Shibuya (渋 谷) is one of the 23 special districts of the city of Tokyo.
To know
It is a notoriously popular shopping and dining district especially among Tokyo's youth. Shibuya would deserve an award as a district with more advertising screens than any other area in the world.
Geographical notes
| Orientation | ||
| Suginami | Nakano | Shinjuku |
| Setagaya |  | Minato |
| Meguro | Shinagawa | |
It is within walking distance of two other major shopping districts - Omotesando is Harajuku - as well as being close enough to Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingu Shrine.
How to orient yourself
Shibuya: full screen map.Most of Shibuya's vibrancy is found in the busy blocks northwest of JR Station. The best place to orient yourself is the exit of Hachikō (ハ チ 公), which opens onto the famous five-way "intersection" under the giant video screen.
The area south of the station is bordered by a highway, so there isn't much to see other than the bus terminals (on either side) and the Tōkyū Plaza department store.
The two main roads heading east from the station continue towards Aoyama is Roppongi.
Neighborhoods
Girls followers of the "Gothic Lolita" style in the Harajuku district
The most interesting neighborhoods of Shibuya are the following:
- 1 Harajuku (原宿) - The youth nightlife pulsates around the Harajuku station where the trains of the "Yamanote" circular line stop. The nearby Yoyogi Park, the largest in Tokyo, is the Sunday meeting place for Tokyo's youth. They generally gather in groups, giving life to impromptu rock concerts or engaging in equally improvised martial arts meetings. Sundays at Yoyogi Park are an opportunity for girls to show off stylish dresses Gothic Lolita, according to the example introduced by their idol, the singer Nana Kitade.
- 2 Ebisu (恵 比 寿) - Partly residential area and home to numerous clubs, bars and small restaurants. The metro station of the same name houses a large shopping center.
Close to Ebisu, about 15 minutes walk, is located Daikan'yama, a luxury residential neighborhood that also houses some embassies.
How to get
Ebisu station
Shibuya station
- 3 Shibuya Station (渋 谷 駅, Shibuya-eki). The main hub of the district, the station is a complicated meander of corridors. However just follow the signs to find the direction. The station crosses the metro lines
and those of trains 
and those of trains 
- You can also walk to Ebisu and Harajuku (where you could take the JR Yamanote Line trains), and Omotesando (where you could take the Tokyo subway lines). The Tōkyū Tōyoko Line is the cheapest and most convenient way to visit Yokohama.
- 4 Ebisu Station (恵 比 寿 駅 Ebisu-eki). The lines pass through this station
| Connections |
| Nakano ← Shinjuku ← | OR  IS | → Chiyoda → Taito |
How to get around
What see
Shibuya crossing
1 Shibuya crossing (渋 谷 駅 ス ク ラ ン ブ ル 交 差点). The famous intersection sees people crossing in every direction. The second floor of the Starbucks is known for being a great place to take photos of the famous walkway.
The Gai Center
Bunkamura
- 2 Hachikō statue (ハ チ 公). A small statue of a dog hidden in a corner of the large square outside the station, better known as a meeting place and history (see box). It is also the name of one of the many exits from Shibuya station.
- 3 Gai Center (セ ン タ ー 街 Sentaa-gai) (few minutes from Shibuya station). A narrow street leading away from the station to the left of a giant screen, it is famous for being the birthplace of many of the youth fashion trends in Japan. The Gai Center is crammed with clothing stores, music stores, and arcades. This is a great place to walk around and feel the Shibuya vibe.
Hikarie
- 4 Bunkamura, Bunkamura-dori (10 minutes from Shibuya station). A complex with an excellent art museum, as well as theaters for films and plays. In the basement there is an art and design bookshop and a branch of the famous coffee shop Les Deux Magots Paris.
- 5 Hikarie (ヒ カ リ エ), 2 Chome-21-１ Shibuya, ☎ 81 3-5468-5892. Hikarie is a brand new building on the east side of Shibuya station with many restaurants, galleries and theaters.
The Yamatane museum
- 6 The myth of tomorrow (明日 の 神話, Ashita no shinwa) (At the entrance to the Inokashira Line, 100m from the Hachikō statue). A huge mural by the famous artist Tarō Okamoto, which commemorates the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. In this mural, one man's face burns and others seem to be fleeing the flames. It was made in Mexico in the late 1960s, was later found in 2003 and finally brought to Japan in 2005.
- 7 Yamatane Art Museum (山 種 美術館), 3 Chome-12-３６ Hiroo, Shibuya (A few steps from Ebisu station), ☎ 81 3-3239-5911.
¥600. 
