Prince Hotel BlogsShibuya City is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan, and anyone staying in Shibuya hotels ought to be making the most of the hustle and bustle of the area. Here are all the key spots you need to visit in order to really get a feel for the ebb and flow of Shibuya.
If there is one thing that Japanese breakfast spots absolutely nail, it is a brunch spread. This restaurant is Hawaiin themed, and decorated in a laid-back surfer set-up, making you feel like you are on an exotic beach somewhere rather than in the centre of the city. The set menus are sometimes your best choice, especially if everything looks too appetising to choose just one thing. It is also great value for money ordering this way if you are visiting with a group. The Waikiki Set Menu includes the restaurant’s top-sellers, like the pancakes, the egg benedict.
Address: 4 Chome-30-2 Jingumae, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0001
Website: https://www.eggsnthingsjapan.com/harajuku/
Taking up a hefty chunk of the Shibuya area is Yoyogi Park, which is situated adjacent to Harajuku Station and Meiji Shrine. It is one of the largest city parks in Tokyo, and is a wonderful way to see the city, enjoy the area of Shibuya, as well as get some fresh air in your lungs on what can often be a city-scape dense trip. Lawns, ponds, forested areas, and a great way when the season is right to see the cherry blossoms at their most bright, pink and beautiful.
Address: 2-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-0052
Website: http://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/park/format/index039.html
If you are looking to enjoy some shopping, from independent shops as well as the big stores you will find all over the city of Tokyo, then you should look no further than Takeshita Street. This pedestrianised street is dotted with wonderful stalls and stores selling trendy clothing, tasty morsels of food, as well as a number of popular chain stores. Plan on taking a souvenir home with you? You will probably find it on Takeshita Street.
Address: 1 Chome-17 Jingumae, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0001
Website: https://www.takeshita-street.com/
You can’t tell people you have visited the area of Shibuya if you haven’t visited Meiji Shrine – it is just an unwritten rule. This venerable Shinto shrine is a famous tourist attraction, but also a cultural and sometimes spiritual experience for anyone fortunate enough to visit. The garden is particularly beautiful and should be something you prioritise year-round, but especially during sakura season (otherwise known as cherry blossom utopia!)
Address: 1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 151-8557
Website: http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/
Tummy rumbling? In all fairness, this is a constant state of being whilst visiting Tokyo as the aromas and flavours constantly wafting around the city keep you constantly salivating. To satiate this impulse, look no further than Ebisu Yokocho, one of Tokyo’s favourite Izakaya restaurants, nestled in the Southern part of Shibuya. Their focus is local delicacies, meaning most (if not all) dishes on the menu will add to your Tokyo-experience no matter what you order.
Address: 1 Chome-7-4 Ebisu, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0013
Website: http://www.ebisu-yokocho.com/top.html
Looking to feel enlightened as well as full of Japanese street food and filling your suitcase with trendy new items of clothing? Well then, let the Ukiyo-e Ōta Memorial Museum of Art be your next port of call. Essentially, the museum has rotating exhibitions of Japanese Ukiyo-e art from Ota Seizo V’s collection – and it is truly expansive and impressive.
Address: 1 Chome-10-10 Jingumae, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0001
Website: http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/
Alternatively, art-enthusiasts can head to The Shoto Museum of Art, especially those with a preference for modern and contemporary art. It is also a regular host for events and concerts, as well as classes. The art variety is impressive, and the ambience is lively and trendy. It is a small museum, so you can’t exactly dedicate a whole afternoon for your visit, but sometimes that is exactly what you need: a quick stint of cultural enrichment before tucking into a yakitori at a nearby food market.
Address: 2 Chome-14-14 Shoto, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0046
Website: https://shoto-museum.jp/
Shrine-hunting is a regular activity when getting to know a Japanese city, and Tokyo’s Shibuya district has plenty to enjoy. Konno Hachimangu Shrine is also a Shinto shrine, which is particularly special because of its location. A number of shrines are in forests and parks, whereas Konno Hachimangu Shrine is right within the metropolitan buzz of the city, surrounded by skyscrapers and yet retaining an incredible authenticity. It honors a former emperor from the 15th century and definitely warrants a selfie with a show-off Facebook post once you have been.
Address: 3 Chome-5-12 Shibuya, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0002
Website: https://www.konno-hachimangu.jp/index.html
This concert hall right by Yoyogi Park, with a list of public programs and events scheduled monthly. The programme usually includes a range of concerts and performances of classical performing arts, as well as lectures and international conferences. It is a cultural hotspot in the city and is very highly regarded in the world of cultural broadcasting.
Address: 2 Chome-2-1 Jinnan, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-8001
Website: https://www.nhk-sc.or.jp/nhk_hall/index.html
So, there you have it, some unmissable pit stops in Shibuya on your route to the perfect trip to Japan. When visiting Tokyo and the area of Shibuya particularly, it can seem really overwhelming as there is so much to do, but accepting that you can’t see everything can be valuable: especially as that gives you the freedom to just enjoy the gems recommended to you. Though a shopping district in many respects, it also has so much more to offer, which you are now keenly aware of and so can make the most of.
Shibuya City is a special ward of Tokyo, Japan, and anyone staying in Shibuya hotels ought to be making the most of the hustle and bustle of the area. Here are all the key spots you need to visit in order to really get a feel for the ebb and flow of Shibuya. Eggs ‘n […]