Takeshita Street, Shopping street in Harajuku, Japan
Takeshita Street is a 400-meter pedestrian lane in Jingūmae with shops for clothing, accessories, and crêpes on both sides. The alley is narrow enough that passersby often brush shoulders on busy days as they walk past the brightly lit storefronts.
In the 1990s the area began drawing young people looking for clothing that was hard to find in other neighborhoods. Some shops at the time sold items from the US and Europe that later became models for local designers.
The street takes its name from a nearby gate and has become a place where young people display their clothes. Visitors can see groups of teenagers meeting in front of the shops and trying sweets together from the open stalls.
Most shops open around 11 in the morning and close by 8 in the evening, though some food stalls may stay open longer. Those who want to avoid crowds should visit on weekday mornings before the heaviest foot traffic arrives.
At one end of the street stands a small shrine that many visitors overlook on their way to the shops. Some vendors still leave offerings there early in the morning before opening their stores.
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