Mon-Sun 10 am-5pm. Specializing in modern Japanese-style paintings, he has a remarkable collection although only a handful are on display due to conservation problems. - 8 NTT DoCoMo (sometimes called DoCoMo Tower (NTT ド コ モ 代 々 木 ビ ル)), 5 Chome-24-１０ Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku (10 minutes from Shinjuku station). This giant Empire State Building-like granite tower south of Shinjuku Station is the northernmost action in the Shibuya District. The building is owned by NTT DoCoMo, Japan's largest cell phone company. The top of the building is a mobile communication tower.
NTT DoCoMo
¥600. 
Mon-Sun 10 am-5pm. Specializing in modern Japanese-style paintings, he has a remarkable collection although only a handful are on display due to conservation problems.
Ukiyo-e memorial art museum in Ōta
- 9 Ukiyo-e memorial art museum in Ōta (浮世 絵 太 田 記念 美術館 Ukiyo-e Ōta kinen bijutsukan), 1 Chome-10-１０ Jingumae, ☎ 81 3-3403-0880. Full ¥ 700, reduced ¥ 500. Tue-Sun 10: 30-17: 30. This museum is dedicated to the Ukiyo-e (Japanese prints) collection from Ōta Seizo V's collection of over 12,000 pieces.
What to do
Shopping
| A symbol of loyalty |
 Hachiko Hachikō is a dog born in 1923 and sold to a wealthy Tokyo family while still a puppy. The father of this family, Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor of the University of Tokyo in his 50s, loved Hachiko very much and adored him constantly, taking him for long walks, always stroking him and even bathing with him inside the house. She truly treated him like one of the family. Until Hachiko was two years old, he always went to the station with the master and after the master went through the stalls he returned home alone. Then he would return every day to wait outside the stalls to meet the master to return home. All the locals and people at the train station knew the special bond of this man and this dog. One day, however, the master died while teaching at the university. Hachiko went to get him but he never came back. Since then Hachiko has never stopped waiting. Every day for about 10 or 11 years she went to wait for him. The story was picked up over time and became popular thanks to Japanese newspapers, making Hachiko a celebrity while still alive, attending the inauguration of his statue in 1934. The dog then died the following year, but his story continues. and you can still pay even a visit to the collections of the National Science Museum of Ueno. |
Shibuya has many interesting shopping opportunities. It is the home of the huge Tokyu conglomerate (railways, department stores, hotels, residential buildings), and therefore virtually all major shops in the area have Tokyu as a name.
Anime & Manga
- 1 Mandarake, BEAM B2F, Udagawa 31-2, ☎ 81 3-3477-0777. A large shop dedicated to manga, anime, hentai, doujinshi, figures and collectibles.
- 2 NHK Studio Park, Jinnan 2-2-1 (At the end of Koen-dori), ☎ 81 3-3485-8034. Mon-Sun 10: 00-18: 00. A tourism studio run by national broadcaster NHK, home to a gift shop that sells the largest collection of Domo-kun characters on the planet.
Fashion
Building 109
Shibuya is the center of Japanese youth culture and exhibitions.
- 3 0101 (Marui), 1 Chome-22-６ Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, ☎ 81 3-3464-0101. Mon-Don 11: 00-21: 00. Department store with all high-end brands.
- 4 Building 109 (Ichi-maru-kyu), 2 Chome-29-1 Dōgenzaka, 渋 谷 区 Shibuya-ku, ☎ 81 3-3477-5111. Mon-Sun 10 am-9pm. Fashion store for teenagers.
Music
Shibuya presents many opportunities to purchase music, but it must also be said that Japanese CDs often have a value that can reach ¥ 3000; just think that imports are usually cheaper!
- 5 Disk Union, Antenna 21, Udagawa 30-7 (Center-gai), ☎ 81 3-3461-1809. Mon-Sun 11: 00-21: 00. Used and new record dealer with floors specializing in punk, rock, jazz and dance music.
- 6 HMV record shop Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Udagawachō, 36−２ ノ ア 渋 谷 1st and 2nd floor, ☎ 81 3-5784-1390. Mon-Sun 11: 00-22: 00. A great music store.
- 7 RECOfan (レ コ フ ァ ン 渋 谷 BEAM 店), Udagawachō, 31, 宇田 川 町 ３１−２ 渋 谷 ＢＥＡＭ 4th floor, ☎ 81 3-3463-0090. From ¥ 100. Mon-Sun 11: 30-21: 00. Good buys for second hand music all records are categorized and alphabetized for quick reference. There are other outlets including one on Center-gai
- 8 Tower Records, Jinnan 1-22-14 (Koen-dori), ☎ 81 3-3496-3661. Mon-Sun 10 am-11pm. For a while the largest record store in the world, now just incredibly big. Good selection of English books and magazines on the top floor, plus the other 6 floors of J-pop, western rock, jazz, classical and DVD.
