SHIBUYA or HARAJUKU?

richardli · Post by **richardli** » Jan 30th, '07, 02:33

If you've been to Japan you will know in Tokyo, Shibuya and Harajuku attract 2 very different crowds especially in Fashion..

Are you a Shibuya person?
http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/shibuya ... -fashions/

or a Harajuku person?
http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/harajuk ... ion-video/

Shibuya is great for shopping but Harajuku is better if you like people watching

nivek · Post by **nivek** » Jan 30th, '07, 03:15

Shibuya. If I had the money it'd go to clothes and streetwear. Gotta look good even though it's boiling outside.

inochi · Post by **inochi** » Jan 30th, '07, 03:37

based only on the videos that you posted, i would say shibuya is more my style if i had to make a choice to go shopping between the two districts. why is harajuku better for people watching?
and, i don't know how hot it actually gets, but isn't it a great advantage for japan people in terms of summer fashion like we're discussing that there is air conditioning everywhere (or such is the impression i have been given) ?

imissjpn · Post by **imissjpn** » Jan 30th, '07, 03:54

i wouldn't choose shibuya or harajuku girls, their both pretty weird especially harajuku's. in shibuya they wear to much make up and their hair is so fake, but at least its better style than harajuku's. shibuya girls look pretty fake. on the other hand, theres harajuku girls. theyre even worse. harajuku girls scare me. throughout that whole clip practically all of them had short freaky hair. it was pretty gross and scary. they also wore lotta makeup but its MUCH more whiter than those of shibuya girls. they look sooo pale making them look like gothics/ghosts/witches. they reallly scare me!! but if id have to choose between shibuya or harajuku girls id choose shibuya girls, even though i dont like either one because they look so fake and freaky!!

ohcrapimonfire · Post by **ohcrapimonfire** » Jan 30th, '07, 04:17

Shibuya, based on the two videos, though it would be fun to romp around Japan wearing the clothes the Harajuku girls wore

Anyone know the song played during the Shibuya video?

endoftime · Post by **endoftime** » Jan 30th, '07, 08:40

inochi wrote:based only on the videos that you posted, i would say shibuya is more my style if i had to make a choice to go shopping between the two districts. why is harajuku better for people watching?
and, i don't know how hot it actually gets, but isn't it a great advantage for japan people in terms of summer fashion like we're discussing that there is air conditioning everywhere (or such is the impression i have been given) ?

Air-conditioning? Surely you jest. There are more fans in Japan than there are ACs. The Japanese people walk around with handkerchiefs and mop their brows all the time. Central air is very rare. So is central heating. I work at a school, and right now, all of the students like to come into the teacher's room during break b/c it is the only room with a (kerosene) heater. In the summer, it will be the only room with AC, and that's only when they decide to close the windows.

Japan is very hot, sticky and humid. The Japanese have learned to adapt.

Some stores will have AC, but many will not. I haven't been to many places in Shibuya or Harajuku, but I would suspect that more shops in Shibuya would have AC than the ones in Harajuku, which have more open fronts/etc while the part of Shibuya that I was in was more like Times Square and had multi-story shopping centers, which I would assume are more prone to having AC.

That being said, I don't know about at night, but during the day, it is respectable to wear shirts that cover your shoulders.

Hope that helps a tiny bit! ^_^

------
Oh, and for whoever asked why it was fun to people-watch in Harajuku:

[Especially] On Sundays, people tend to "dress up" and/or go "all out" and some of the get-ups are pretty wild.

nikochanr3 · Post by **nikochanr3** » Jan 30th, '07, 14:55

Shibuya. Harajuku is sleazy. Maybe im thinking more about hanging out in, but to me harajuku is more the artsy area caues it attracts foreigners, some of them people i wouldnt want to see persoanlly.

Rolf · Post by **Rolf** » Jan 30th, '07, 15:06

ohcrapimonfire wrote:Anyone know the song played during the Shibuya video?

松浦亜弥 - ね～え？ (Matsuura Aya - Nee?)

albapeach · Post by **albapeach** » Jan 30th, '07, 15:12

definitly shibuya~ had a ot of fun there, nice stores and coffee shops and met lots of cool ppl...and harajuku...bored me to death llol really annoyng
and i spent ages wandering around finding the BAPE shop lol

EleKYAH · Post by **EleKYAH** » Jan 30th, '07, 20:50

Well, withoubt a doubt, I like more the girls dressed as "shibuya style"

auroragb · Post by **auroragb** » Jan 30th, '07, 22:01

Shibuya video had cuter girls

ruisu · Post by **ruisu** » Jan 31st, '07, 03:17

the girls in the shibuya video are hot and all, but i think the girls in other video are strangely more interesting to me.

sorvani · Post by **sorvani** » Jan 31st, '07, 05:04

Tokyo is hot and humid in the summer.

