Shibuya Mini Travel Guide and Shopping

One of the first things I wanted to see in Tokyo was the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing that is right outside of the Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station.  This intersection is the busiest pedestrian crossing on Earth.  Before I went to bed on the evening I arrived, I trained it over and walked the busy streets of this neighborhood.  It was dazzling with giant TVs, traffic, masses of people, and a constant barrage of sound from advertisements and jingles.  I know I didn't get the most out of Shibuya, but I've provided a list of things in this post that you might want to visit if you're inclined to do so.

Shibuya Crossing Looking Towards the Starbucks in the Q Front Building

Shibuya Crossing From Starbucks towards the Station

Shibuya is a very popular location for people to shop, eat, and to entertain themselves.  Popular fashions can be bought here and you can see what is in or out with the unlimited people watching that you can do. There are great places to eat and the shopping for both clothes and anything else is remarkable.

View Shibuya, Tokyo, Quick Guide in a larger map

Attractions
(click on the map above to zoom in and view all of the entries listed below)
These are just a few highlights you can see / shop / and eat in Shibuya.  If you are shopping, don't  forget the big departments stores like Seibu and Tower Records (independantly run in Japan).

Q Front Building.  To the left is Center Gai.  To the right is 109 Mens.

Shibuya Street.  Cafes and bars are not always at street level.  They're up in the buildings.

Sights

1. Have your picture taken with the famous Hachiko the Dog statue.
2. View Shibuya Crossing from the 2nd floor Starbucks in the QFront Building.
3. See the iconic Shibuya 109 building. Shop here for younger womens fashions.  There is a different 109 for men too.
4. Dogenzaka Love Hotel Zone.  Famous for the hourly rate love hotels.  Not quite as seedy as you would imagine either.  Google this for plenty of cultural background.
5. Bunkamura Art Center.  Exhibits and a large piece of architecture here.

Iconic Shibuya 109 Building.

 Shopping

1. Parco Part 1.  A smorgasbord of different shops (fashion, housewares, art, etc.) that often has an interesting art or anime related display out front.  In March 2014 it was One Piece and Dragonball.  There is a One Piece store here.
2. Tokyu Hands.  Iconic craft and home accessories store.  You can spend hours looking at things from housewares, crafting materials, to toys.
3. Loft.  More crafts and home accessories.  A competitor to Tokyu Hands.
4. Hikari Center.  A new and massive high-rise shopping mall and entertainment complex with movie theatres, art galleries, and an amazing upper set of walkable floors including a sky-high Lawson convenience store. Hikari Center article on this blog.
5. Uniqlo Shibuya.  Not the flagship store in Ginza, but bargain fashions that can be blended with your other outfits can be bought here.
6. Don Quixote.  One of many branches of this bargain department store that sells all manner of merchandise, some of it very funky and interesting.
7. Mandarake Shibuya.  Looking for used goods for books, games, manga, anime, and toys then check them out. 

Shibuya

Towards Center Gai Pedestrian Street

Dining
There hundreds of expensive and more affordable places to eat here.  If you see some place you would like to try, check out their menu and have a seat or wait in line (which is common).  Many of the department stores also have the famous food floors, restaurant floors, and some have food courts.  What you will find for fast food is still very good in most instances.

1. A pretty good ramen shop that is located on a corner on the pedestrian street that runs through here.
   Kamukura Ramen in Shibuya
   On Center Gai
   Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, 29-4
   Blogpost review of Kamukura
2. This is a chain of shops that offers reasonably priced Japanese meals.
   Ootoya Shibuya Koen-dori shop
   Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Building 2F (on second floor) 1-20-7 Kawahara
   03-3770-5063
   http://www.ootoya.com/
3. Not quite a conveyor belt sushi place, but this high tech establishment lets you order your sushi from a screen and it is shot straight to your table.  Scifi-ish spartan white decor.
   Uobei kaiten-sushi restaurant
   2-29-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
   TEL: 03 3462 0241
   Open Daily 11am-midnight
   www.genkisushi.co.jp/uobei/

Beef Bowl at Yoshinoya.  Location marked on the map.

See also:

• Tokyo Highlights
• Harajuku / Omotesando Shopping 
• Shibuya Crossing Viewpoints
• Hikari Center

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