- For music equipment, there is a good group of shops just southwest of the JR station. (Take the pedestrian overpass to cross the highway.)
Other
- 9 Tokyu Hands, 12-18 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku (At the end of the Center-gai), ☎ 81 3-5489-5111. Mon-Sun 10 am-9pm. Promoted as a "Creative Life Store", Tokyu Hands has it all for self-help: interiors, hobbies, crafts, outdoors to stationery and more. The Shibuya store spans eight floors.
- 10 Tokyu Hands, Sendagaya 5-24-2 (Inside Takashimaya near the New South JR Shinjuku Exit), ☎ 81 3-5361-3111. This is a large shop with a variety of items, and if the adjective "big" doesn't impress you, you've probably never faced the dilemma of what kind of sand to use for your model railroad. Because here, you can choose from a dozen sand types alone - from yellow Sahara sand to reddish sand, all in handy plastic packaging. This shop is the best proof that in a big mega city, there is a clientele for just about anything. You can buy almost anything you want. A good section for travel luggage too, and if you need a pen or pencil you will be overwhelmed with choice.
- 11 Loft (渋 谷 ロ フ ト), 21-１ Udagawacho, Shibuya (near the Tokyu building), ☎ 81 3-3462-3807. Loft is Seibu's answer to Tokyu Hands, and it also offers a wide range of products related to interiors, hobbies, crafts and gifts, but with a slightly less strong emphasis on DIY. The Shibuya Loft branch consists of seven floors.
- 12 Takashimaya (新宿 タ カ シ マ ヤ), Sendagaya 5-24-2 (Take the new South Exit and South Terrace Exit from JR Shinjuku Station. The largest department store in southern Shinjuku is located between JR Shinjuku and JR Yoyogi stations), ☎ 81 3-5361-1111. 10:00-20:00. This department store has been catering to families since the mid-1920s. The depachika is comparable to Isetan, but not as famous.
How to have fun
Nonbei-yokochō
Shibuya is a major center for discos, music and dancing. Furthermore 5 Nonbei-yokochō (の ん べ い 横 丁), magically protected by decades of commercial development, is a narrow alley that runs along the east side of the Yamanote lines, just north of the station. It is chock full of traditional yakitori taverns and some extremely small modern bars. The district was formed in 1955 and some of the shops have been in operation ever since.
Coffee
- 1 Cafe Apres-Midi (カ フ ェ ・ ア プ レ ミ デ ィ), 1-9-11 Jinnan 2nd floor (10 minutes north of Shibuya station), ☎ 81 3-5428-5121. Fri 19: 00-01: 00, Sat 11: 30-23: 30, Sun 11: 30-19: 00. Coffee with '60s decor and soft lighting. Excellent food, try it quiche, even if the portions are small.
- 2 Beat Cafe, 33-13-3B, Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku (Take the Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station, cross the famous intersection, walk downtown Gai (a narrow shopping street) and next to an Outback Steakhouse restaurant), on the left, go up to the third floor. Look for the sign that looks like an 80s album cover. To get there it takes 10 minutes on foot.), ☎ 81 9093344342. Cash and drinks only range from ¥ 500-1000. Small cafe-bar-restaurant serving a young alternative rock crowd.
- 3 [link not working]Excelsior Cafe, 1-20-12 Jinnan, Toyama Building 1st and 2nd floors (right in front of GAP, on Shibuya Koen Dori), ☎ 81 3-5728-7667. Mon-Sun 08: 00-22: 30. Great coffee and delicious sandwiches, with a warm smile.
Pub
- 4 The Aldgate, Shiniwasaki Bldg 3rd floor, Udagawacho 30-4, ☎ 81 3-3462-2983. 18:00-02:00. British style pub, with a large number of Japanese and international beers on tap and a large collection of English rock music on vinyl.
- 5 The Dubliners, Shibuya-ku, Dōgenzaka, 2 Chome − 29−7, 道 玄 坂 セ ン タ ー ビ ル, ☎ 81 3-5459-1736. An Irish pub popular with foreigners.
- 6 Hobgoblin Shibuya, Ichiban Bldg 3rd floor, 1-3-11, Dogenzaka, ☎ 81 3-6415-4244. Mon-Sun 17: 00-01: 00, Sat and Sun from 12:00. Outlet of the famous British brewery Wychwood Brewery.