I prefer the Shibuya style over the Harajuku stuff, but both are quite good in their own way. Harajuku is more individualistically creative while Shuibuya is more fashion/designer driven in my opinion.

I stayed at a hotel only 2-3 blocks from Shibuya Station (渋谷駅) on my last trip to Tokyo (Sakura Fleur Aoyama, if any one is interested). That was extremely convenient. Even better was the unsecured WiFi I could pick up while in the cafe on the 1st floor. That made it nice for my fiancée and I to double check locations and such for the day before we set out.

I do not know where I'm staying in March yet. Her parents invited me to stay for a night or two. but the rest of the trip is unplanned yet.

kizuna · Post by **kizuna** » Jan 31st, '07, 05:20

lol. these Harajuku girls looks horrible

i like the shibuya style it's almost like the "berlin-mitte" style in germany

inochi · Post by **inochi** » Jan 31st, '07, 09:30

sorvani wrote: I stayed at a hotel only 2-3 blocks from Shibuya Station (渋谷駅) on my last trip to Tokyo (Sakura Fleur Aoyama, if any one is interested). That was extremely convenient. Even better was the unsecured WiFi I could pick up while in the cafe on the 1st floor. That made it nice for my fiancée and I to double check locations and such for the day before we set out.

great! i am gonna go in summertime, if i have a decent laptop by then i will check out that cafe..unless they don't let you in unless you live there.

inochi · Post by **inochi** » Jan 31st, '07, 09:39

endoftime wrote: Air-conditioning? Surely you jest. There are more fans in Japan than there are ACs. The Japanese people walk around with handkerchiefs and mop their brows all the time. Central air is very rare. So is central heating. I work at a school, and right now, all of the students like to come into the teacher's room during break b/c it is the only room with a (kerosene) heater. In the summer, it will be the only room with AC, and that's only when they decide to close the windows.

Japan is very hot, sticky and humid. The Japanese have learned to adapt.

Some stores will have AC, but many will not. I haven't been to many places in Shibuya or Harajuku, but I would suspect that more shops in Shibuya would have AC than the ones in Harajuku, which have more open fronts/etc while the part of Shibuya that I was in was more like Times Square and had multi-story shopping centers, which I would assume are more prone to having AC.

That being said, I don't know about at night, but during the day, it is respectable to wear shirts that cover your shoulders.

Hope that helps a tiny bit! ^_^

------
Oh, and for whoever asked why it was fun to people-watch in Harajuku:

[Especially] On Sundays, people tend to "dress up" and/or go "all out" and some of the get-ups are pretty wild.

dang, isn't there a way to quote more than one without typing out html tags by yourself?

endoftime, is there a reason why you live in japan but your english is so wonderful?

もしかして...you did the jet program? (hmm, maybe it's only called that where i live..)

thanks for the info; i knew there was no central heating but i thought there would be AC over there. i would have expected they would have it all over the place..is there a reason why they have neither central heating or AC?? and...how do they adapt besides constantly wiping their brows?

that's something else i never knew either..that it's respectable to wear shirts that cover your shoulders during daytime (reason?) that is totally going to kill tank-top-loving me when i go over there o(>.< )o

at any rate i expect i will have a ton of fun if i get the chance to check out both places

endoftime · Post by **endoftime** » Jan 31st, '07, 13:17

inochi wrote:
dang, isn't there a way to quote more than one without typing out html tags by yourself?

endoftime, is there a reason why you live in japan but your english is so wonderful?
もしかして...you did the jet program? (hmm, maybe it's only called that where i live..)

thanks for the info; i knew there was no central heating but i thought there would be AC over there. i would have expected they would have it all over the place..is there a reason why they have neither central heating or AC?? and...how do they adapt besides constantly wiping their brows?

that's something else i never knew either..that it's respectable to wear shirts that cover your shoulders during daytime (reason?) that is totally going to kill tank-top-loving me when i go over there o(>.< )o

at any rate i expect i will have a ton of fun if i get the chance to check out both places

Inochi--Yes, I'm doing JET at the moment. I was born and raised in the USA, though, hence my English skills. My Japanese is far from perfect. I study every day!!

Some places have AC, but many places do not. The Japanese people are always mopping at their brows--even in the middle of a lecture. It isn't rude here the way it would be back home.

I don't really know how they adapt for summer. I came in August and classes started in September when it was a bit cooler, so I have yet to see the day-by-day. I know that right now for winter, the kids strap these heat packs on themselves to stay warm. Maybe there are cooling packs? I'm not sure.

