Tokyo’s Harajuku has long been considered the capital of all things trendy in Japan, both by those domestically and internationally. Tourists to the capital have long penciled in at least one stop to the neighborhood, whether to experience its global reputation as a fashion center or as a hub for “youth culture.”

The trick with being trendy, though, is that trends come and go. The eternal hitch all “cool” entities face is that coolness isn’t a static state – it is always mutating. The snapback of yesterday will soon be usurped by the bucket hat, which itself will eventually move further into the background. What’s remarkable about Harajuku isn’t that it is a trendy spot in one of the world’s most bustling cities, but rather that it has remained so influential for decades. It has been able to glide along with the times, securing its reputation.

So, what specifically is trendy in Harajuku today? Consider this an overview of what’s buzzing in the district right now.

FASHION

Let’s start with what has defined the neighborhood since the 1970s. Fashion has long been the entry point to understanding Harajuku, with Western artists such as Gwen Stefani and Nicki Minaj referencing the area. It has long been viewed as the center of all things fashionable not only in the capital but the country as well. In particular, Harajuku’s street fashion has been celebrated, the DIY-spirit of young men and women walking around the area captured by photographers and fashion magazines hailing from all over the world. That’s the guiding aesthetic of “Harajuku style” – a mish-mash of colors and styles is alright, as long as it captures just who you are.

As personal as that sounds, plenty of stores have popped up in the area catering to burgeoning fashionistas. For the longest time, these boutique destinations featured colorful and eye-catching duds, helping to paint Harajuku as a bright and at times “crazy” place. Yet in recent years, a variety of stores have opened up – some offer monochrome clothes, while brands such as Spinns have taken the vibe of Harajuku and brought it to an accessible price for anyone to dive into. The fashion available has expanded, but ultimately offers up just more options to figure out just what one’s personal look is.

MUSIC

A much more recent development in Harajuku’s pop cultural impact has been in the music industry. Fittingly, the performer who ushered this in originally hailed from the fashion world. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu started her career as a fashion blogger and, eventually, model, but in 2011 took the pop plunge, teaming up with celebrated J-pop producer Yasutaka Nakata to launch a musical career. Guided by the joyful playroom bounce of debut single “PonPonPon,” she went from local fashion authority to internationally embraced pop star.

And she ushered in a new wave of colorful pop artists, ranging from rock groups such as Silent Siren to bouncy electro-pop performers such as Yun*chi. Although still young, Harajuku’s sonic shape has embraced catchy, electro-leaning pop sounds, with a heavy emphasis on appearing fashionable. It isn’t just a neighborhood to discover the most interesting new clothes, but also maybe your next favorite pop project.

FOOD

What’s something almost as ubiquitous as snazzy street models in Harajuku? Long, snaking lines of people waiting for… something to eat. If you want to know what the most in-demand treat in Japan is at any given moment, walk around Harajuku and find any store boasting a particularly line queue. This is the sign you’ve come across an in-demand meal, one that has probably been featured endlessly on TV news segments.

Owing to its reputation as a place where the youth gravitate to, Harajuku has been the epicenter of recent culinary trends such as decadent dessert pancakes, savory popcorn and colorful Taiwan-born shaved ice. Right now, some of the longest lines exist to nab sugary cupcakes, such as from London bakery Lola’s Cupcakes, but that’s subject to change anytime now.

SHOPPING

The main retail draw of Harajuku is, as you’d probably expect, fashion. Besides the myriad small clothing shops dotting the side streets and back alleys of the area, there are also no shortage of larger brand-name stores and fashion-centric malls, such as the imposing La Foret located at one of the neighborhood’s busiest intersections.

Yet the shopping options have, in recent times, gone well beyond just hip clothing. Potentially owing to Japan’s booming tourism numbers, many general souvenir stores have set up shop in the area, offering items that would make for great mementos of one visit to the country (think fans, or quirky novelty items). They are joined by spots offering up high-tech accessories (iPhone covers, various electronic knick-knacks) and some spaces selling fancy watches. Even a walk down Harajuku’s famous Takeshita Street reveals more than clothes options, with all sorts of shiny new spaces devoted to candy and J-pop memorabilia and more.

The area’s shopping scene, like every other element of Harajuku, might skew heavily towards fashion, but offers plenty of space for everyone to find themselves. Maybe that’s why it has managed to remain the definition of “trendy” for so many for so long.