Style in a Suitcase: Tokyo

Anyone who has been following this blog for a while will know that the two things I love to write about the most are fashion and travel. Therefore I have decided to start a new series called Style in a Suitcase, where I will share my opinion on what I think is suitable to pack when travelling to different cities. 

 

When you're packing it's hard to decide what will make the cut and what will have to stay at home. I think it's best to take a little of everything; I know you might love breton tops, but do you really need to take five?! Take one long sleeved and one short sleeved then swap the others for a pair of comfy shoes. Never underestimate the merits of a comfy shoe when on holiday. Jelly shoes may be gracing the pages of every fashion magazine at the moment but they were not made for sightseeing!

I will start off my tour of the world in Tokyo, the kawaii capital of the world. If you are travelling to Tokyo within the next five months it will be hot. If you go at the peak of summer it will be very hot. And humid. And sticky. But this doesn't stop the Tokyoites from looking imaculately dressed every day, so don't let it stop you.

 Pinafore-Forever 21 | Bag-Zara | Top-New Look | Necklace-New Look | Sandals-New Look

The shoulder frills on this pinafore make it look so cute, perfect for wandering around Shibuya 109. It may not be the type of thing you usually go for but trust me, you will fit right in with the Harajuku girls. Tone down the cuteness with a simple white lace top and white sandals. Go for a sleevless top because you will get very hot pushing your way through the crowds on the Scramble Crossing. Add splashes of colour with a bold bag and statement necklace.

 Bracelets-New Look | Shoes-Vans | Shorts-Topshop | Bag-Topshop | Top-New Look

Once you've bought so many clothes you don't know how you'll fit them all in your suitcase it's time to go sightseeing. There are plently of great day trips from Tokyo such as Yokohama and Kamakura. You'll be on your feet all day so go for something comfy like a pair of Vans and denim shorts. Dress things up a bit with pretty top, I love this one from New Look which reminds me of kimono fabrics and origami paper. Very appropriate! Make the pink in the top stand out with a bright bag and bracelets.

Don't forget:
Suncream- the sun is very strong and it won't take long for you to burn.
Flannel- all Japanese people carry a small flannel or hankie in their bag as sometimes in toilets there is nowhere to dry your hands. They are also useful for mopping away the sweat...
Camera- Never mind the Sky Tree, snap some pics of the amazing street style!

 Have you ever been to Tokyo? What do you think of these two outfits?

Kamakura Daibutsu

Personally my favourite place in Kamakura was Hasedera Temple, but you can't go to Kamakura without paying a visit to the 13.35 meter high Daibutsu. It is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan, the tallest being the one at Todaiji Temple in Nara. 

This great statue was originally inside a temple, however due to typhoons and tidal waves it was destroyed many times so since 1495 it has been left standing outside. I quite like the fact that it is out in the open surrounded by trees and sky, not walls.

Out of the two Daibutsu I would say that although the one in Kamakura is more scenic and photogenic, I prefer the one in Nara. This is not because it is bigger but it just feels more mysterious because you can't see the statue until it is towering right in front of you as you enter the temple.

One thing though which I did prefer about the Kamakura Daibutsu was that you can go inside it for an extra ￥20. It was really interesting to see where the neck had been reinforced to stop the head from falling.

Location: Take the Enoden train line from Kamakura Station and get off at Hase Station from where it is a 10 minute walk.
Price: ￥200.
Times: Open every day. March to September 8am to 5:30pm. October to March 8am to 5pm. Statue interior closes at 4:30pm.

Kamakura: Hasedera Temple

While in Tokyo I went for a day trip to Kamakura.When tourists visit Kamakura the place on everyone's list is the big Daibutsu statue, but nearby is Hasedera Temple with it's own magnificent statue. This statue is of the eleven headed Hase Kannon and is 9.18 meters tall. Each face has a different expression, signifying that the deity listens to the wishes of all types of people.

Although it was amazing, personally what I loved about this temple was all the cute little stone statues dotted around the garden. The temple garden was quite big and sprawled up the hillside. As you walk around you will occasionally come across little clusters of statues which look so happy!

There are also plenty of beautiful seasonal flowers and from the top of the garden you get a view of the town down below. When you get back to the bottom of the garden you will come across the Benten-kutsu Cave which is accessed through a red tori. Inside the cave is the shrine of Benzaiten, a sea goddess and the only female among the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan.

I think that Hasedera is a must visit for anyone spending the day in Kamakura.

