Neko in Japan: To Harujuku and Beyond (album)

May 11, 2008
Tokyo, Japan

Harajuku is an area between Shinjuku. and Shibuya. Other places to visit while in this area include the headquarters of NHK, Meiji Shrine (which we had ambled to, because when we first arrived Harujuku didn't seem to be full of colorful people - see album in Photos section), and Yoyogi Park.

The term "Harajuku Girls" refer to those teenagers dressed in any fashion style within this area. These girls may be members of various sub-cultures including Gothic Lolita, Ganguro, Gyaru, and Kogal, or may often cosplay as characters from an anime, movie, or manga.

On the other hand, Akihabara (秋葉原) ("Field of Autumn Leaves") is also known as Akihabara Electric Town (秋葉原電気街, Akihabara Denki Gai).

Akihabara is a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods, including new and used items. Foreign tourists like yours truly tend to visit the big name shops like Laox or other speciality shops near the station, though I heard there is more variety and lower prices at locales a little further on. Akihabara gained some fame through being home to one of the first stores devoted to personal robots.

In the morning, Ms H obligingly accompanied me to Harujuku first, but unfortunately, probably due to the rainy weather or some dismal mood most of the young 'uns were in black, and weirdly, there was this trio of girls on the other side who refused to have their photographs taken.

My golly, if I had an anime or manga costume at that time, you can bet your last yen I'd have donned it and paraded here with full make up or mask on of course (at least nobody knows me in this place).

After a visit to Akihabara (where I promptly lost my resolve and bought a waterproof and shatterproof Olympus camera in fuchsia pink no less), Ms H and I proceeded to eat some lovely tempura and udon if I am not that forgetful anymore c/o Ms H. My stomach pets love her to bits really...di sila nag-sta-starve!

And let us not forget a brief stop at a sex shop where the only pictures I share here are the tamer ones. I think there's too much agog over this though. I recently visited a sex shop in Sanfo's Castro with some girlfriends and I think I was more shocked there than what I saw here.

* pics are from Ms H's and my cams

- Dec 5, '08 12:58 AM
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