Harajuku food stops are something you should not miss when you visit Tokyo. On our recent trip to Tokyo, my daughter and I toured the Harajuku district of Shibuya, and it was amazing. Of course, everything about our trip was spectacular. We were in Tokyo, after all, but Harajuku was one of the highlights of the trip. My daughter and I made sure that this district was one we didn’t miss because it’s internationally as a center for Japanese youth culture. My daughter is a teen and a super geek, so I knew we had to go.
We were definitely excited about all the exploration to be done in the district. We toured Takeshita street, where we saw all sorts of fascinating shops filled with everything from clothes to pop-culture items. Laforet was 13 floors of shopping that encompassed pretty much everything my daughter loves about Japan. All in all, it was everything we expected and more. What we didn’t expect, however, were all the amazing Harajuku food stops there were! Because my daughter and I love to eat local food as much as we love to explore local areas, we did a lot of eating, and I wanted to share my top spots with all of you.
Harajuku Food Stops for the Gram
All of my favorite Harajuku food stops have two things in common: they’re delicious and the food is tailor-made for Instagram. Whether you’re snacking on a ridiculously tall potato on a stick or enjoying the most colorful cotton candy you’ll probably ever see in your life, the food in the district is delicious, and the photo opportunities are always present.
Long! Longer!! Longest!!!
Located on Harajuku’s Takeshita Street, this eatery is purely a tourist trap, and that’s totally okay. After all, my daughter and I were tourists, and your family will be tourists, too. The gimmick of this eatery? Everything is super-sized. Long! Longer!! Longest!!! offers exactly what its name implies: really long food. They offer lengthy treats like soft-serve ice cream, the tunnel potato, churros, and cotton candy.
Their Tunnel Potato, a curly fry on a stick, comes in three lengths, the longest being 20 inches. If you love soft-serve ice cream – and can eat it fast enough – you can choose a cone that is 11, 13, or even 15 inches tall. The churros are a whopping 21 inches – almost 2 feet – long, and the cotton candy is a ridiculously tall 2 feet! It’s all quite tasty, and all of it makes for some interesting Instagram shots. https://longest.jp/ (Japanese)
Cookie Time
Cookie Time, on Takeshita Street, is a super fun shop devoted to, you guessed it, cookies. However, you’ll find a lot more than just freshly-baked cookies – which they have in abundance. Oh, no. It’s Japan, and if Japan does anything well, it’s going way over the top. The decor of Cookie Time is Instagram worthy all on its own, with vibrant, colorful patterns on the walls and ceiling and ultra-cute art.
The food itself is both delicious and so photographable, as well. In addition to traditional cookies, you can chow down on edible cookie dough and enjoy cookie milkshakes. With so many options, my daughter and I were in cookie AND photography Heaven. https://cookietime.co.nz (English)
Garrett Popcorn Shops
Most of you probably recognized this name immediately. Of course, you would. Garrett Popcorn is an American favorite founded in Chicago. The Garrett Popcorn Shop in Harajuku is a hot spot for locals who cant’ seem to get enough of this American favorite. The popcorn was delicious, and Garrett Popcorn Shops already have their own sort of photo-worthy vibe anyway, so the lack of the over-the-top color explosion we saw in other places wasn’t a drawback for our photography.
My biggest reason for adding this to my Harajuku Food Stops list was the ability to photograph Japanese-only flavors and tin designs offered by the company. They have several of each that are only available in Japan, making for a great Instagram post. https://jpgarrettpopcorn.com (Japanese)
Eggs ‘n Things
Another American import, Eggs ‘n Things is a popular pancake house in Hawaii that is a sort of mecca for Japanese tourists. They are obsessed with the food choices to be found there, so it’s no wonder that this Hawaiian institution decided to open a shop in Tokyo.
