Tokyo Travel: A Day In Harajuku
Back in February I spent a few days in Tokyo.
Here's a look into my day spent in Harajuku :) It all started at the Meiji Shrine in Yoyogi Park.
I mistakenly took the subway from my Airbnb to Harajuku in Tokyo's famous rush hour. The train was absolutely packed and there were men working for the station who helped show people on. Luckily, I grabbed a good spot and was able to hop on and off easily without being squished.
I then took a peaceful walk through the nearly deserted paths leading to the shrine. I was able to walk around, catching glimpses of monks rushing around, and listen to some chanting. I got myself a talisman for peace of mind and headed back into the bustling city. I then took a loooooong walk to the best latte I've ever had.
The cafe is called Streamer Coffee Co. and their military latte is the best thing that has ever happened to me. It contains chocolate, green tea, while chocolate, and espresso. I know that sounds like a total mess but the flavors meshed perfectly!
I was able to hang out there for a while, using their wifi and reading the book I brought with me. Once I felt ready to leave, I headed to Number Sugar.
This tiny shop sells handmade caramels in all different flavors. You can buy adorable box sets and the lovely girls working there will be sure you get exactly what you want. They aren't even that expensive which is awesome! It was about $0.70 for each piece (twice the size of the photo, I had already eaten most of it haha!) I got vanilla caramel and almond caramel! After that I went to Kiddy Land where I went to each of the 4 stories trying not to buy everything that had Totoro on it.
I was pretty successful and only got myself a Spirited Away mug, though I did buy quite a few presents for friends and family :) From there I ventured down Harajuku's most famous street filled with places selling crepes, crazy Japanese fashion, and tons of toys.
It is here that I found my true love. I really love takoyaki.
They're just batter, onions, pickled ginger, and squid (tako in Japanese) fried in a special pan and covered in a mayo-sauce, fish flakes, and some spices. They are HEAVENLY.
This man made works at Koi-Tako (aka Love Squid) and made me some perrrrrfect Kimchi Takoyaki (yeah I know, why Kimchi in Japan???)
But then it got weird... You can't see it really well in the photo, but they put GOLDEN GLITTER on my takoyaki.
Why you ask? I DON'T KNOW.
I ate it though, and didn't die. So, there's that. I grabbed a sakura green tea (oi ocha is the best bottled tea EVER) and headed back towards my home in Shinjuku.
I'd give yourself a solid 2-3 hours to take Harajuku in at a slow pace. It's worth it!