Harajuku and Takeshita Street: Color, Fashion and Sweets

Our October 2025 visit to Harajuku and Takeshita Street, with current visitor information and practical planning tips.

Our visit

We returned to Harajuku more than once. Takeshita Street was crowded, colorful and packed with fashion, sweets and crepes—the kind of place our teenagers wanted to explore.

We tried candied fruit and a crepe, and also visited a dog cafe. In retrospect, animal cafes require careful welfare checks and should not be treated as an automatic recommendation.

What to know

Takeshita is a short pedestrian street opposite Harajuku Station, associated with youth fashion and small shops. It can become extremely crowded on weekends and holidays.

Planning the visit

Arrive near opening time for an easier walk. Eat food close to the shop and follow local instructions rather than walking through the crowd while eating.

For a wider route beyond the cities, compare transport and car-rental options in advance and decide what the itinerary actually requires.