Harajuku's Origin! Marion Crepes
Harajuku is located in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, specifically referring to the area around Harajuku Station to Omotesando Station. It's one of Japan's premier shopping areas and is world-famous as a trendsetting hub where youth and cutting-edge brands and items gather. It's particularly known as the birthplace of Japanese "kawaii" culture, meaning cute or adorable, and is filled with colorful and cute food and items.
On the other hand, the area around Omotesando Station has a more sophisticated atmosphere, lined with high-end brand shops, restaurants, and cafes for adults. This area also plays a role as a center of fashion and culture, making it worth visiting for many tourists and fashion enthusiasts.
Harajuku and Omotesando attract attention not only from within Japan but from around the world, popular as places where you can experience unique charm and cutting-edge fashion.
Today, I'll introduce a shop that I especially recommend, where I often ate crepes in Harajuku during my student days.
If you are interested in Harajuku's pop culture, check the article below! I summarized how and where you can enjoy them as much as possible.
If you are interested in "Kawaii" Photogenic Sweets & Eats in Harajuku, check the article below! I summarized how and where you can enjoy them as much as possible.
The Sweets Scene in Harajuku
While Harajuku is known as a fashion center, it also has many restaurants and cafes. Especially on Takeshita Street, buying and eating crepes while walking is a standard activity. Recently, shops embodying "Kawaii" culture and perfect for photos have been gaining attention.
Sweets in Harajuku are particularly popular. There are many crepe shops, starting with Marion Crepes, where you can enjoy crepes with various toppings like fruits and ice cream. There are also many cafes with colorful and cute sweets and drinks, offering a wide range of attractive Harajuku-style sweets perfect for social media.
What is Marion Crepes?
When you think of Harajuku, "Marion Crepes," Japan's first crepe shop established in 1976, is famous. It continues to evolve by offering new flavors and limited menus each season, providing new surprises and enjoyment with each visit, making it a symbol of Harajuku.
The founder, leveraging seven years of experience in France, opened a small wagon-style crepe shop in a corner of a parking lot on Shibuya Park Avenue. They created the now-common style in Japan of "wrapping crepes in paper for eating while walking." Initially, they sold adult-oriented crepes sprinkled with liquor.
When they opened a shop on Takeshita Street in Harajuku, the forefront of youth culture, in 1977, they established "Japanese crepes" loved by a wide range of ages, wrapping whipped cream, ice cream, and fruits. Marion Crepes became so popular that it became synonymous with Harajuku.
Crepes made with special recipes have become a nostalgic taste for many Japanese people.
Recommended Points of Marion Crepes
Photogenic Exterior
source：Tabelog
Marion Crepes' exterior is characterized by its cuteness and vibrancy that captivates viewers. The shop's logo and design are unique, with a red-based building and an illuminated sign that stands out day and night from afar.
The displayed food samples of crepes are artistically finished one by one, with colorful fruits, whipped cream, and unique toppings creating a beauty that's perfect for photos.
Marion Crepes is often featured in photos taken by famous overseas visitors in front of the shop, and it's sometimes depicted in anime backgrounds, making it a popular topic among fans as a "sacred site."
When you visit, be sure to take a photo of the exterior!
Unique Crepe Batter
The charm of Marion Crepes lies in its unique crepe batter. The original crepe batter, mixed with several ingredients in a secret blend, has been passed down since the shop's founding and is Marion Crepes' pride.
By baking at high temperatures quickly, it achieves a crispy texture, and as you eat, you can enjoy an elastic texture. It's slightly sweet and very delicious, and I love this batter too.
While the sweet aroma of the crepe batter being cooked stimulates the appetite, the batter actually contains a unique blend of original fragrances and spirits, creating this characteristic sweet scent.
This crepe batter, combining texture, taste, and aroma, is the reason it has been loved by many people for so long.
Over 70 Varieties
source：Tabelog
Marion Crepes offers over 70 diverse menu items, making you want to visit again and again. From sweet types using whipped cream and fresh fruits to savory types using chicken and tuna, there's a wide range of options.
You can also freely customize your original crepe according to your preferences. You can choose toppings and ingredients freely to enjoy your own special crepe.
I love both sweet crepes topped with whipped cream and fruits, and savory crepes like tuna pizza sauce, so I'm always torn about which one to buy because of the variety.
Please find your favorite!
