day 4: harajuku & shinjuku

our "home" station - hamamatsucho on the yamanote line

omg! i didn't know they still existed. 
i saw a ganguro chick in real life!!
love the pikachu onesie and the doraemon mask.

the famous entrance to takeshita dori
- where the high school girls find all their fashion

so many people

one of my "must-do" items for harajuku was crepes

i knew about this place years before being there in person

this was the flavour i got

obviously very popular

steps up to a shrine, right in the middle of commercialism paradise. so japan.

even the young kids are super kakko ii

i saw her again. such a highlight for me!
the ganguro/yamanba style is pretty much 
an extinct fashion subculture.

had to test out the bubble tea tokyo has to offer

titty boo

again, soooo many people!

after takeshita dori, we moved on to the more upscale omotesando.

so. many. people.

we spent a long time in here

bought the little guy in my hand

this famous shop was featured in a "learn japanese"
audio tape i had as a young teenager
- my first exposure to japanese language. 

cool to see it's still as popular even now

harajuku station

the bridge area is a famous spot to see cosplay on sundays
and meiji shrine is located right behind (where the trees are).

we left harajuku and headed over to shinjuku. i was so tired and therefore emotional so we didn't stay long or see much. 

love how construction is done in japan - gotta keep things clean!

this type of ad truck was a common site

i THINK this was the bic camera that hubby bought his watch at...

kaiten-zushi (conveyor belt sushi) restaurant -
we attempted to eat here, but neither of us 
like raw fish or are very adventurous. 
i got a plate of "mystery meat" (really, NO CLUE what it was) 
for like 130 yen, because i felt bad not getting anything, 
and then we left.

famous gate to the "red light" district 
- we walked around but didn't see too much

note: we actually walked through takeshita twice. i tried to buy some cute shirts i saw but everything was sized as medium (but i think that is a lie. very small.) and i made a note saying "irasshaimaseeeeeee" (i guess it was all very overanunciated?) i only ended up buying some socks.

hubby bought a pair of nike shoxx in omotosando and i got 2 shirts at the gap.

also in my notes is "3rd ramen" but i can't remember where that might have been from. the same place again in hamamatsucho?

i remember getting somewhat lost on the way home from the station one night. it must have been the first or second night... but we stopped off in a 7-11 and were surprised because the lady that worked there (like the age of our moms) spoke nearly perfect english.