Tokyo Shopping guide! Part one - Trains and Harajuku
Shopping guide. Making this for Bri coz she asked me to but feel free to use it if it helps you!
We used the metro system in Tokyo which is very easy and very cheap. I’m sure the overground is just as easy (more people seem to use this I think?) and you don’t get the tunes with the metro but it suited our needs.
I’m sure there’s a weekly pass you can get but we just bought our individual tickets separately. All you need to do is look up on the chart or on the map the price for your destinations, press that price on the ticket machine and pay the amount; you’ll then get a ticket.
Transfers are fairly straightforward as well but sometimes you have to pass through an orange gate (labelled) if you’re transferring.
Most destinations for us were Y160 each way. Ticket machines take 10-500 yen coins and Y1,000 notes.
Our hotel was on the Hanzomon line (purple) which was pretty convenient for nearly everywhere we wanted to go but if you can get a hotel off the Fukutoshin line (brown) it’ll be even easier!
Harajuku
If you’re travelling by overground you’ll just need to go to Harajuku station. If you’re going by subway you’ll want Meiji-Jingumae or Omote-sando. Meiji-Jingumae should take you up around where it says ‘lawson’ on the map (sorry I don’t know the exit number but it should say Omote-sando or Harajuku). Omote-sando will drop you further up the road off the map to the left. It’s a 5 minute walk downhill past a lot of very grand designer shops - take exit A1 or A2 (clearly labelled Harajuku)
First stop I’d suggest is Kiddyland. It’s on Omote-sando, on the opposite side of the road to Gap and near the end before you get to laforet and is a big department store of cute merchandise such as Sanrio, Ghibli and Disney.
Next obviously is Laforet. All the loli stores are on the basement floor; you can only take the first two(?) lifts on the left to the basement but it’s easier just to take the stairs! Walk to the back of laforet and walk down until it says B1.5.
When I was there (Spring 2010) There was Alice and the Pirates (though this was also half Baby), Atelier Pierrot (which stocks other brands such as Victorian Maiden and Triple Fortune), Angelic Pretty, Metamorphose, Swimmer, Nile Perch, Black Piece Now, Stigmata(?), Putumayo and BBeBee which sells Priscilla wigs, cute watches and jewellery and hair accessories.
The shop staff in Alice and the Pirates and Atelier Pierrot were constantly lovely. One shop girl in AP was really cute and adoring and couldn’t do enough to help but we only saw her once in the three times we went to Harajuku. Unfortunately the other times we went the staff were less pleasant (but never rude or standoffish). A lady in Swimmer was really nice to me as well; as were the people in B Be Bee who let me try on a half wig. Oh and Meta staff were lovely But Meta seems to be constantly trumps at friendliness and service - pity there was nothing from them I wanted to buy (except a parasol - forgot to mention that purchase!)
Emily Temple Cute used to be in Laforet too but they seem to be gone now. There name is still on the signs but it’s crossed off on the lifts. I believe Jane Marple is on the 2nd floor. It’s worth looking around the rest of Laforet - there were some lovely mori girl type shops but they were hella expensive.
Head up Meiji Doori past Laforet and you can find Innocent World and Milk. Innocent World can be quite difficult to spot! It’s in a towerblock between laforet and Takeshi-Doori and has a sign but it’s easy to miss. Best way to find it is to look between H&M and Forever 21 - see that kebab shop? Go into the building there and up in the lift. They’ll be a sign telling you which floor it is.
Now keep going up the road until you turn left into Takeshi-Doori (can’t miss it!)
There are many delicious shops (and also delicious crepes!) here such as Closet Child (half way up on your right. It’s well signposted but you need to climb up some steps to get to the sweet floor and then another set to get to the gothic section. Brand X seems to be closed (though the brand names stuck to the upper windows taunt you) but there is another second hand shop that has a few lolita pieces. A few is a literal few though - 5 items maybe? There’s also a ‘Vivienne Westwood museum’ which is in fact a shop that’s behind the pink crepe stand.
Otherwise there are:
*Three branches or sub-brands of the mori girl shop ‘wonder rocket’. The first was my favourite: ‘lilly by wonder rocket’ for the cream coloured floaty garments and it’s worth going in just for their grass ceiling.
*Bodyline! There’s lots of signs if you want to go here (it’s on the first floor of one of the buildings) but it’s a horrible soul destroying shopping experience like going into wallmart or TKmax. Stuff is all over the floor.
*ManiaQ - fairy kei stuff like very cheap coloured pettis, and cute teeshirts and hoodies.
*Tutuanna - cute sock shop where my Cinderella tights originally came from
*Paris Kids - cute cheap accessories. Most things are 300 and something yen.
*Liz Lisa and tralala (on top of each other)
If you go down the side street past the large café then you’ll find three cute and cheap accessory stores. We also found a hentai though! ^^;;;;;
There’s many many other shops not listed here as well, including one or two more putumayos and various h.naoto brands. Just explore the area!
Map from Kera adapted by la carmina
(Not sure how up to date this map is. Might be helpful)
If you go to the very end of Takeshi Doori and cross the road you’ll get to the train station. To the side of that (as shown on map) is the bridge and yoyogi park. There is no point coming here on a Sunday unless you like camera whoring as no lolita comes here any more :( Go to Disney Land and Shinkjuku if you want to see lolitas; the only people there were a few free hugs people (half of them white) one group of interestingly dressed people and a LOAD of tourists.
