In recent years when heading out for a day of shooting in Tokyo, I’ve found myself frequently returning to the areas around Omotesando. Omotesando is a major street running through Shibuya that is lined with trees and flagship fashion stores. It is very crowded and while the architecture is varied and top-notch, it is the side streets that branch off into the most interesting areas. To the east lies Harajuku and Ura-Harajuku. To the west is Cat Street and eventually central Shibuya.
The Main Street
Omotesando-dori (street) is straight and wide and rises gradually on a slope as one heads north towards its termination at Yoyogi park. This is where famous international brands attempt to stand out using architecture.
I’ve been too intimidated to visit the interiors of the higher-end stores, but I’ve peeked into the entrances, which can be interesting in themselves.
Harajuku
Harajuku is now known worldwide as a spawning ground for cutting edge youth fashion. Most people associated Harajuku with the station of the same name and Takeshita-dori. This is evidenced by the mobs of people crowding the narrow passages of the old station and pouring down Takishita street while leaving the adjacent side streets relatively empty. However the side streets, sometimes referred to as ura-Harajuku, or ura-hara, are at least as interesting as the main drag and are very extensive.
Ura-Harajuku
I didn’t discover ura-hara until after several visits to Takeshita-dori. I’ve now wandered its narrow, odd-angled streets many times and yet somehow manage to discover new routes with each visit. The rules of spatial geometry seem to be different here. Somehow unfamiliar alleyways appear where they shouldn’t be able to fit. The area is filled with small boutique fashion shops, thrift stores, restaurants and cafes.
The West Side and Cat Street
Analogous to the Takeshita-dori ura-hara relationship, there are small streets branching out and running parallel to Omotesando that are more interesting than the main thoroughfare while being much less populated. The main Omotesando branch is Cat Street, which starts at Omotesando and ends near the edge of central Shibuya.
In recent years, Cat Street seems to be growing in popularity. While this has brought more brand stores to the area, there are still a healthy number of independent shops including an old style grocery store nestled amongst the cafes and boutique shops.
Worth Exploring
While the famous architecture on Omotesando is worth checking out, I find that the width and straightness of the main drag makes it difficult to get unique and interesting photos. However, the varied and twisty side streets provide an endless supply of unique opportunities. For photographers visiting Tokyo, the entire area is definitely worth exploring.
exposure.contemplation 