If you go down to Yoyogi park on a Sunday, you‘re sure of a big surprise. The rockers can be found in the entrance to the park. Managing to dance and keep their sky-high quiffs in place at the same time is as much a testament to the architectural ingenuity of the Japanese as the Tokyo tower. They must be using some industrial strength hair gel that has not yet been introduced to the west.

Equally baffling is their ability not to crack into a smile as they sombrely strut their stuff whilst being gawped at by passers by. On hot days they slip out of their worn black leather jackets to reveal skin sexily embossed with red and green dragons. Nearby on the concourse next to Harajuku station you can catch gangs of teenagers dressed up in the latest outrageous trends. Don’t worry if they scowl at you when you take their photograph, it’s all part of the attitude.

Turn right out of Harajuku station.

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There are thousands of festivals throughout the year in Japan, you can often accidentally stumble on them in the most unlikely of places, for example, I once bumped into a troupe of traditionally dressed dancers parading through a shopping center. The ultimate festival to attend has to be a Bon dance. Held during the summer people gather in the town square for a group dance. At the center are the professionals who have been practicing all year, whilst children, foreigners and the inebriated are welcomed in the peripheries. The atmosphere is fantastic, the costumes exquisite and the food delicious.

My advice is not to leave it to chance but to log onto the Japan Times’ festival guide at:
www.japantimes.co.jp/festivals.htm
It’s the most comprehensive guide I’ve come across.

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Tako-Yaki was my favorite street food. A savory octopus gobstopper, you bite through a crispy pancake shell, swallow down runny batter till you get to the chewy chunk of octopus in the center. Stalls selling this tend to have a cute cartoon octopus waiving its legs invitingly at you.

You can buy it from stalls at festivals or in parks (there‘s one in front of Yoiyogi park).

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