Location: Take the Enoden train line from Kamakura Station and get off at Hase Station.
Price: Adults (12 and over) ￥300/ Children ￥100.
Time: Open every day. March to September 8am to 5pm, October to February 8am to 4:30pm.
Accessibility: There are quite a few steps up the hill but the main garden is flat. Also inside the cave it is dark and the ceilings are extremely low.

Linking up with Bonnie Rose for Travel Tuesday

Andy Warhol exhibition and cafe

While in Tokyo I went to the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi where they currently have an exhibition called Andy Warhol: 15 minutes eternal.This amazing exhibition has over 700 photographs, screen prints, drawings, short films and paintings, some of which are owned by the Warhol family and are hardly ever shown to the public. It is the largest exhibition of Andy Warhol's art to have toured Asia, starting off in Singapore and finishing in Tokyo, via Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing.

To coincide with the exhibition there was also an Andy Warhol cafe with American food such as hotdogs and burgers. Also, stamped onto the bread were the words Andy Warhol and the dollar sign. To make things even better, the cafe is situated on the 52nd floor so you get a wonderful panoramic view of Tokyo including the Sky Tree and Tokyo Tower.

I would really recommend anyone in Tokyo to visit this excellent exhibition before it finishes on May 6th. If you're there then why not have a hotdog and can of Campbell's soup while marveling at the Tokyo skyline and debating whether you prefer the uber modern Sky Tree or the retro Tokyo Tower.  
Personally I prefer the later, what about you?

Linking up with Nicole and Rebecca

Trip to Tokyo

View of Tokyo Tower from Mori Tower in Roppongi

Ok, so I realise that I may have abandoned my blog for two weeks. But I was just so busy enjoying myself in Tokyo! If I was a proper organised blogger then I probably would have scheduled some posts... I'm obviously improper and unorganised.

Anyway, I had an absolutely wonderful time and now have plenty of stuff to blog about. While I was there I went shopping in Shibuya and Harajuku and walked down the infamous Takeshita Dori where all the young fashionistas hang out. The next day I went to an amazing Andy Warhol exhibition in Roppongi and then went home to prepare for the early morning the next day...

Tokyo Disneyland! I'm not exactly a massive Disney fan but it's impossible not to enjoy all the fun and fantasy of Disneyland. Plus, it was all decorated for Easter which was so cute. Then, this being Tokyo, there was all the Disney Cosplay. Just, Wow.

13 hours of fun almost killed me off and the next day I just stayed at home and relaxed. The next day it was back to business and I went to Asakusa and walked along Nakamise street, along with tons of Japanese school kids, as we all made our way to Senso-ji Temple. Nearby was the fantastic World Bag and Luggage Museum with a great collection of bags from all around the world. From Asakusa I made my way to Ginza, the area of Tokyo filled with high end designer shops.

On my penultimate day I went to Kamakura, a coastal town often often called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan due to it's numerous temples and shrines and most notably the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan. Then, finally, on Sunday I went back to Shibuya and Harajuku and saw lolita girls, punks and a group of rock and rollers in Yoyogi park. Perfect ending to a perfect trip.

Shibuya

Takeshita Dori in Harajuku

Roppongi Andy Warhol exhibition

Tokyo Disneyland!

Kaminari-mon in Asakusa

Pretty window display in Ginza

Kamakura Daibutsu

Rock and rollers in Yoyogi park



Takeshita shopping street

Takeshita street, known as the birthplace of many Japanese trends, is where every teenager in Tokyo migrates to on a Sunday. Although there are exceptions, like McDonald's, most stores on this street are small independent businesses. If you are looking for cheap trendy clothes then this is the place to come.

There is a reason why many trends originate from this street. Lots of clothing companies use it to test out new products, if they are popular then they will be mass produced and sold all over Japan. So that crazy looking dress that you just walked past, could be what everyone is wearing in 3 months time.

As well as clothes shops there are plenty of fast food places, especially crepe stalls. There is also a big candy store where the shop assistants wear cute pink outfits. If you go on a Sunday then you are likely to brush shoulders with all sorts, such as people engaging in cosplay.

The entrance to Takeshita street is opposite the Harajuku station. Some other places nearby are Omotesando, Meiji Jingu and Yoyogi Park.

The entance to Takeshita street

Cosplay

Candy shop

Costume shop

Massive plastic octopus?!

Entrance to Harajuku Street