Harajuku Fashion Walk
Hey everyone, I'm back with another long awaited post. To allow me to indulge in my Lolita fashion to the fullest, I have made an effort to travel to Tokyo and participate in the Harajuku Fashion Walk (HFW). These walks usually happen on the fourth Sunday of every month, starting at 2 pm. In summer, they start at 4pm. You can confirm dates and times in this link here https://twitter.com/harajuku_fw?lang=en , incase they are subject to change.
I participted in my first ever HFW in April this year. The weather was lovely, it was spring and there were cherry blossoms blooming everywhere. I arrived at the Takeshita dori entrance, feeling very nervous and did not know what to expect. As I waited, people in Harajuku fashion began to gradually trickle in and eager for the walk to begin. The walk is organized and run by fashionista, Junnyan. Junnyan is the face of the HFW with the quest to keep Harajuku fashion alive. He dedicates his Sundays leading the walk, with his trusty camera around his neck, ready to capture unique outfit street snaps during the walk.
March 2018
October 2018
The walk usually starts with a big group photo outside the station. As the walk begins, we start to draw crowds of people, usually the curios Japanese and the foreign tourists. As we walk, Jun leads us down to the corner of the La foret department store, across the road, and into another department store which has steep steps. We are asked to ascend the steps for another photo. Once the photo is done, we turn a sharp left, down the road towards the Moshi Moshi Box and down to the uehara district of Harajuku. These back streets are quiter and allow for more photo opportunities, and a chance to chat with other HFW participants, without being nagged by tourists for photos. After more photos and chit chat, we can either hang around, or leave. However, the second time I participated in October, we were led to the Yoyogi bridge for photos and chit chat.
The HFW is also a good opportunity to make new friends. I made a few good friends and now when I visit Tokyo, we hang out and have a good time. It is a good place to meet like minded people and enjoy each others company. So if you're into fashion and want to make some new friends, the HFW is the place to be. Be sure to add it to your itinerary on your next visit to Tokyo!!
I would love to attend a Harajuku Fashion Walk one day. Not sure if I'll manage this next time I'm coming to Japan (technically I'll be in Tokyo on the 4th Sunday, but I'll be with my boyfriend who's never been to Japan at all, so I don't want to hijack the entire experience - might talk it over with him), but definitely the time after that.
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