We spoke with Kenji Watabe, the designer of Harajuku's esteemed hat brand "CPH," which is celebrating its 24th anniversary this year, about the past and present of Harajuku and their long-lasting hat-making traditions.
Born & Raised in the Doujunkai Apartments in Omotesando During the 1970s
"In the 1970s, even in my childhood, Omotesando was already a bustling area. Being right in the heart of the city, I didn’t really understand why we lived there as a kid, but I remember that back then, many houses still didn't have baths. The Doujunkai Apartments had a shared bath on the rooftop used by about eight households in turn."There were several public baths in Harajuku back then too. For example, the Mai-sen Aoyama Main Store was originally a public bathhouse remodeled into a restaurant, so you can still feel the remnants of the bathhouse in its interior. I attended Togo Kindergarten next to Togo Shrine and used to catch crayfish there. Even now, there's still some nature left in that area. At that time, there was no Laforet Harajuku, and instead, there was a church in its place. Those are my memories of the past."
Harajuku in the 80s: The Teenage Years
From childhood in Harajuku, moving to Kanagawa and Saitama, and back to Harajuku during the 80s as a student at Bunka Fashion College, I asked Watabe about Harajuku from a fashion perspective."The Doujunkai Apartments housed various shops, and there was a small park with a well facing Omotesando. Behind that park were numerous stores, including vintage clothing shops, which I frequented. This was just before the 90s vintage boom, and Levi's 501 redline jeans were starting to trend.
"There was also the Harajuku Central Apartments[2]. Located where Tokyu Plaza is now, opposite Laforet, it was a mixed-use building with stores, residences, and office spaces. The ground floor hosted jewelry stores and cafes, and creative professionals had their offices there. The basement was home to Harajuku Plaza, which had various quirky shops.
"I also remember stores like Bunkaya Zakkaten and Uchu Hyakka, which were popular for their kitsch imported goods. Unlike now, Omotesando wasn't lined with high-brand shops. During the DC brand boom, popular brands were housed in places like Parco and Laforet. On the other hand, some stores that haven't changed from then to now include PINK DRAGON and A STORE ROBOT. Harajuku evolves, but some things remain the same."
CPH's Beginnings in Harajuku in the 90s
Next, we delved into Watabe's hat brand, CPH. In 1999, he opened the hat shop "C-PLUS HEAD WEARS" in the basement of Kyocera Building on Meiji Street in Harajuku. Was it always the plan to start the business in Harajuku?"Before starting the hat shop, I worked at a vintage store called HAIGHT&ASHBURY in Shimokitazawa. When I decided to open a shop selling new items instead of used ones, I had a strong image of either Harajuku or Daikanyama. However, Daikanyama seemed a bit snobby at the time, and Nakameguro wasn't the youth hotspot it is now. So naturally, Harajuku felt like the right choice for the store."
"Later, we moved to our current location near Cat Street in 2012. In 2018, we rebranded from C-PLUS HEAD WEARS to CPH."
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