4 Photogenic Walls in Harajuku Area
Harajuku is the center of fashion and art in Tokyo. It has a very young vibe compared to places like Shinjuku or Ikebukuro. Here you will find many small local brands of restaurants and retail shops. Much like Soho in New York, it houses a variety of shops ranging from trendy upscale boutiques to national and international chain store outlets.
The most famous street is the Takeshita Dori, but like many other parts of Tokyo, moving away from the main road and into the small alleys opens up to a new world where you will discover many photogenic spots. Here are some spots in the narrows alleys of Harajuku where you can find photogenic walls. The walls itself are photogenic but the proper way to utilize the walls will depend on your creativity. We recommend taking a model with you to make the most of these spots.
The yellow fellow
Yellow, the color of sunshine, hope, and happiness. This building’s facade is covered with a single color. The letters of its logo in black, contrasting starkly against the bright yellow. Not just any yellow, it is one of the brightest and vibrant yellows you will see in the streets of Tokyo. Making this facade and hence this building stand out against the monotone colors of Tokyo. What makes this location and picture slightly more interesting is the fact that the building stands on an inclined road and so when you take a picture, the bottom road is seen slanted. Have your model or partner walk parallel to it, stand on the opposite side of the street and snap away!
view reference spot images from Instagram
the sad guy
Similar to the famous Gudetama (the lazy Japanese egg yolk character) this wall features a sad mysterious character. The building which this wall is built upon is a cafe which is worth the visit itself, but the wall has become famous on Japanese social media especially this character who is seen as a character that enchants or intrigues you.
Surprisingly this is not the only spot in Harajuku where you see this character. There are a couple of them drawn on walls in the Harajuku area much like a local mascot. Keep an eye out for this character while you walk or shoot around Harajuku. The monotone colors and the character make it a great spot for a selfie.
view reference spot images from Instagram
The Ancient Art
Because the art is comparatively big, at a glance it is hard to notice and especially if you are standing right in front of it, but this wall art is of a man with a mask in his hand. The thick strokes that make up each pattern in the wall art resembles that of African art. And the man can be seen in the posture of a lion or a cheetah. When looked closer you can also see that the mask he is holding is that of a cat. Located in one of the small and narrow alleys of Harajkuku it is probably the coolest wall in the area. Position your model or your partner in front of the wall and take a picture like above!
view reference spot images from Instagram
The Pink N
Located on the way to Omotesando from Harajuku this is a simple yet photogenic wall. The color is vibrant and can be easily used as a background for any picture. This wall art was created specifically for an album cover of a famous Japanese singer. And even after its use as an album cover, it still is not taken off till this day. The pole in front and the pink background make it a great spot for a ‘‘kawaii’’ selfie.
view reference spot images from Instagram
The graffiti itself might have not been enough to include this spot in this list but because theres a pole at the right position it makes this spot worth it! A fun spot to take selfies and ‘hang’ around!