Oh and there's a cheap, loud and friendly kaiten sushi place on Omote-sando too!
We used the metro system in Tokyo which is very easy and very cheap. I’m sure the overground is just as easy (more people seem to use this I think?) and you don’t get the tunes with the metro but it suited our needs.
I’m sure there’s a weekly pass you can get but we just bought our individual tickets separately. All you need to do is look up on the chart or on the map the price for your destinations, press that price on the ticket machine and pay the amount; you’ll then get a ticket.
Transfers are fairly straightforward as well but sometimes you have to pass through an orange gate (labelled) if you’re transferring.
Most destinations for us were Y160 each way. Ticket machines take 10-500 yen coins and Y1,000 notes.
Our hotel was on the Hanzomon line (purple) which was pretty convenient for nearly everywhere we wanted to go but if you can get a hotel off the Fukutoshin line (brown) it’ll be even easier!
Harajuku
If you’re travelling by overground you’ll just need to go to Harajuku station. If you’re going by subway you’ll want Meiji-Jingumae or Omote-sando. Meiji-Jingumae should take you up around where it says ‘lawson’ on the map (sorry I don’t know the exit number but it should say Omote-sando or Harajuku). Omote-sando will drop you further up the road off the map to the left. It’s a 5 minute walk downhill past a lot of very grand designer shops - take exit A1 or A2 (clearly labelled Harajuku)
First stop I’d suggest is Kiddyland. It’s on Omote-sando, on the opposite side of the road to Gap and near the end before you get to laforet and is a big department store of cute merchandise such as Sanrio, Ghibli and Disney.
Next obviously is Laforet. All the loli stores are on the basement floor; you can only take the first two(?) lifts on the left to the basement but it’s easier just to take the stairs! Walk to the back of laforet and walk down until it says B1.5.
When I was there (Spring 2010) There was Alice and the Pirates (though this was also half Baby), Atelier Pierrot (which stocks other brands such as Victorian Maiden and Triple Fortune), Angelic Pretty, Metamorphose, Swimmer, Nile Perch, Black Piece Now, Stigmata(?), Putumayo and BBeBee which sells Priscilla wigs, cute watches and jewellery and hair accessories.
The shop staff in Alice and the Pirates and Atelier Pierrot were constantly lovely. One shop girl in AP was really cute and adoring and couldn’t do enough to help but we only saw her once in the three times we went to Harajuku. Unfortunately the other times we went the staff were less pleasant (but never rude or standoffish). A lady in Swimmer was really nice to me as well; as were the people in B Be Bee who let me try on a half wig. Oh and Meta staff were lovely But Meta seems to be constantly trumps at friendliness and service - pity there was nothing from them I wanted to buy (except a parasol - forgot to mention that purchase!)
Emily Temple Cute used to be in Laforet too but they seem to be gone now. There name is still on the signs but it’s crossed off on the lifts. I believe Jane Marple is on the 2nd floor. It’s worth looking around the rest of Laforet - there were some lovely mori girl type shops but they were hella expensive.
Head up Meiji Doori past Laforet and you can find Innocent World and Milk. Innocent World can be quite difficult to spot! It’s in a towerblock between laforet and Takeshi-Doori and has a sign but it’s easy to miss. Best way to find it is to look between H&M and Forever 21 - see that kebab shop? Go into the building there and up in the lift. They’ll be a sign telling you which floor it is.
Now keep going up the road until you turn left into Takeshi-Doori (can’t miss it!)
There are many delicious shops (and also delicious crepes!) here such as Closet Child (half way up on your right. It’s well signposted but you need to climb up some steps to get to the sweet floor and then another set to get to the gothic section. Brand X seems to be closed (though the brand names stuck to the upper windows taunt you) but there is another second hand shop that has a few lolita pieces. A few is a literal few though - 5 items maybe? There’s also a ‘Vivienne Westwood museum’ which is in fact a shop that’s behind the pink crepe stand.
Otherwise there are:
*Three branches or sub-brands of the mori girl shop ‘wonder rocket’. The first was my favourite: ‘lilly by wonder rocket’ for the cream coloured floaty garments and it’s worth going in just for their grass ceiling.
*Bodyline! There’s lots of signs if you want to go here (it’s on the first floor of one of the buildings) but it’s a horrible soul destroying shopping experience like going into wallmart or TKmax. Stuff is all over the floor.
*ManiaQ - fairy kei stuff like very cheap coloured pettis, and cute teeshirts and hoodies.
*Tutuanna - cute sock shop where my Cinderella tights originally came from
*Paris Kids - cute cheap accessories. Most things are 300 and something yen.
*Liz Lisa and tralala (on top of each other)
If you go down the side street past the large café then you’ll find three cute and cheap accessory stores. We also found a hentai though! ^^;;;;;
There’s many many other shops not listed here as well, including one or two more putumayos and various h.naoto brands. Just explore the area!
Map from Kera adapted by la carmina
(Not sure how up to date this map is. Might be helpful)
If you go to the very end of Takeshi Doori and cross the road you’ll get to the train station. To the side of that (as shown on map) is the bridge and yoyogi park. There is no point coming here on a Sunday unless you like camera whoring as no lolita comes here any more :( Go to Disney Land and Shinkjuku if you want to see lolitas; the only people there were a few free hugs people (half of them white) one group of interestingly dressed people and a LOAD of tourists.
Oh and there's a cheap, loud and friendly kaiten sushi place on Omote-sando too!