Um...the reason for t-shirts over tanks is that Japan is very conservative and doesn't like to show skin. If a Japanese person tells you that "you look cold/hot/etc," they are mostly likely telling you that you're dressed inappropriately. It's never okay to wear them at work/school/etc. I'm not sure about general shopping. The only place that I've really seen anyone in a tank here is at the club, and even then....

Have so much fun in Japan! I've been having a blast so far...even if my fingers are halfway frozen as I type to you now. ^.~

Romance · Post by **Romance** » Jan 31st, '07, 13:28

"Japan is very conservative and doesn't like to show skin."

Never seen girls show their legs so much as they do in japan, its incredible, im sure i drool one to two litres everyday

and i like harajuku, more alternative and special fashion

nikochanr3 · Post by **nikochanr3** » Jan 31st, '07, 13:55

Romance wrote:"Japan is very conservative and doesn't like to show skin."

Never seen girls show their legs so much as they do in japan, its incredible, im sure i drool one to two litres everyday

and i like harajuku, more alternative and special fashion

haha, it feels like every girl i see in japan is wearing a skirt and showing their legs, so im not sure i agree with the above comment (that you so nicely discounted)

kizuna · Post by **kizuna** » Jan 31st, '07, 14:03

@sorvan

how much did you paid for one night in this hotel?

greetz

PurpleEyesBunny · Post by **PurpleEyesBunny** » Jan 31st, '07, 17:34

i am the shibuya - person!!!

haruhi-san · Post by **haruhi-san** » Jan 31st, '07, 17:44

I dont have preference. I like both equally.

kuramapicaforever · Post by **kuramapicaforever** » Jan 31st, '07, 17:53

hmm, am really lazy to read the first page so i was just wondering why shibuya and harajuku? i think akihabara would also be a good place, and shinjuku, and ebisu hahah. but because i don't go to harajuku that much, i'd say shibuya.

and side comment... conservative? not really. maybe some people, but most of the ladies here have come to embrace the fashion of the west. i've even seen someone wearing super short shorts in the middle of winter! hahah.

sorvani · Post by **sorvani** » Feb 1st, '07, 02:51

kizuna wrote:@sorvan

how much did you paid for one night in this hotel?

I happen to have the receipt handy since i was doing my taxes.
All nights except Saturday night were ¥8400 ($69.00)
Saturday night was ¥9800 ($80.50)

The Yen was a bit lower against the dollar last summer though, so i paid a bit more USD than the conversion i listed which is using current rates.

sorvani · Post by **sorvani** » Feb 1st, '07, 02:53

nikochanr3 wrote:
Romance wrote:"Japan is very conservative and doesn't like to show skin."

Never seen girls show their legs so much as they do in japan, its incredible, im sure i drool one to two litres everyday

and i like harajuku, more alternative and special fashion
haha, it feels like every girl i see in japan is wearing a skirt and showing their legs, so im not sure i agree with the above comment (that you so nicely discounted)

there are a lot of skirts, but there are also a lot of covered legs under those skirts. Just my personal experience. others may vary.

imissjpn · Post by **imissjpn** » Feb 1st, '07, 04:32

Romance wrote:and i like harajuku, more alternative and special fashion

are you kidding?? how can you be attracted to harajuku girls. they look like PSYCHO's!!!

they scare me. just watch the harajuku video they look so creepy!!!

inochi · Post by **inochi** » Feb 1st, '07, 08:41

haha aw, thats so mean..i think in a way it's kinda cool that harajuku is so out there and willing to explore unusual styles of fashion, it definitely adds variety. it might be kinda cool to take aspects of their general fashion style and combine it with aspects of shibuya's fashion sense, who knows

sorvani: confused at your explanation, if the yen was lower compared to the dollar before doesn't that mean you paid less in terms of the dollar compared to if you are using current rates?

endoftime: a bit off topic but how is the jet program? i was considering it as a potential option, just wondering how it's structured, what kind of training they give... are you picking up japanese fast now that you're living there?

that was kind of surprising to me..since just about all pictures etc i've seen of people and fashion in japan seemed to indicate that they're ok with sleeveless shirts..even on guys (notably celebrities). i am going to positively bake if i want to respect the japanese customs! >.< on top of that, i have way more tank tops and almost no t-shirts =(

endoftime · Post by **endoftime** » Feb 11th, '07, 09:27

Mmm, from what I've seen, the skirts can be short, but they're always more clothed on the top. If the girls are wearing short skirts, they either have shorts underneath or are wearing boots up to their knees, dark hose, etc.

It could just be my area, too. I live in Nagasaki, which is on Kyushu, so I'm not on the main island. Just as there are different customs and foods for each prefecture, perhaps there are different dress codes as well.

