Culture of the World

Harajuku (原宿?) Is a popular designation for the area around JR Harajuku, Shibuya District, Tokyo. This area is famous as a place young people gather. The location covers around the Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park, shopping centers Takeshita Street (Takeshita-dōri), the department store Laforet, and the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Harajuku is not an official designation for the name of the place, and are not included when writing the address.

Around the 1980s, Harajuku is home to a subculture Takenoko-zoku. To this day, groups of young people dressed in weird can be found in the area of Harajuku. In addition, school children from different corners of Harajuku in Japan often put as an objective study tour during a visit to Tokyo.

Actually the term "Harajuku" is used only for the region north of Omotesando. Onden is the name of the area south of Omotesando, but the name was not popular and is called Harajuku participate.

History

Prior to the Edo period, Harajuku is one of the town inn (juku) for people who travel through the route of Main Street Kamakura. Tokugawa Ieyasu Harajuku to reward mastery of the province of Iga ninja who helped him escape after the incident Sakai Honnō-ji.

In the Edo period, a group of ninja from Iga to establish headquarters in Harajuku to protect the city of Edo because of its strategic location in the southern part of Main Street Koshu. In addition to the ninja, the samurai class Bakushin also choose to reside in Harajuku. Farmers planting rice in the Shibuya River area, and use the mill to grind rice or make flour.

In the Meiji era, was built as the Harajuku area of Tokyo's important that connect with the surrounding area. In 1906, JR Harajuku Station opened as part of the Yamanote train line extension. After that, Omotesando (the main road to the temple) was built in 1919 after the Meiji Shrine was founded.

After the opening of various department stores in the 1970s, became the center of Harajuku fashion. This area became popular throughout Japan after the fashion magazines such as the Anan covered and non-no. At that time, a group of girls called Annon-zoku often found walking the streets of Harajuku area. They imitate the fashions worn fashion magazine model Anan and non-no.

Around the 1980s, Takeshita Street became crowded because people want to see Takenoko-zoku who dressed weird and dancing in the streets. Once designated as a special area of pedestrians, Harajuku became a favorite hangout for young children. After Harajuku increasingly crowded, boutiques that sell goods of famous brands began to appear in Omotesando circa 1990s.