Shibuya 109

109 (Ichi-maru-kyū) is a department store in Shibuya, Tokyo.The store is operated by the Tokyu Malls Development (TMD), a company under the Tokyu Group.

Shibuya 109 located across the street from Shibuya station, Dogenzaka district of Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, what used to be called Koibumi Yokocho (Love letter lane), the center of fashion for young women in Japan, which opened in April 1979.

This building, which has variety of trendy clothing outlets, has succeeded by targeting women age 15 to 20, and have many new brands stuffs here. The main customer base of Shibuya 109 is girls in their teens who are fans of the popular all-girls group “Morning Musume”. Many popular foreign singers and actresses come here when they are in Japan. Not only foreign singers and actresses, Japanese singers and actresses also come here to shopping, even Japanese top diva, Hamasaki Ayumi, has her own store here.

The architect was Minoru Takeyama. Tokyu, the building's operator, designed the building as a "Fashion Community" containing small retail stores targeting the early-30s female consumer.

The name of the building, 109, is taken from the Japanese characters to (meaning 10) and kyu (9) as in Tokyu. The interior of the building is designed to move shoppers in a loop on each floor from the elevators past various shops. A movie theater was originally planned for the top floor, but the fire department would not grant approval due to emergency-evacuation routes not meeting appropriate standards. Although originally targed at women in their 30s, the building later became more known as a mecca for young women from the gyaru subculture

When it first opened for business, this fashion center aimed at a wide range of customers, from young people to the middle-aged and elderly. Following the collapse of the bubble economy in early 1990s, sales dropped off sharply. In 1995, Shibuya 109 reinvented itself by deciding to cease targeting men and to draw young women instead. The strategy paid off, and Shibuya 109 posted record sales of ¥23.5 billion ($213 million at ¥110 to the dollar) in 2003.

Because this fashion center has been attracting customers from all over Japan, such as middle school and high school girls visiting Tokyo on school trips, Shibuya 109 marked its twenty-fifth anniversary by beginning sales over the Internet.

"..haRajuKu.."

Who don’t know about Harajuku?
Harajuku is a place in Tokyo District where people wearing costumes like in comics and anime or something weird. Yes, Harajuku known as trendsetter of comic and anime costumes. Harajuku was the most famous place. We know it not only in Gwen Stephanie's song, but also in comic, Japan drama (dorama), from magazine, etc.

Do you know where the name “Harajuku” came from?
Harajuku took from the name of a train station, “Harajuku”. Around the train was known as Harajuku.

Harajuku Station

Harajuku was always crowd because people, especially teenagers, always come. The most crowd time was in Saturday and Sunday.

Exciting things in Harajuku is, when we come out from the train station, we could find markets that sell cosplay (costume play) equipments. Harajuku was also a spot to show off what the teenagers wear, not only anime or comic costumes, but also their own made costumes which is reflect their true character.

There are some fashion street spots we could see, Yoyogi Park, Takeshita-doori, and Omote-Sando, .

Yoyogi Park

Yoyogi Park was the most crowd place – crowd of the teenagers – especially in Sunday and holiday. In this large park, you suggested to wear something unique if you won’t look weird.

From Yoyogi Park, you can walk to Takeshita-doori.

Takeshita Doori

Here, we could find super experimental Tokyoite style. Even the street wasn’t too large, but there are so many boutique and café. If you like Gothic Lolita style, Visual Kei (looks like J-Rock), there’re many boutique which sell properties for it here.

Omote-sando

Omote-Sando was the center of international brand stuffs, like Ralph Lauren, GAP, etc. So, people who saw here was ‘head to toe all branded fashionista’. But there’re small shops which sell brand urban wear like A Bathing Ape and Undercover.