So far, we’ve followed the Udagawa upstream.
Now, let’s look at another river—the Shibuya River.
It flows from near Shinjuku Gyoen, down long slopes, into the valley at Shibuya Station.
Along this path lies Omotesando.
Originally, it was the approach to Meiji Shrine, built in the Taisho Period to honor Emperor Meiji.
Over time, it became one of Tokyo’s most elegant streets.
But on Sundays, the scene once changed completely.
The road became pedestrian-only, and young people gathered to dance with portable radios.
They were called the Takenoko-zoku.
Wearing colorful outfits from a boutique called Takenoko on Takeshita Street, they danced endlessly to music.
On busy days, up to 2,000 dancers would gather, with crowds of over 120,000 watching.
Modern cosplay and street fashion culture trace their roots back to this era in Harajuku.