Transit Hub · Harajuku

Harajuku Station 原宿駅

The gateway to both Meiji Jingu's forest and Takeshita Street's chaos, with a bright modern station of 2020 and a reconstruction of the beloved 1924 timber station building due in winter FY2026.

About

For nearly a century, Harajuku meant a small half-timbered, Tudor-style station with a pointed spire, the oldest wooden station building in central Tokyo. It was dismantled in 2020 because it failed modern fire codes, and replaced by a glass-and-steel station with a wide plaza facing Omotesando and a new Meiji Jingu exit. JR East kept materials from the old building and is now recreating its exterior as the centrepiece of a new commercial complex on the north side, with completion targeted for winter of fiscal 2026 (roughly early 2027), so expect hoardings or a freshly opened building depending on when you visit. The station also has a little-known extra: the Imperial platform, a private platform used by Imperial trains, visible from the Yamanote tracks. Step out of the Takeshita Exit and Takeshita Street is directly across the road; the Omotesando Exit leads to the zelkova-lined avenue; and the Meiji Jingu torii is a minute away.

Highlights

• Reconstruction of the 1924 Tudor-style timber station facade on the north side (due winter FY2026)
• Meiji Jingu Exit opening straight onto the forest shrine approach
• The Takeshita Exit facing the head of Takeshita Street
• Glimpse of the disused Imperial platform north of the station
• Second-floor station windows looking over Jingu-bashi bridge and the Meiji Jingu woods

Tips

• Use the Meiji Jingu Exit for the shrine and the Takeshita Exit for Takeshita Street; they are at opposite ends of the station.
• Weekend afternoons are very crowded; Meiji-jingumae Metro station is an easy alternative two minutes away.
• Check JR East news before visiting if the reconstructed old station is your goal, as the opening date may shift.
• Sunday mornings are the quietest, and Meiji Jingu often has wedding processions.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Harajuku Station · Coin Lockers (new station building)Luggage Storage · 10 m away
• @cosme TOKYOUnique Store · 40 m away
• Cat Cafe MOCHA HarajukuActivities & Experiences · 40 m away
• Meiji Jingu MuseumMuseum · 60 m away
• Takeshita StreetShopping Street · 160 m away
• Harajuku Tourist Information CenterTourist Info · 180 m away
• Ota Memorial Museum of ArtMuseum · 200 m away
• Marion Crêpes HarajukuCafé & Sweets · 230 m away