A hotspot for teens and tourists alike, over the years Takeshita Dori has secured its reputation of being Tokyo’s most fashionable, iconic and busiest streets. This 400-meter long street, packed with clothes shops, food stalls and even animal cafes, is constantly changing with the times.
Over the last few years, the street has had a bit of a makeover, with new shops replacing old ones. Although it is a lot of fun walking down this street, it can get pretty overwhelming at times, especially for those visiting for the first time.
In this guide, we will be giving you a rundown of some of the best shops, entertainment spots and food stalls, to help make your trip to Takeshita that little less daunting.
Shops You Should Stop By
As you start walking down the street, you will soon see the cosmetic store, D’or. The shop stocks popular Japanese brands such as Candy Doll and D-Up as well as selling beauty products like contact lenses, nail polishes and makeup. You will also find some character goods and other small accessories here.
One of the most popular and longest-running shops on the street is Paris Kids. Having opened back in the 70s, this affordable accessory shop is loved by fashionable teens looking for trendy and cute earrings, necklaces and other accessories. Most items are priced around ¥300 so it is definitely the place to stock up on some fun jewellery and souvenirs.
Next to Paris Kids, you will find the three-floor Daiso, one of the street’s main attractions. Often crowded with both tourists and locals, this ¥100 shop sells a wide range of cheap household products, snacks and Japan-themed souvenirs. This particular branch has been designed with international tourists in mind as it has English floor guides and staff members who speak both English and Japanese.
Daiso isn’t the only place that you can buy souvenirs from. There are a bunch of other souvenir shops scattered down the street where you can buy T-shirts, magnets and chopsticks. Although these shops all range in price, you can expect to find some good souvenirs for around ¥300 to ¥2000.
Located in the middle of the street is the shop Good Day. From character goods to cute casual clothing, Good Day is one of the best shops to browse in and get some inspiration from.
For those who prefer thrifting, the used clothing store Yamahisa, is where you will want to head. This shop sells both women’s and men’s clothing and stocks sought-after brands like NFL, Patagonia and LLBean.
A little further down, you will come across ALTA, a small shopping mall which is popular with teenagers. Inside, there are a few different clothes, accessory and cosmetic stores, all selling cute and girly items. The best shops to visit here include Thank you mart and Sugar High!
Keep on walking and you’ll approach Cute Cube. This mini-mall, which is one of the most popular with tourists, is home to vintage clothes stores including Kinji and Chicago as well as the candy store CANDY A☆GO☆GO.
Opposite Cute Cube, is another popular accessory shop called RedEye. Here is where you can buy trendy Korean-style accessories. From earrings to hair accessories, everything in this shop is meticulously organised by colour and style, making it easier to browse.
Near the end of the street, there is SoLaDo. This four-storey indoor mall is filled with different clothes shops, which are aimed more towards young teens. This is where you’ll also find the Harajuku branch of Sweets Paradise, the popular dessert buffet.
At the end of the street, there is a big WEGO. For those unfamiliar with this brand, WEGO is one of Japan’s most popular retailers, selling trendy and casual clothing. What makes the WEGO 1.3.5… store different from the rest is that you won’t only find clothes in here but also a bunch of Harajuku-themed merchandise.
Entertainment, Arcades and Animal Cafes
Next to the Daiso, there is a Capsule Lab. This toy store, which only opened last year, is filled with a whole lot of gachapon machines. If you don’t know much about gachapon or just simply want to know more about what type of gachapon you can get, check out the article The Wonderful World of Gachapon.
If you can’t find what you are looking for in Capsule Lab, a short walk away is another place called Capsule Toy Shop.
No visit to Harajuku is complete without getting a cute photo. Although Japan is famous for purikura, Korean style photo booths have become just as popular. The main difference between the two is that Korean style photo booths like Photoism take more natural looking photos whereas purikura booths make your photos look extremely cutesy.
For those who want to meet and make a furry friend, Takeshita Dori is the perfect place as the street is home to a few different animal cafes including the viral Mame-Shiba Cafe and Hedgehog Cafe.
Get a Sweet Treat and Try Out Some Viral Food
Harajuku is not only famous for fashion but also its wonderful and colourful food. At Gamaro GangJung, located halfway down the main street, you can try popular Korean street food such as corn dogs and the viral sensation which is rainbow-colored 10 yen cheese coin.
Two of Harajuku’s most famous food shops can be found right next to each other. Strawberry Fetish sells sugar-coated fresh strawberries and grapes on a stick. At Totti Candy Factory, situated above, is where you will find the famous giant rainbow cotton candy. This pastel coloured candy floss is considered by many tourists to be one of the most instagrammable things in all of Tokyo.
Crêpes are also one of Harajuku’s most famous foods, if not its most famous. Marion Crêpe is Japan’s longest-running crêpe shop which sells a wide selection of sweet and savoury crêpes, alongside some special seasonal ones.
Nearby, is the aesthetically pleasing Santa Monica Crepes, another crêpe store which originated in Harajuku. Selling sweet crêpes and bubble tea, this is the one-stop shop for those visiting who have a sweet tooth.
You can also grab bubble tea from Xing Fu Tang, Taiwan’s number one bubble tea brand. From Gold Foil Boba Milk to Matcha Boba Milk, there is a great range of drinks to choose from which are all made with the highest quality ingredients. The perfect sweet treat to complete your visit to Takeshita Dori.
- Takeshita Dori (竹下通り)
- 〒150-0001, 1-chōme Jingūmae, Shibuya City, Tokyo
- 2 minute walk from Harajuku Station
- Mon - Fri: 11am - 8pm (shops open)
