Picture by Shibuya246Dior illuminated: On Omotesando Avenue you find the world’s most luxurious brands.
May be the busiest crossing of Japan: The crossing outside Shibuya station. The traffic lights turn red at the same time in every direction. Traffic then stops completely and pedestrians cross from all sides. You can observe them from the second-story window of Starbucks (Tsutaya building).
You may follow now the young people to Shibuya109, a shopping mall with around 100 fashion boutiques:
Or you look for the Tokyo Food Show inside Shibuya station, in the basement of the Tokyu Department Store, where you get gourmet food and an introduction to local tastes: grilled eel, fried pork, fish salad, octopus, seafood-and-rice seaweed wraps and many prepared foods more. This food hall is one of the biggest and most varied in town. Many of the stalls are connected with established restaurants around town, and you can choose from ready-to-go Indian curries, pho and other Vietnamese dishes, Chinese dumplings and dozens of Chinese-style main dishes. There are several bakeries and French pastry shops and a cheese shop. Some stalls have tiny counter areas where you can eat, but generally it's take-out only.
Nonbei Yokocho Alley のんべい横丁: Full of tiny bars with just a handful of seats. Nonbei Yokocho ("Drunkard’s Alley") dates back to the early 1950’s when eateries and bars were set up shop under the train tracks. "Nonbei Yokocho is everything I love most about Tokyo; an oasis of calm tradition nestled in the massive shadow of streaking neon, droves of taxis and hundreds of thousands of pedestrians. A living, breathing contradiction. It serves as an intimate escape from the impermanence and uncertainty of city living", writes James Rodrigues.
Ebisu Yokocho: Full of restaurants, full of people, squeeze yourself through... In this arcade you discover western-style wine bars, sushi shops, oden, grilled meat and even whale meat (at Jun-chan). Open from 5pm to early morning. Read about the food in Ebiisu Yokocho.
Bellovisto: Wine Bar with great view at 40th floor at Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel.
A free great view you get at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, writes Jessica Chaw.
Konno Hachimangu Shrine:
Meiji Shrine 明治神宮: Dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. With nearby Yoyogi Park it forms a large forested area with walking paths. Emperor Meiji was the first emperor of modern Japan. During the Meiji period Japan was modernized and westernized. Read more about Meiji shrine.
Rows of kazaridaru (decorative sake barrels) along the walkway, offered to the shrine deities from sake brewers all over Japan.
Yoyogi Park:
Harajuku and Takeshita dori: Harajuku has been the epicentre of Tokyo teen fashion (and vintage stores) for decades. Takeshita Street is across the road from the station and is the central hub of fashionable boutiques and resale shops. You will also find many crepe stalls and shops selling delicious fruit filled pancakes. Takeshita dori can get incredibly busy, especially on the weekend.
You may stomble upon a cosplay-girl:
You can stroll from Harajuku all the way down to Aoyama, following Omotesandō (表参道), a zelkova tree-lined avenue stretching from the entrance to the Meiji Shrine to Aoyama-dori and Omotesandō Station. You will find some of the world’s most luxurious brands, some boutiques are architectural wonders with gallery-like interiors: Comme des Garcons, Prada and more. You can also wind through the backstreets and alleyways. One of the discoveries is the Design Festa Gallery, an avant-garde art space showing the buzz of creativity of young Japanese artists. There is a café and a bar with graffiti art on the walls around you. There is also a okonomiyaki restaurant in the backyard. Another place that deserves to be mentioned is Nezu Museum, with a private collection of Japanese art and a little garden where you can enjoy matcha tea (southeast from Omotesando station).
Dior Omotesando
Omotesando Hills
Design Festa Gallery
Crepe at Breizh Café
Maisen Tonkatsu, where you enjoy pork cutlet
Garden of Nezu Museum
Read more and see more pictures:
101 things to do in Shibuya
Shibuya Streets
50 things to do in Harajuku
Top ten things to do in Omotesando and Harajuku
Just minutes away from the very busy Shibuya are the neighbourhoods of Tomigaya and Kamiyamacho, quiet neighbourhoods filled with cafes, independent shops and local establishments. Read: Tomigaya, the hidden gem of Shibuya
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