Recommended Menu at Marion Crepes
Seasonal Limited Menu
source：Official website
Marion Crepes offers seasonal limited menus, allowing you to taste new flavors with each visit.
The "Chocolate Crunch Mint" limited for summer 2024 is a luxurious dessert perfect for the hot season. The refreshing mint-flavored whipped cream and rich, smooth chocolate mint ice cream spread in your mouth, with a wonderful harmony of sweetness and freshness. Additionally, chilled brownies are added as an accent, allowing you to enjoy different textures.
There are also menu items topped with crunchy textures like crunch and cookies, increasing the satisfaction of texture.
It's a perfect crepe for hot summers, so please try it if you find it! Marion Crepes offers such seasonal limited menus, so let's enjoy the encounters when you visit!
Azuki Special
source： Official website
"Azuki Special" is a dessert crepe containing Anko (sweet red bean paste) and vanilla ice cream. Anko is a traditional Japanese sweet made by simmering sugar and red beans, characterized by its sweet and gentle taste.
This combination of Anko and vanilla ice cream goes very well together, and with the addition of plenty of whipped cream, it becomes an irresistible combination for those with a sweet tooth.
These ingredients are wrapped in freshly baked, warm crepe batter. You can also enjoy the elasticity of Marion Crepes' original batter that they're confident in, making it a very delicious dessert overall.
It's a crepe with a very Japanese combination, so please give it a try.
Matcha Black Honey
source：Official website
"Matcha Black Honey" is one of the most popular items among Japanese-style crepes. This crepe stands out with the flavors of Anko and matcha, traditional Japanese sweets, and its appearance is also vibrant and attractive.
On top of the freshly baked crepe batter, Snko and matcha ice cream are placed, topped with Shiratama (rice flour dumplings) and Black honey, and then wrapped with fresh cream.
The slightly bitter matcha flavor, sweet Snko, and the moderately sweet Shiratama and fresh cream match perfectly and are very delicious. The Shiratama provides a chewy texture, adding an accent to the crepe.
It's a masterpiece that I highly recommend to those who like the flavor of matcha!
Strawberry Cake Cream
source：Official website
"Strawberry Cake Cream" is a luxurious item combining strawberries with cheesecake and whipped cream, and it's very popular. The strawberries on top give it a vibrant appearance. The impact of plenty of whipped cream and sliced cheesecake inside also stimulates the appetite.
The sweet and sour taste of strawberries and the sourness of cheesecake go very well with the whipped cream, spreading a gentle sweetness throughout your mouth. I often eat crepes with cheesecake inside because I like them, but they're addictive, so please give it a try!
It's quite filling, so I recommend eating it when you're hungry.
Butter Sugar
source：Official website
"Butter Sugar" is, as the name suggests, a simple crepe wrapping butter and sugar in crepe batter. The richness and flavor of butter perfectly match the sweetness of sugar, and when you take a bite, a savory aroma spreads in your mouth.
The simplicity of this crepe is rather its charm, allowing you to fully enjoy the deliciousness of Marion Crepes' characteristic batter. The rich flavor and savoriness of butter stimulate the appetite, and the sweetness of the crunchy sugar is addictive. The freshly baked crispy edges and the elastic batter as you eat further are a perfect match and irresistible.
It's simple and not too filling, so it's perfect for eating while walking or as an after-meal dessert. It's a masterpiece I'd like to recommend to those who want to taste the deliciousness of Marion Crepes' batter!
Access to Marion Crepes
Marion Crepes Harajuku Takeshita Street Store
Address: 1F Jeunesse Building, 1-6-15 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
It's about a 3-minute walk (about 212m) from JR Harajuku Station.
Exit from the Takeshita exit of Harajuku Station, cross the crosswalk, and you'll reach Takeshita Street.
Go straight ahead, and you'll see the Marion Crepes shop.
Access by public transportation is convenient.
There's no parking lot, but there are coin parking lots nearby, so visiting by car is also possible.
Basic Information about Marion Crepes
- Closed: None
- Phone number: 03-3499-2496 (Head office)
- Business hours: Weekdays 10:30-20:00, Weekends 10:00-20:00
- Official website: https://www.marion.co.jp/
- Official Twitter: https://x.com/marion_japan
- Reservations: Not available
- Payment methods: Cash, electronic money accepted, cards not accepted, QR code payments not accepted
*Note: Business hours were confirmed by phone with the Marion Crepes head office.