Tokyo: Harajuku

Two weeks back I went to Tokyo for the day with my coworker Kiwi, my friend JB who I met at training in Vancouver, and his coworker Haiku.

Harajuku is only two trains and two hours away from Ashikaga. Miraculously I made it to the station without gettng lost and met up with my friends. We grabbed a quick bite to eat, then headed to Meiji-Jingu.


Meiji Jingu
The main torii (gate) at Meiji Jingu. Meiji Jingu is a shrine dedicated to the Meiji Emperor. During his rule from 1867-1912, he played a significant role in Japan's rise to modernity.
(I stole this picture from JB.)


The area around Meiji Jingu is covered with tranquil forests.


I love sake this much!


Torii #2 at Meiju Jingu. Apparently the first one wasn't good enough so they had to build another.


Before entering and praying inside Meiji Jingu visitors are supposed to wash their hands and mouth. Here Kiwi is "pretending" to be Japanese. She didn't know what to do and had to read the instructions.


I decided not to pray. Besides, Japan is too far from heaven for Jesus to hear my prayers, over here it all falls under Buddha's jurisdiction.


For 500 yen ($5) you could buy a wooden card to write your prayers on. Of course you don't have to pay the 500 yen and get the card, but if you want your prayers answered, it is highly recommended.


Inside the courtyard of Meiji Jingu.



Shortly after we arrived at the shrine, a prayer ceremony was held and I got my first take of Taiko drumming.


On the left is where I bought a charm for victory. One of the best investments I have ever made. Since I have bought it, I have been victorious at everything!


Takeshita Dori
This street is internationally renown for its trend-setting fashion. This real estate is also known for having the highest concentration of foreigners in all of Japan.



Here Kiwi, JB, and I are walking down Takeshita Dori looking for Shakey's Pizza. It was wall to wall people everywhere.



Condomania!
On our way to Shakey's Pizza we found Condomania. Here is quick video of me getting kicked out for taking video inside!



Then we stumbled upon this sweet looking Audi dealership.

The pizza at Shakey's was somewhat disappointing. At least they had beer. Afterwards we made our way to the train station to catch a ride to Shinjuku.



The train was packed! I bet it's a fun ride during rush hour on weekdays.



This is the madness I encounter at major train stations.

continued on Tokyo: Shinjuku