- 7 Craftheads, 1-13-10 Jinnan, B1, ☎ 81 3-6416-9474. 17:00-24:00. It has a remarkable selection of imported craft beers as well as domestic ones. Free WIFI. High ceilings, modern wood and concrete setting. Even more expensive than the typical imported brewery.
Izakaya
There are lots of cheap and cheerful izakayas (Japanese pubs) scattered around Shibuya. The Watami and Outami chains offer good, but not too inspiring venues.
- 8 Bar Ishinohana (Bar 石 の 華), Fallow Deer Yaki Bldg., B1, 3-6-2 (Rear exit from Shibuya Station, left side of Roppongi Dori), ☎ 81 3-5485-8405. Mon-Sat 18: 00-02: 00. Acclaimed high-end bar serving drinks that are more works of art and cocktails.
- 9 Happy Dining Ghetto, central building 3rd floor, 25-5 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, ☎ 81 3-3770-0619. It serves izakaya-style dishes - lots of deep-fried foods, including chiizuage (fried cheese), spicy fries, edamame, pizza, and loads of mayo-style foods! It also serves Asian dinners but they are a bit expensive (¥ 3000). Bar with a wide selection of drinks. American hip-hop music is played while music videos are played on monitors scattered around. suitable for young people more than anything else.
- 10 Tengu (東京 渋 谷 テ ン グ 酒 場 渋 谷 セ ン タ ー 店), Shibuya-ku, 渋 谷 区 Udagawachō, 25−3 プ リ ン ス ビ ル (B1; in an alley between Center-gai and Inokashira-dori), ☎ 81 3-3496-7397. Mon-Thurs 11: 30-24: 00, Fri-Sat 11: 30-04: 00, Sun 11: 30-23: 30. The Tengu is part of a famous chain of izakaya, which stands out from the rest mainly because it has a english menu.
Night clubs
- 11 Camelot Night Club (ク ラ ブ キ ャ メ ロ ッ ト), Shibuya-ku, Jinnan, 1 Chome − 18−2 神 南 坂 FLAME, ☎ 81 3-5728-5613. The Friday entrance fee is only ¥ 1000 (including two drinks). Mon-Sun 21: 00-04: 30. Multiplex nightclub with a mix of hip-hop, r & b and techno / house in the different areas. Most of the clientele is young (20 to 25 years old).
- 12 Atom Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Maruyamachō, ２−4, ド ク タ ー ジ ー カ ン ズ ビ ル, ☎ 81 3-3464-0703. Mon-Sun 22: 00-04: 30.
- 13 Asia Club, Shibuya, Maruyama-chou, 1-8, ☎ 81 3-5458-2551. Popular for trance music all night long.
- 14 Harlem, 2-4 Maruyamacho, Dr. Jeekahn's 2nd floor, ☎ 81 3-3461-8806, @[email protected]. ¥ 3000 discount if you enter before midnight.. Large two-story hip-hop club. Foreigners cannot be admitted unless they bring a Japanese friend with them.
- 15 [link not working]Vuenos, 2 Chome-21-7 Dōgenzaka, Shibuya-ku, ☎ 81 3-5458-2551.
- 16 Womb, Maruyama 2-16, ☎ 81 3-5459-0039, @[email protected]. 3500 yen without drinks included.. One of the biggest clubs in Tokyo.
- 17 Tsutaya o-west, Shibuya-ku, Maruyamachō, 2−3, ☎ 81 3-5784-7088.
- 18 [link not working]Rock no Cocoro (ロ ッ ク の こ こ ろ), Shibuya-ku, Udagawachō, 10, 宇田 川 町 １０−１ パ ー ク ビ ル 3rd floor, ☎ 81 3-5459-5326. ¥600. It plays Indie, "UK-Rock" and various themed nights including music for girls and metal, featuring the various traveling rock bands who have walked through and signed the beer coasters lining the wall.
If the locals in Shibuya aren't enough, hop on a free shuttle bus to Ageha, the largest nightclub in Tokyo. Buses depart from the Roppongi-dori and Meiji-dori intersection, opposite the Shibuya Police Station, on the east ("wrong") side of Shibuya Station.
Where to eat
Moderate prices
- 1 Tokyu Department Store (Right at the top of the train station). A superb food section in the basement with several free samples to prepare a full lunch, if you don't mind not having a place to sit.
- 2 Kua'aina, Minami-Aoyama 1-10-4 (Leaving Omotesando), ☎ 81 3-3409-3200. Meals from ¥ 1000, higher prices after 5pm.. 10:00-23:00. Hawaiian burgers, order at the counter with illustrated menu in English.
