Harajuku Girls you got the wicked style

Friends traveling through DC for work, family, or just fun was not a terribly uncommon experience. We would meet up with them if we could, and were always glad when we did. Friends coming through Japan? That's going to a lot more rare, so we will absolutely jump at the chance to meet up with people, even if they aren't coming to visit us specifically!

My first such opportunity happened this weekend. Some girlfriends I had known in DC but had since moved to Utah were traveling through Japan for the Thanksgiving holiday and were spending their last few days in Tokyo. The best day to meet up was Sunday, so I left Blake to the mercy of subbing for the 4 year old children's class at church alone (he found another guy to help out), and I went up to Tokyo for a girls day in the Harajuku district! As usual, we will do our best to make it our church meetings as much as possible, but I think Heavenly Father understands the need to maintain friendships as well.

Harajuku is amazing. I'm sure we didn't explore everything, but what we explored was just as cool as I had hoped. We met up at the train station and our first stop was the Meiji Shrine, one of the biggest and most popular in Japan. I was able to teach my friends a few things I had learned about Shinto lately, and we all enjoyed the three different wedding processions we came across!

Then, it was off to Kawaii Monster Cafe for lunch. Oh my goodness, you guys, I want to go back very soon. It was so colorful and bright and trippy and I loved it! Even the food! And I want the rainbow tile they had in the restroom that I really should have taken a photo of! I played it cheap with some chicken and waffles, but it did come with monster dip (multi-colored dips) and tried some of the more psychedelic things my friends ordered - all quite tasty. We were in the Milk Stand room, which we got to by walking along Choppy's tongue and into his mouth. This room is supposed to be his stomach.

You can check out more the menu here, for even more pictures of colorful food!

We then headed down Takeshita Street for shopping and people watching. There weren't as many cosplayers (people in costume or just super dressed up) as there have been in the past, or so I am told, but we saw some really good ones. I will definitely be back, and not just because I found a small treasure trove of panda things. I also taught my friends how to do the holiday Coca-Cola bottles.

This was about half of it.

Harajuku Station

I did get these socks.

And these!

I am so happy to have spent time with these friends! Harajuku is such an interesting mix of the old (the shrine) and the new (kawaii everything!) and a place for a group of girls to hang out. Blake will enjoy it too, but I'm actually glad I saw it with female friends first. Thank you ladies for letting me tag along on your vacation!