Yoyogi
Possibly my favorite part of Japan by far would have to be Yoyogi (代々木：よよぎ). This is probably due to the fact that when I spent 2 months in Japan, it was at a place in Yoyogi, Tokyo. There is just so much to like about Yoyogi for someone like myself. Firstly, it is conveniently located right inbetween Shinjuku (新宿：しんじゅく) and Harajuku (原宿：はらじゅく), which are amongst some of the best urban areas in Japan. Also, it is significantly more quiet than lots of places in Tokyo, but not too quiet. Almost like a perfect balance.
So far I’ve only been uploading galleries, but today I figured I’d walk you through some of the places and things I enjoyed about Yoyogi. Descriptions of the photos I post here will follow the photos (meaning they will be after them, not before them), just for reference.
Waiting to get on the trains at the Yamanote line（山手線：やまのてせん：Yamanote-sen), which is the most used line in Tokyo, and does a loop which takes about 1 hour to complete and stops at a lot of popular locations. This was convenient seeing as our apartment was a 3 minute walk to this station and many others.
I have a fascination with Uramichi (裏道：うらみち：Back/Side streets) in Japan. I love how you can be walking on a major street packed with people, and just slink away into a place almost completely void of people. It also makes for great depth perception shots. I love trying to get lost in Tokyo, although it actually happened once and we took a nice 2 hour detour in the middle of the night through Aoyama. Man, that was boring.
Meiji Jingu （明治神宮：めいじじんぐう）is an absolutely beautiful way to get to Harajuku from Yoyogi. It is basically a shrine surrounded by hundreds of acres of gardens. I wish I had a better perspective shot of how long the pathway actually is (I might in another photo set, these aren’t always accurate to area), but you almost completely lose all thought of the fact that you are in the middle of one of the busiest urban centers of the world. I might also have a picture of the old man that swept all the leaves up from the gutters, it is a pretty funny sight.
Hitting up the local Starbucks at Southern Terrace（サザンテラス）which is actually part of Shinjuku, and I do have more pics of it in my Shinjuku photo set. But we were so damn close to this Bucks, maybe 2 minute walk. In case you are wondering, Yes, bucks in Japan is way better than Canada. Maybe I’ll post about why later on.
One of our favorite things to eat in Yoyogi was Yakiniku (焼き肉：やきにく：Korean BBQ). This stuff is soooooooooo delicious, and sooooooo cheap! It is insane, how cheap it is. If you are in Japan right now, do me a favor and hit up your local 安安 right now! for my sake! Korean BBQ is relatively good here in Toronto because there are lots of Korean run places. I might try to recommend a few here in later posts.
The average diameter of Condoms in Canada are 52mm, just for reference. Note the picture of the horse in the package on the left. Had to add this for Sanokame. Enjoy! Hahahahaha.
At the local ramen shop. Couldn’t get a stable picture without people staring me down like crazy. 
Tonkotsu Negi Ramen, Spicy! （辛い豚骨ネギラーメン）I could eat this everyday. If I wasn’t so full after downing an entire bowl and some Gyoza, I would definitely always have seconds!
The Bambino! phone. Me wants
Beer anyone? Sure no problem, let’s just go to the local grocery/convenience store and grab some. Unlike Canada, beer can be bought just about anywhere, by just about anyone.
Although a rather ominous photo of the NTT DoCoMo Tower, I kind of like it. This was a very useful landmark for when we first arrived and couldn’t navigate well. It only took about 2-3 weeks to become accustomed to finding our way around in Tokyo though.
That’s all I’m going to share for now, although there is so much more to talk about. Please have a look at the pictures of Yoyogi I uploaded in the Pictures Section, and don’t forget to comment if you have any questions or would just like to put your word in about something.
Devoted readers: Enjoy 
New readers: Welcome
May 15th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Is the condom size difference really that big?