This shop has the classic vibe of its Hawaiian counterpart as well as all the flavors that made it famous. The menu is overflowing with breakfast options like pancakes, waffles, crepes, omelets, and more. And speaking of overflowing, the toppings on the waffles, pancakes, and crepes are generous, to say the least. Each and every menu item is a glorious Instagram shot in and of itself. https://www.eggsnthingsjapan.com (Japanese)
Eddy’s Ice Cream
Garrett Popcorn and Eggs ‘n Things may have been a departure from the typical visual feast you’ll find in Tokyo restaurants, but Eddy’s Ice Cream more than makes up for it. It’s pink. It’s super pink. It’s THE MOST pink. It’s probably the pinkest place you’ll ever visit, and it is so much fun! The ice cream is so good, and the atmosphere is so fun, but what makes Eddy’s Ice Cream a winner on my list of Instagram worthy Harajuku food stops is the fact that it was actually designed with photos in mind.
The decor of the shop, from it’s bright lighting and pink walls to fun touches like a neon flamingo and vintage wall phones, was meticulously crafted to make every photograph that is taken in the shop fun and gorgeous. The shop itself isn’t the only thing you’ll want to put on Instagram, though. The ice cream and the available cones are perfect for Instagram goodness, too. Cones dipped in in everything from white chocolate and pretzels to rainbow sprinkles hold ice cream creations as you’ve never seen. The ice cream options here are a feast for your eyes as well as your mouth. http://eddysicecream.jp (Japanese)
Ichiran Ramen
Ichiran Ramen offers some of the best ramen you’ll ever have anywhere. Their specialty is tonkatsu, which is a pork-based broth. They make their own homemade noodles and their own special red spicy powder. It’s incredibly good food that should not be missed. You can choose from a variety of options, but whatever you choose, always go for extra noodles. They are delicious.
Ichiran Ramen’s decor is a departure from the other hyper-colorful shops I’ve mentioned before on this list. Their decor is actually quite reserved, which is fine. Their delicious ramen is the star of the show and makes for some wonderful, noodle-centric photography for Instagram. https://ichiran.com/en/
Marion Crepes
Marion Crepes on Takeshita Street is an interesting eatery. Crepes are such a fancy breakfast item, you probably wouldn’t imagine ordering them from a bustling food stand, but that’s exactly how it works at Marion. The exterior of the establishment is quite simple by Japanese standards, and because it’s a stand, there’s no interior at all. None of that matters, though, because you’ll be photographing crepes that look more like ice cream cones than what we’ve come to expect from traditional crepes.
Marion Crepes serves over 40 varieties of crepes, all of them wrapped in a cone shape and stuffed full of their respective toppings. Each and everyone is a beautiful work of art and should definitely be photographed before you eat it. Speaking of eating it, you will absolutely love these crepes. I’ve had crepes in lots of different places, and Marion has some of the best I’ve ever had.
Totti Candy Factory
I’ve saved the best for last for everyone. What can I say about Totti Candy Factory? It’s magical. It felt a bit like walking into the Tokyo version of Willy Wonka’s. Pink, white, and clear glass orbs hang from the ceiling, giving a feeling of walking through a shop filled with bubbles. Pink is the dominant color throughout, and the entire interior is just screaming to be photographed. Don’t stop with the interior, though. You’ll want to photograph the food, as well.
Totti Candy Factory serves up the absolutely gargantuan rainbow cotton candy that it’s famous for. That’s photo-worthy in itself, however, it doesn’t end there. They offer fake pops that are true works of art. These pops look like rabbits, tigers, bears, smiley emojis, and even little monsters. These adorable little Fake Pops may not be edible, but they make great keepsakes as well as photo opportunities. Be sure to photograph the huge candy buffet while you peruse it for the sweets you’ll be taking with you before you leave, as well.
Always Have Your Camera at These Harajuku Food Stops
These Harajuku food stops all have two things in common. The food is delicious, and they’re all begging to be on Instagram. Whether you’re photographing the vibrant interior of Totti Candy Factory or Eddy’s Ice Cream or just Gramming amazing foods like rolled-up crepes stuffed with toppings or unique cookies, you’ll have nothing but material to put on your feed at these stops. Don’t forget to enjoy the food while you’re photographing everything, though. These Harajuku food stops have food that is as tasty as it is Instagram-worthy.
