Our Last Couple Days in Tokyo
And we're back! I know I've been MIA with daily updates for the past couple days. We've had a jam packed schedule from exploring a gem of an art gallery to walking through Takeshita Street alongside pink haired, glittery 'Harajuku Girls.' Since we lost half a day because I was sick and learned about new things to do during our time here, we had a lot more to pack into our last days in Tokyo. This was the part of the trip where we ditched our itinerary, which I think served us well. It was nice to go into Tokyo with an idea of what we wanted to see and do, but once we hit most of our 'must-sees' and got a feel for the city, we found that it was easier to just explore the city organically.
After walking through the crowded and touristy Takeshita Street in Harajuku, we followed a trickle of locals through some back streets and ended up in a much less crowded nook in Harajuku with gorgeous, locally owned stores alongside some more brand-name flagship stores, all nestled into the narrow streets, walls pasted with street art. We were looking for a slice of the 'hip and trendy' Tokyo, and we found the best representation of that in a few narrow side streets that an internet search wouldn't have told us about.
Here are some photos of the shops in Takeshita street:
I was hoping I would get some graphics inspiration during our time in Harajuku since it is known as the center of Japanese pop-culture, but I was honestly a little disappointed in that respect. There weren't many graphics except for some shop signs and t-shirts, which were pretty standard, if not a little tacky looking. It really did seem like Takeshita Street was pretty tourism-driven with a lot of cheesy "Tokyo" t-shirts, souvenir shops and overpriced waffles. Oh well-- it was still fun to catch glimpses of some of the Harajuku Girls and check out what the area was all about. I did take some inspiration from the cool street art in the back streets, though.
Our walk through Harajuku led us to Meiji Shrine, a famous shrine in the center of Tokyo. Our visit to the Shrine reminded me of our walk through Shinjuku Gyoen Garden. After spending the past few hours immersed in such a modern and young culture in Harajuku, I was shocked by how serene and green Meiji Shrine felt. Tall, wirey trees flaked with light green leaves shot upward, obscuring the skyscrapers of urban Tokyo. Traditional wooden structures, centuries old, stood proudly, reminding visitors that the futuristic, industrial city that churns out the latest Samsung tablets, Toyota automobiles and Sony televisions was a city run by shoguns emperors only a century and a half prior. I love that in Japan, two seemingly polarized aspects of their culture stand side by side. The short path to Meiji Shrine stands feet away from the colorful, glittering screen that reads "Takeshita Street."
We also visited a small art gallery in Shinjuku. The current exhibit is focused on the 'the future.' We walked through rooms with drawing robots and 3D projections. From what it looks like to an outsider, Tokyo is not far from turning this futuristic vision into a reality. Japanese technology is very smart and integrated into society. Machines help run the city. Many restaurants utilize vending machine-esque machines that act as a menu, waiter and cash register all in one. There are an incredible amount of vending machines for drinks, snacks and even products scattered through every street.
We explored many other facets of the city as well. We tried soba noodles and soupless ramen. We shopped in a couple of maze-like department stores, famous for carrying cool and useful Japanese products and stationary. We walked through crowded streets, buzzing like electricity. We slumped through empty ones in the humidity and heat of the late afternoon. Our time in Tokyo was full of exploration, nature, tradition, technology, cleanliness and friendly souls. I've learned so much about Japanese culture during my short stay. Though it feels like we've touched every corner of Tokyo (our tired feet agree), I know we've only scratched the surface. Until next time, Tokyo... I know I'll be back. Off to Kyoto.
After walking through the crowded and touristy Takeshita Street in Harajuku, we followed a trickle of locals through some back streets and ended up in a much less crowded nook in Harajuku with gorgeous, locally owned stores alongside some more brand-name flagship stores, all nestled into the narrow streets, walls pasted with street art. We were looking for a slice of the 'hip and trendy' Tokyo, and we found the best representation of that in a few narrow side streets that an internet search wouldn't have told us about.
Here are some photos of the shops in Takeshita street:
Here is the street art in the side streets:
Our walk through Harajuku led us to Meiji Shrine, a famous shrine in the center of Tokyo. Our visit to the Shrine reminded me of our walk through Shinjuku Gyoen Garden. After spending the past few hours immersed in such a modern and young culture in Harajuku, I was shocked by how serene and green Meiji Shrine felt. Tall, wirey trees flaked with light green leaves shot upward, obscuring the skyscrapers of urban Tokyo. Traditional wooden structures, centuries old, stood proudly, reminding visitors that the futuristic, industrial city that churns out the latest Samsung tablets, Toyota automobiles and Sony televisions was a city run by shoguns emperors only a century and a half prior. I love that in Japan, two seemingly polarized aspects of their culture stand side by side. The short path to Meiji Shrine stands feet away from the colorful, glittering screen that reads "Takeshita Street."
We also visited a small art gallery in Shinjuku. The current exhibit is focused on the 'the future.' We walked through rooms with drawing robots and 3D projections. From what it looks like to an outsider, Tokyo is not far from turning this futuristic vision into a reality. Japanese technology is very smart and integrated into society. Machines help run the city. Many restaurants utilize vending machine-esque machines that act as a menu, waiter and cash register all in one. There are an incredible amount of vending machines for drinks, snacks and even products scattered through every street.
We explored many other facets of the city as well. We tried soba noodles and soupless ramen. We shopped in a couple of maze-like department stores, famous for carrying cool and useful Japanese products and stationary. We walked through crowded streets, buzzing like electricity. We slumped through empty ones in the humidity and heat of the late afternoon. Our time in Tokyo was full of exploration, nature, tradition, technology, cleanliness and friendly souls. I've learned so much about Japanese culture during my short stay. Though it feels like we've touched every corner of Tokyo (our tired feet agree), I know we've only scratched the surface. Until next time, Tokyo... I know I'll be back. Off to Kyoto.
Comments
Post a Comment