And look at those tiny Asahi cans, looks like the kind of cans you get on airplanes 
Oh and by the way, continue doing this, it’s so much funnier to watch photos when you write a little about them
May 15th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I’ve just left Yoyogi to get to work now i get here and it feels like i’m back home!?
I recognise many of the shots as i pound these streets a fair bit on the weekends … nice work.
Did you know there’s a starbucks in Yoyogi? Just tucked in behind the camera store over the road from the station … it’s not that easy to spot actually and i think i lived there for several months before i noticed it. Not that i’ve been inside though … not a big fan of starbucks coffee.
May 15th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
yo Crux whats going on. i see that the site is finally back up. i see your passion for japan is as big as ever lol. but man i don’t know how you managed to get these shots without people looking at you. yea looking at those pictures just makes me want to go even more but yea, unlike you i don’t have the luxery of doing that. perhaps after i finish off university, i’ll try to find a job there (which i bet will be a bitch to do). o well gotta at least try. Yoyogi seems like a sick place to visit first, since you enjoyed it so much hahah. keep the posts coming.
May 16th, 2008 at 12:04 am
HARUBANG! ya great pics, Yoyogi looks like a kool place to live with a bit of everything. I luv how Yoyogi is so convient to all your daily needs, from starbucks to condoms…haha
May 16th, 2008 at 2:24 am
Sano: Haha, apparently it does. But if 44mm is = horse. Other places with larger must be like… I dono whales or something? haha Could you imagine a condom pack with a moby dick on it? Man, I’m SO immature!!!
and yes, I will definitely get some more posts up like this soon!
Neil: Glad to bring some nostalgia into the office!
Also thanks for the compliment. Starbucks in Yoyogi!!? behind the camera store? (the smaller camera store about the size of a box right? haha). I can’t believe I never noticed! I worked at Starbucks for well over a year, so I still hold some loyalty to them 
Kai: I edited your post, trying to avoid getting my full name out there too much
first name is cool haha. Also thanks for reading, and thanks for making me sound like an over-privileged white boy. I did work HARD and PAY for my entire trip you know, every last yen :P. Also, Yoyogi isn’t exactly a “happening” place. I enjoyed it mainly for its more mundane qualities in comparison to the rest of Tokyo.
Rayz: HARUBANG! Yoyogi is definitely the place to live yo… if you are “above-rich” like yourself ;).
May 16th, 2008 at 5:25 am
Hahaha! A moby dick condom, that’s like a full body condom, AWESOME!
May 17th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Starbucks in Japan is becoming just like in the States; Soon they’ll be opening up new Starbucks shops inside of other Starbucks shops
It’s insane how every Starbucks around is manseki when plenty of much better places (IMO, of course) usually have immediate seating (Immediate seating for coffee? Well, it’s Tokyo, right?) and non-smoking sections (I know non-smoking sections are usually a joke here, but there are some good places).
Anyway, Yoyogi would definitely be a cool place to live; I’m outside of the Yamanote loop, myself.
May 17th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Haha, Starbucks is much the same here in Canada, with far too many shops for their own good. They are actually having trouble finding enough customers because they opened up too many, too rapidly.
I don’t think I ONCE found a spot on the patio at Bucks when I visited Japan, and usually had to wait a good 30 minutes for a seat at the best of times haha. I would assume that the benefit of all Starbucks are that the inside is ‘kinen’ right? That is a huge benefit to me, especially when studying.
Even still, I would definitely like to know some of those places you’d suggest. The girlfriend and I are coffee junkies.
May 17th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
your photography is REALLY good..damn im so boggled at it!!!
keep it up! well of course WHEN U GO BACK
May 17th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
lol starbucks… i’m guessing the menu is the same as here? but somehow better?
where’s the bars and clubs?
May 21st, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Haha thanks melvy
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:13 am
awesome man! where did u stay(not a stalker question >-<!) and uhm… condoms? large size? horses? not sure if i understand horses lol…
when i become older, i would definitely want to do this kind of thing. but i will have to prepare…
good post! and good food! and beer! then again, i cannot drink beer…