Harajuku

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During the winter break my friend, Barbara, and I went to Harajuku. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any people dressed up…probably because it was freezing cold that day. But! There were people giving out free hugs, and according to some other people, they are usually always there giving out hugs. We went to Meiji Shrine before heading to the shopping area. The Meiji Shrine is the most important shrine in Tokyo (according to my travel guide book) and it dates back to 1920. Compared to the other shrines I’ve been to the Meiji shrine may be the largest one I’ve seen so far. I was able to witness another wedding ceremony while I was visiting it. Also, while walking up to the shrine (which is quite a long path) there is a large wall of sake barrels. (Not really sure why.)

After we visited the shrine, we headed to Takeshita-dori (Takeshita Road). Takeshita-dori was probably the busiest street I have ever walked down...or ever will. With people coming and going both ways on the street and going in and out of the stores, not getting shoved or bumped into is impossible. The stores are filled with fashion and accessories for young people. All styles are represented. Once, you make it all the down the street, the scenery instantly changes. No more small shops, but rather well-known designers. One thing that I didn’t think about when heading home, is that everyone else is probably doing the same thing, thus leading to an overcrowded station and people pushing to make it through the ticket gates. (Still not as bad as walking down Takeshita-Dori)

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Comments

[sarah]

Interested in having your blog on tripping?
Hi! Wow! You have travelled all over! Currently I help coordinate the blog for the social travel site called Tripping.com. It's a site that helps travelers easily, safely connect with locals in over 175 countries. (http://www.tripping.com) Would you be interested in contributing a guest post to our blog? We're most interested in photo essays and destination tips. I was thinking some of your photos from around the globe could make a great photo essay. Or maybe you'd be interested in writing a post like ""Top 5 Things to See/Do in Mongolia."" Here is the link to our guest post guidelines: https://www.tripping.com/blog/guest-post-opportunities/ I look forward to hearing from you! If you have any other ideas for a guest post, or any friends that might be interested in writing, feel free to share. Best, Sarah :) P.S. We have micro communities on Tripping called 'Networks' for members to connect based on shared interests and affiliations. There is a Travel Writers Network you might be interested in: https://www.tripping.com/network/63. Approval is required to join the Network (to make sure everyone is in fact a travel blogger) but I'll make sure you're given access.

[Indo]

Really nice!
That's awesome...all the cool things you get to do! I think it's great just that you're out and about and just...witnessing things! :D

[jennifer]

Hi Alicia :) Eugene said that you sent a postcard! Hopefully we will get it soon, not like last time :P I remember when I was younger and obsessed with Japanese fashioni :P In fact I used to download Vivi every month :P So jealous that you got to go see some of the actual stores! Also it's really cool that you would see so many weddings in public :P How is school???? You are going to Korea soon right??

[jennifer]

btw
(Hopefully this will not be displayed publicly haha) but Alicia how are you doing? (email me back at [e-mail]). Everything in Austin is morphing (but somewhat the same); more people have come in, especially freshmen. We recently changed our Bible studies so that it has only junior sisters on Friday nights; very different :P Also we recently met a girl that reminded us of you in like EVERY sense (she was so good at sports, was asian studies major, half asian half white, and also really tough. she beat topaz at leg wrestling. she also had a banana stuffed animal for her most precious item.) but i am anxiously waiting the day for your arrival :P i remember we had good times in the summer, especially hanging out at the apartments, talking with julie phu, that time when we were at your place eating kimchi soup. i really miss your place in the summer, eating your food, you coming over to the quarters, you bringing your mom, and coming over to kill bugs :P so many good memories :) BTW is there anything that you want me to pray for you about? I know it is really far away over there from everything and maybe it's harder to go to church and keep in touch. or even if it's just hard to stay in church in general. whatever the case let me know how you are doing. to be honest, our junior class here sometimes has problems. i think we just aren't able to talk about everything with each other (or like only with a select group or something), and some people just feel like we are really cliquish. it got so bad that p. manny and Sunny had many meetings with us and we are taking a class that is about not forming cliques and being more honest and open with each other. i feel like summer is far away. idk when we talked i felt like we got to be really close and were able to tell everything to each other, thank you for that though. i wish you were here so that we could hang out more :( i guess in my life, i recently had to confess a really shameful sin to Kelly. It was so painful and definitely the hardest thing I ever had to do. I still have more confessing to do. If you could help pray for me, to just confess everything to Kelly and just trust in God's forgiveness. ok alicia~~~ miss you a lot! to be honest i am sorry that i haven't been keeping up as much. i like your blog posts a lot though. i really hope that we can still keep in contact, even though we are oceans away~~~~