Hello JB Friends, I will be traveling to Japan soon to check out the latest street fashion out there. I the owner of a beauty and image consulting company and we have a major runway show coming up in a few months. Our theme will be based on Harajuku fashion and what better place to source the fashion but in Harajuku. I am retired Army and I will try to stay on base when I fly in and just go with the flow. Can anyone provide me with some insight on the travel and places to go in Tokyo if you know. I stayed on the base back in 1998 and have not returned since so I know things are different. Any information would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

Hello Darren,

Welcome to JB.

Good luck with your upcoming fashion show. Yes Harajuku is the center for fashion in Tokyo. They have all sorts of variety.

Well if your retired military, you may want to check out HARDY BARRACKS.

♦ Hardy Barracks Reservations Office

United States Army Garrison-Japan
Directorate of Morale, Welfare and Recreation
Attn: IMPC-JA-MWR-OR
Unit 45006, APO AP 96343-5006
Bldg 1, Hardy Barracks

Front Desk Hours:
Sun-Thu: 0730 - 2200
Fri-Sat: 24 hours

Telephone:
DSN: (315)229.3270 Fax: (315)229-3325
Local Ph#: 03-6385-3270
Local Fax#: 03-6385-3325
Commercial Ph#: 011-81-3-6385-3270
Commercial Fax#: 011-81-3-6385-3325

E-mail: hardybarracks.reservation@zama.army.mil

In Acccordance With Status of U.S. Armed Forces access to Hardy Barracks Recreation Lodging will not be granted to:

1. Reservist and National Guards in a non-duty/TDY status, unless reservist possesses a letter of authorization indicating access is required for the purpose of reserve training or reserve duty.
2. Dependants without military/civilian/retiree sponsor present.
3. DoD civilians without Overseas/MWR privileges indicated on ID card.
----------------

They have rooms and since your retired military, you should be able to get a room with no problem. Its convenient to stay right there in the center of Tokyo. You also have new sanno hotel, but you may have problems reserving a long stay period. http://www.thenewsanno.com You could try though.

As far as things to do.

First off, avoid Roppongi if you can. Its gone DOWN HILL since 98. There are so many other nice places to hang out, and drink with friends, but if you do happen to go there, just be careful of the street walkers.  They will harass you and continue to harass you.  There are several clubs in Tokyo now off limits do to all the problems with drugs and violence.

Thank you for the info Adam.  Hey, I will be taking a military hop from Seattle to Yokota Air Base, will I be able to catch a train to the lodging you listed above, to and from Tokyo.  Also I plan on taking a lot of pictures and using my camcorder to film some of the people and stores in Harajuku.  I hope that I will not offend anyone.  Do you think that it would be offensive for me to do that? Will I have a tuff time communicating with store owners on the economy?  I have been conducting a lot of research but nothing is like hearing it first hand from people that's actually on the economy right now.  A lot of articles are outdated and things tend to change constantly because when I was stationed overseas some of the things I would hear and read about how people described economy situations couldn't be futher from the truth.  I was so happy that I found this site because military personel are actually apart of the economy and not just tourist, so I knew this site would be a big help.  Please bare with me if I tend to ask a lot of questions.

I dont think they have a shuttle. You may have to take a train.

As far as recording people. It depends on the type of person. Most people in general dont like to be recorded.

Continue to ask any questions you may have. There are a lot of people that can help you transition, visit on vacation, etc..

I think,

Harajuku, Shibuya is for Teen to early 20s. You can find a lot of new fashion or cheap and funny stuff.

Omotesando Street is for end of 20s to 30. There are brand name stores.

Daikanyama is for 20s to 30s and have unique design clothes, used cloths and so on.

Ginza is for 30s to 40-50s. There are expensive department stores. You will see elegant dressed elder working women.

It is my image of places though I hope it will help you..Good luck with your fashion show!!

Thanks for the insight!  I would assume that those places or streets are close by or are they really far apart?

Are you still in Japan? I read about this in Stripes a couple of weeks ago. Not exactly fashion, but it's kind of related.

http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au...d_cafe.htm

oh man no need to show up pimp, just turn off the lights in your house run in and put on anything you can find then just go with it...