by the time my weekend rolled around. This meant that my first day off usually centered around cleaning, shopping, running errands and relaxing. On this particular rest day, I had a leisurely venture around Urayasu to appreciate some of the local architecture before making my way into Harajuku to shop at the resale store Kinji. Resale shops are essentially Japan's take on thrift stores! I originally discovered Kinji from the article on Tokyocheapo and looked forward to scoping it out. There are a wide array of shops selling clothing for various prices, some exorbitant and some shockingly cheap, so there's going to be options whatever your budget!

More photos after the cut!