Explore the art in Harajuku/Aoyama/Omotesando area!

In fact in these areas there is not only fashion but different kinds of art. We will explore artists that are the most recent and those that represent Japan.
First we start from the sacred place for high school girls, Takeshita Street.

This street is always packed with people no matter what day. Those that are sensitive to fashion come together here. Going further into Takeshita Street, there is the Niko Niko videos headquarters.

We arrive at the Niko Niko videos headquarters. Niko Niko videos is a unique video streaming site due to user’s comments showing up on the screen of the video being streamed. Originally videos were streamed for the otaku culture, but now it has created its very own culture not only in the otaku genre. A live streaming is also held, it is now a popular video streaming site being known as “Niko-do”.

On the 2nd floor a café, and on the 3rd floor is a goods shop.

There were Carry Pamu Pamu goods being sold, who has been working as a charismatic model that recently succeeded in debuting her CD.

The character that looks like a television in the middle is the Niko Niko videos mascot.
Although it is a otaku culture it has a different atmosphere than Akihabara, it felt as if they had created their own unique culture.

Next is the Ukiyoe Ota Memorial Art Museum behind Laforet. Here, unfortunately we were not able to enter due to it being closed. This art museum displays the Japanese Ukiyoe that became popular from Edo period as a mass culture. The wonderful works back then were exported overseas, but were collected again by the hands of Ota Seizo who was not happy with the situation. After Ota Seizo’s death, his bereaved family opened a museum in memory of him.

In Harajuku especially behind Laforet, it was much unexpected that there was a museum that talks about Japan’s history. Also, it is said to be that the Ukiyoe that is part of the Japanese culture is in a very good preserving condition. We felt that it would be nice to go in and observe the works when we get the chance. This place is filled with new fashionable things, but this may be when we need to go back in time to come in contact with Japan’s culture once again in Harajuku. For those that want to go somewhere quiet in the busy loud Harajuku, please visit here when you get the chance.

Across from it is a fashionable café. Here too, if you have the time please visit.

Next is the Okamoto Taro Memorial.

Here the instant we entered it was the world of Okamoto Taro. In the garden there are different abstract sculptures that look like they are staring back at you, personally we felt that the expressions were emotionless.

In front of the gate this sculpture greeted us.

This is the handle of the door. From here you can feel that it is the world of Taro.

Okamoto’s works had the image of being abstract paintings and sculptures, but we were surprised to find out that they were as a matter of fact a graphical drawing to it as well. All of the works seems to be trying to tell a story, it really catches the eye.

t is truly a different atmosphere; it is filled with an atmosphere in which Okamoto had lived in. In Japan the “Tower of the Sun” from the Osaka expo, and “Tomorrow’s Myth” in Shibuya station are very famous, it feels very different looking at the other works.

Constantly believing in your own artistic skills, Okamoto Taro’s ways of truly living with no lies are deeply enfolded in the works. Do please make a visit, if you get the chance too. You can walk from Harajuku, but it is also a 8 minute walk from Omotesando subway station.

For lunch break, we went to the Teddy’s Bigger Burger hamburger shop in the edge of the Harajuku Meiji Street. As the name says, you can enjoy a really big hamburger.

It is a hamburger store originated in Hawaii, and the interior of the store is American.
Within the stores you can really feel like you are in foreign countries with the colorful colors with a pop red and blue color. There are a variety of menus, tastes and sizes so you will never get tired of coming in. Do challenge yourself if you can finish the biggest burger size!

Here is the contemporary art museum Watarium. Several contemporary arts are being displayed, and at the moment Yayoi Kusama’s works are being displayed. There were many fashionable things at the goods shop such as Kusama designed products, interior goods, and post cards and so on. You can enjoy yourself just by looking at the goods at the shop as well.

Next is the Seitoku Memorial Museum in Meiji Jingu Gaien. It is a bit far of a walk, but it may be nice to take a stroll while enjoying the view around you.
Here several important works that draws out the life of the Meiji emperor and his records are being displayed.

The building itself stands large and proudly. From Aoyama Street you can see that there are lines of trees planted in the center of the museum, it uses perspectives to make the trees look farther away than they really are. The building itself and where it is placed is made and highly valuable as an art. A gorgeous art museum, please make a visit when you get the chance.

We will end today’s guide here. We constantly spread the latest news, and this area is always at the top of art. However, there were those that were only records of the past but were being preserved very preciously. We felt that this is a place where people can individually expression themselves freely. Please enjoy exploring art in the Harajuku/Aoyama/Omotesando areas.