I think that also, we must remember that TV and manga have things occur that would never happen in "real life." It is a chance to act out fantasies and things that don't really happen. *shrug*

inochi wrote: endoftime: a bit off topic but how is the jet program? i was considering it as a potential option, just wondering how it's structured, what kind of training they give... are you picking up japanese fast now that you're living there?

Um...for training...well, we had a day of talks before we flew here, then we had two or three days of training in Tokyo, then another training session later on in August within our own prefecture. There was a little bit of training on lesson plans and stuff, but a lot of it was on Japanese culture and adjusting to life in Japan. The best conference that I had was in November when we got together with all of the JETs in the prefecture and shared lessons and stuff, because it really *applied* to us.

You can also look on forums such as Big Daikon and I Think I'm Lost, where many JETs talk, but Big Daikon usually has a lot of filler and people more interested in being jerks and counting their conquests then it does any useful information. They tend to give joke answers to serious questions. ITIL is much better and more useful, and the people always give good advice.

As for picking up Japanese...I don't know about *fast,* but I absolutely know more than I did when I got here. JET even has a program where, if you sign up, they give you free course books. Starting in October, you get a book every month. There are six books in the Beginner's Course, six in Intermediate, and six in Advanced. We will be getting the fifth book this week or next.

I'm in the Beginner's Course at the moment, so I know basic things, but I'm always happy when I understand something. Right now, I'm watching Hana Yori Dango raw every week, then again when SARS releases it with subs. It's amazing to see how, just in a week, I can pick up new things based on what I've studied. I'm hoping to get the Intermediate Books from a JET that doesn't need them so that I can continue to study over the summer and pick up the Advanced books when courses start up again this coming fall if my BOE accepts my application to stay here for a second year.

I hope to know a lot of Japanese by the time that I leave, but it involves a lot of studying, and right now, particles are really frustrating me.

Good luck, and hopefully I've helped a little! Feel free to PM me when the time comes if you have more questions. Also, I recommend scouting around www.ithinkimlost.com, because it really is a great source. It helped me out a lot!

bboyklax12 · Post by **bboyklax12** » Feb 13th, '07, 03:50

ginza

himekohimura · Post by **himekohimura** » Feb 16th, '07, 03:41

I personally perfer Harajuku to Shibuya, even though both are pretty amazing. I go to Harajuku for most of my clothes shopping, although I must admit that I go their for....other reasons....*coughJohnny'sstorescough*

Shibuya is where I do a lot of my book/CD/dvd shopping, and where I hang out with my friends, since there's a lot of window shopping to be made there. I've also done most of my clubbing in Shibuya, even though the it places seem to be more in Shinjuku.

But I guess really, Harajuku takes my vote. I fell in love with the place as soon as I got there. The atmosphere and just, idk, everything, appeals to me there ^-^ (really, it's not just because every few feet there's a picture of some johnny's looking at me. Really, it's not~)

albertoavena · Post by **albertoavena** » Feb 16th, '07, 06:38

Never been to Harajuku so I can't really say much. i've been to Shibuya and I must say, I really thought the fashion was more "cool". Based on the videos, I would still choose Shibuya. Harajuku's fashion seems a bit "odd to me, but that's just me.

moonchild_rose · Post by **moonchild_rose** » Mar 4th, '07, 14:27

I like BOTH shibuya and harajuku ..
shibuya's style is more fashionable .. while harajuku's style is very unique ..
so no preference ..

cees · Post by **cees** » Mar 4th, '07, 14:39

i liked the shibuya style more ......i want 2 go to shibuya.........waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.....i think that japan is soooo expensive......it s my dream 2 go there

moonchild_rose · Post by **moonchild_rose** » Mar 5th, '07, 09:27

cees wrote:i liked the shibuya style more ......i want 2 go to shibuya.........waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.....i think that japan is soooo expensive......it s my dream 2 go there

yeah .. me too , i wanna go to japan .. it's like most of my friends have went to japan and i haven't

..
hope your dream come true , cees-chan

cutepiekiss · Post by **cutepiekiss** » Mar 5th, '07, 10:36

I like shibuya style..It's more like me.. I also want to go to Japan, one day !!!!

Liantasse · Post by **Liantasse** » Mar 6th, '07, 09:50

Oh dear, Harajuku all the way for me!

I like the trendy Shibuya style too, and I'd like to go watch the people and do shopping there too (he-he, dream on, Liantasse!

) but I'd feel much more at home in Harajuku!

Heh, now what's this for another dream: to have a "Harajuku Street" down here in Bucharest!!!

-- now that's more achievable, I could help start it!!

Asian DramaWiki Forum

SHIBUYA or HARAJUKU?

SHIBUYA or HARAJUKU?

onaji ne ..

Who is online