Girls Trip (part 1)
School’s out for the summer!
The theme of this Girl’s Trip is “finding ourselves”
Believe it or not, these young ladies are university students from the U.S. (except for one who just graduated and then hopped on a plane with a cardigan to Japan… Congrats btw!). So a trip to Japan was a well-deserved break after juggling through exams, dance performances, thesis papers and let alone a social life.
It was the second week of June and it was getting pretty warm.
Harajuku Girls
Our first stop was in Harajuku. What better way to get to know someone by taking them to a palm reading session? Each person did a 10-minute palm reading session. My role was translator and boy, did I hear some dirty secrets! Jk. But it did give me a greater insight into their personalities.
Black and white outfit was coordinated in advance obviously… duh
What type of info do you get from palm readings?
I personally love getting my readings done every 3 months. It’s a spiritual guide that re-directs you into the right direction when you feel lost or hopeless. The girls are in their early twenties, so their options are endless! So many choices but where to start? I was once like that. After all, Cyber Bunny was born after hitting my quarter-life crisis… these girls are ahead of the game.
Twenties are a crucial time in a woman’s life to understanding herself. There will be mistakes along the way… and that’s ok! Life is all about taking the detours and getting back on track, and it’s just a repeat of that. Even if these predictions don’t come true, I truly believe these readings can give a different perspective.
But first… coffee
Anakuma Cafe (Watch Short Here) is a unique take-out experience where there are bears on the other side of the hole-in-the-wall that make your drinks. I had their ice latte and it was pretty good! The cafe uses only fresh quality coffee beans “purchased through fair trade to end all hunger and poverty in every part of the world.” The bear paws interact with you by playing Rock, Paper, Scissors (Jan, Ken, Po in Japanese) through the hole in the wall (literally!) while they get your drink ready. There is also a gacha gacha where you can win a prize! The best prize is a FREE drink. It’s a very cute spot and it’s never that crowded, so stop by and say hi to the bears!
Mandatory Harajuku Crepe
The group decided they want to nibble throughout the day. We stopped by Marion Crêpes, a popular crepe chain store, for a quick snack. My recommendation is the classic strawberry and banana whipped cream.
Shopping!
Harajuku and Shibuya are the trendsetters of Japanese modern fashion. I took them to the backstreets of Takeshita Street where all my favorite shops are. The girls had a blast shopping at thrift shops, select boutiques and shoe brand stores. Red cowboy boots, Burberry pants, a white oversize ensemble and a Kpop outfit were scored that day!
It’s time for Happy Hour… Off to Omoide Yokocho!
Omoide Yokocho means “Memory Lane” in Japanese. It is a narrow road full of small bars, grilled meat on skewers and cheap alcohol. English menu available. This is where Japanese salarymen used to go for late night dinners during the 80’s Shōwa-era. Today, it is on every foreign visitor’s bucket list to come here at least once. It’s a very photo-worthy spot and has appeared in many films.
This was actually my first time eating at Omoide Yokocho! The atmosphere is just like in the movies: cramped and dirty with its unique charm. If I’m not mistaken, Eugene Levy ate here on “The Reluctant Traveler” in the last episode.
Kanpai! Bottoms up!
Kanpai means “cheers” in Japanese. The group did awesome and we covered a lot of ground on day 1. I ordered them some grilled skewers to share, home made potato salad, draft beers and high balls, of course. The food paired really well with the drinks, but the vibe was everything. The tiny space made us feel closer, and this kind of local dining experience is not what you’d normally see in the States!
After a few more dishes, the girls couldn’t stop talking about their palm readings from earlier. It was hilarious and very cute to see them giggling about what’s in store for them in the future. I wish them the very best of luck!
