Urahara in Pictures

The back streets of Harajuku

Meg Sing Jun 06, 2016 - 1 min read

Shops display clothes with strong 80s American and bohemian influences

The entrance to Urahara from the other side of Meiji Dori

Many signboards on ground level advertise about basement stores or those on upper floors

A shop displays American Indian art and English-titled books on fashion

A lone mannikin stands eccentrically dressed at the entrance to a mysterious basement

The store owner sits outside relaxedly, observing passerby's and accepting postal packages

A rack of vintage jeans in one of the more commercial second-hand clothes stores

Customers are also encouraged to sell their old clothes on to the second-hand shop

Even the back of the back streets seem to make a statement

Two people stop to rub the shiny Dr. Martens on display

The street parallel to Meiji Dori targets more to mainstream markets

The bridge over Omotesando (the road) divides Urahara and the high-end Omotesando area

Urahara is an ever-changing scene of laid-back fashion trends in the back streets of Harajuku. If Harajuku is yin, then Urahara is yang. It comprises a community of independent Japanese designers and retro men's labels. Many of the cafes and clothing stores will tease your sense of curiosity as they are hidden upstairs or wedged between plain-looking buildings. This makes the area perfect for exploration and many photo opportunities of Urahara architecture, street fashion and culture exist. The area is located on the other side of Meiji Dori from the end of Takeshita Dori, Harajuku Bell Pier or Omotesando.

Meg Sing @meg.sing

The language intrigues me and as well as Japan's personality, vividly different in each season in the year. Having previously lived in Tokyo for a year, I've developed a weakness for onsen, Mt. Fuji, autumn leaves, the festivals and Japanese stationery. More than trying my hand at photography, I...