- 3 [link not working]Sweets Paradise (ス イ ー ツ パ ラ ダ イ ス), Shibuya Park Part3 3rd floor, 14-5 Udagawacho, ☎ 81 3-3463-8525. ¥ 1,480 adults, ¥ 840 children. Mon-Sun 10: 00-21: 00. This is a buffet restaurant. You can eat as much as possible. There are many sweets like cakes, pies, yogurt, jelly and some Japanese sweets like dumplings, ank and warabimochi. And there are not only desserts, but also some pastas, sandwiches, curries and rice and salad, so it's fine for lunch and dinner.
Average prices
- 4 Kujiraya (く じ ら 屋), Dogenzaka 2-29-22 (Bunkamura-dori, just after 109, opposite Baskin-Robbins), ☎ 81 3-3461-9145. Lunch from ¥ 1300, dinner from ¥ 2000 and up. The specialty here is whale meat dishes, which are very rare elsewhere. Human consumption of whale meat is controversial and has been denounced by critics on wildlife conservation and animal rights advocacy. The restaurant distributes pro-whaling propaganda brochures.
- 5 Murugi (ム ル ギ ー), Dogenzaka 2-19-2, ☎ 81 3-3461-8809. 1050¥. Sat-Thu 11: 30-15: 00. Established in 1951, when the owner decided to serve a type of curry he had tasted in Burma before World War II.
- 6 Sushi Gonpachi Shibuya (権 八 渋 谷), 3-6 Maruyama-cho Shibuya-ku 14th floor (Halfway between Shibuya Station and Inokashira Line Shinsen Station), ☎ 81 3-5784-2011. Main restaurant 11: 30-15: 30, sushi bar 11: 30-14: 00, 17: 00-02: 00. Trendy restaurant specializing in soba, with a separate sushi bar in the back.
- 7 Bellini Caffe (東京 ベ リ ー ニ カ フ ェ 西 新宿 店), 20-15 Udagawa-cho (8th floor at the Humax pavilion in Shibuya park-dori), ☎ 81 3-5489-1371. Lunch 11: 00-16: 00, tea 16: 00-17: 00, dinner 17: 00-23: 00. This is a casual Italian restaurant. There are many types of delicious pastries and lunches which are changed every week.
- 8 Court Lodge, 3 Chome-3-4-1 Chūō, ☎ 81 3-3366-7666. A few buildings away on the ground floor; serves spicy Sri Lankan dishes.
Where stay
Accommodation options in Shibuya are surprisingly limited. The hill to the left of Dogenzaka it is also known as Love Hotel Hill and indeed it contains dozens of love hotels, even if they are expensive: at least ¥ 10,000 for one night.
Moderate prices
- 1 Sakura Hotel Hatagaya, 32-3 Hatagaya Shibuya-ku, ☎ 81 3-3469-5211, fax: 81 3-3468-4307. Single rooms ¥ 6930, double rooms ¥ 9000, double and triple rooms with breakfast.. Only 2 stations (3 min.) To Shinjuku. Budget hotel accommodation in central Tokyo. The staff can speak English.
Average prices
- 2 Tokyu Stay Shibuya, 8-14 Shinsen-cho, ☎ 81 3-3477-1091, fax: 81 3-3477-1092. Part of the Tokyu Stay chain, this hotel is popular with business travelers. Small kitchenettes, washer / dryers, and free internet access in all rooms make it a good value.
- 3 Tokyu Stay Shibuya Shin-Minamiguchi (東 急 ス テ イ 渋 谷 新 南口), 3-26-21 Shibuya, ☎ 81 3-5466-0109, fax: 81 3-5466-1091. This is another hotel from the same chain.
High prices
- 4 Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel (セ ル リ ア ン タ ワ ー 東 急 ホ テ ル), 26-1 Sakuragaoka-cho, ☎ 81 3-3476-3000. ¥33.000. A popular high-end hotel near the JR station. It also contains a large office complex and some very expensive restaurants.
- 5 Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu (渋 谷 エ ク セ ル ホ テ ル 東 急), Shibuya-ku, Dōgenzaka, 1 Chome − 12−2 渋 谷 マ ー ク シ テ ィ 内, ☎ 81 3-5457-0109. A popular high-end hotel in the Mark City building
- 6 Century Southern Tower Hotel (小田急 ホ テ ル セ ン チ ュ リ ー サ ザ ン タ ワ), 2-2-1 Yoyog, ☎ 81 3-5354-0111. Well furnished rooms with enough space to move around. Excellent views of the surrounding area from the rooms and the lobby which is located on the 20th floor.
