Harajuku has long been a fashion mecca for young people. Takeshita-dori, which stretches out from JR Harajuku Station, is lined with clothing and accessories stores, as well as stalls selling Harajuku's famous crepes. On weekends, teenagers congregate on this street, and foreign tourists also come for sightseeing and shopping.

Laforet Harajuku, a building packed with fashion boutiques, is a local landmark, while Ura Harajuku (Backstreet Harajuku), or "Urahara" for short, used to be a quiet residential area but became a hub for young designers in the 1990s.

The nearby Omotesando area is chic and sophisticated. Designer boutiques line Omotesando Boulevard, and in 2006 the Omotesando Hills commercial complex opened, becoming a magnet for domestic and overseas tourists.