Shibuya never sleeps. It’s one of Tokyo’s most lively neighbourhoods and Japan’s foremost fashion capital, blessed with a nightlife scene like no other. Barely a six-minute subway ride away, Shimokitazawa is its polar opposite: a relaxed, creative, bohemian enclave full of vintage shops, cosy coffee bars and excellent live music venues. Trot Op! visited both neighbourhoods in one day and came back with 9 must-see sights, ranging from the world’s busiest intersection to quiet alleys lined with second-hand treasures.
Shibuya: one of Tokyo’s most iconic and chaotic neighbourhoods
Shibuya is a name that usually rings a bell even with people who know next to nothing about Tokyo. This is mainly because it’s home to the busiest (and thus most famous) zebra crossing in the world. Everyone has probably seen at least one timelapse of the anonymous mass of salarymen swarming all over this massive intersection, dwarfed by neon lights and giant video screens.
The district owes its name to the family that held a castle here in the Middle Ages, but its modern fame grew from the wild nightlife scene that emerged after WWII and is still going strong today. Back then, Shibuya mainly catered to stationed American soldiers. Koibumi Yokocho or “Love Letter Street” was a direct result of this. In this alley, teary-eyed Japanese girls came to have letters from their long-gone American sweethearts translated until well into the fifties. These days, the only trace of all those broken hearts is a small commemorative plaque behind Shibuya 109.
More than just an entertainment district, Shibuya is one of Japan’s foremost fashion hotspots, bursting with boutique-filled shopping malls. While Harajuku caters to the eccentrics and the subcultures and Ginza supplies luxury brands and designer labels, the big mainstream trends in Japanese youth culture often originate here. Shibuya is fast fashion, flashy billboards and a healthy dose of chaos: perfect for an entertaining night out in Tokyo
Before you dive into Shibuya: is this your first trip to Tokyo? You might want to read my Complete Tokyo Neighbourhood Guide first. In it, I go over every important area, its biggest sights & activities, its hidden gems and its most convenient hotels. Absolutely essential reading, of course.
Shimokitazawa: Tokyo’s creative and bohemian side
Barely six minutes by subway from Shibuya, Shimokitazawa feels like a different planet. Shimokita (that’s what cool people like me call the district) is a laid-back Bohemian enclave attracting musicians, artists and other creative minds. It’s one of Tokyo’s ost important counterculture hubs, albeit quieter and more mature vibe the kawaii rainbow bonanza of nearby Harajuku.
What Shimokitazawa is best known for are the many second-hand and vintage clothing stores you’ll see everywhere, always offering a unique bargain. The area mainly attracts people in their late twenties and thirties, who enjoy record stores, low-key but excellent restaurants, trendy coffee bars and an exciting live music scene. Built on a human scale, with few high-rises and plenty of atmospheric alleys, it’s the kind of place where getting lost is half the fun.
Very different from Shibuya yet incredibly close by, Shimokitazawa makes for a perfect counterpoint to the chaos of central Tokyo. Thanks to this proximity, both neighbourhoods can easily be explored in one day. These are the main sights you shouldn’t miss.
The best things to do in Shibuya & Shimokitazawa
Shibuya and Shimokitazawa may be right next to each other, but they offer completely different experiences. Shibuya is all flashing neon and crowded streets, while Shimokita is a place to relax and browse the vintage stores or indie-bars. Both areas are integral parts of the Tokyo experience though, and it’s the contrast between the two that makes visiting them together such a fun day out.
1. Shibuya Scramble Crossing: visit the world’s busiest intersection
Shibuya Scramble Crossing is probably Tokyo’s most recognizable sight. At this massive intersection, all pedestrian lights turn green at the same time, allowing crowds to surge across from every direction while being bombarded by flashing neon signs and giant screens. Up to half a million people cross here every single day.
The crossing is impressive at any time, but if you want to see Shibuya at its absolute busiest, it’s best to visit between five and seven in the evening during rush hour, or on a Friday night. The sheer volume of people makes for spectacular images and perfectly captures the controlled chaos the neighbourhood is famous for.
If you prefer to watch the madness from above, there are several good vantage points. I took the escalator to the top floor of the Magnet shopping mall. There’s a bar with an outdoor terrace here, where you can look straight down at the intersection. The entrance fee is not cheap at 1,800 yen, but you do get a large free beer to go with it. Don’t want to pay? You could simply walk into the local Starbucks (Starbucks Shibuya Tsutaya more precisely) and order a coffee. If there’s a table by the window available, you’ll have a nice view of the crowd, albeit only from the second floor.
2. Hachiko Statue & Shibuya Station: see Tokyo’s most famous dog
Shibuya Station is the world’s second busiest train station (the busiest is in Tokyo as well). About three million commuters a day rush through it, which is about three times as many than the iconic and already intensely busy Tokyo Station – quite baffling to be honest. The entire complex was recently renovated, effectively turning half the station into yet another enormous shopping mall.
Just outside the station you’ll find Shibuya’s most popular meeting point: the small bronze statue of Hachiko, Japan’s most famous dog. Hachiko was an Akita who spent nearly ten years waiting in front of the station for his owner, who’d passed away unexpectedly in the early 20th century. His loyalty turned him into a national symbol, and eventually earned him this statue.
There’s usually a queue of people waiting to take their picture with Hachiko, which is probably a good thing. The statue itself is so small and unremarkable that you’d likely walk straight past it if the line of tourists didn’t give you a heads-up.
3. Shibuya 109: explore Tokyo’s most iconic fashion mall
Near Shibuya Station and the Scramble Crossing stands a shopping mall that’s been an icon of Japanese youth fashion for decades. Shibuya 109 opened in 1979 and immediately started targeting young women’s fashion senses: a market that was still quite underdeveloped at the time. Many upcoming designers and boutiques made it big by opening their first shop here, and soon the displays in Shibuya 109 determined what the rest of the country considered trendy.
One of the more extreme by-products of this influence was the gyaru culture of the late nineties. Back then, the place was packed with bleached-blonde Barbie dolls sporting orange fake tan and long pink nails. Fortunately, this trend cooled down in recent years, but even today the most eye-catching fashionistas still tend to hang out in Shibuya 109. The mall collaborates with major influencers and many of the sales assistants look like catwalk models themselves. It’s the perfect place to see how Japanese youngsters dress these days, while you feel like an utterly styleless yokel in the process.
Just behind Shibuya 109 you’ll find LOST. This is a cocktail bar owned by Chris Broad: a Brit who’s been living in Japan for over twelve years, and the driving force behind Abroad in Japan. This is my favourite Youtube channel to learn more about the country in a deep, funny and above all respectful way. Absolutely essential viewing for everyone planning a trip.
4. Dōgenzaka: experience Shibuya’s nightlife district
Dōgenzaka lies just uphill from Shibuya Crossing, and its maze of winding alleys makes it one of the most atmospheric places to experience Tokyo after sunset. Once a residential neighbourhood filled with temples and apartments, it’s now a buzzing entertainment district packed with pubs, izakaya, clubs and karaoke bars.
Club WOMB – one of Tokyo’s most famous nightclubs – is located here, but there are plenty of other options to choose from. Dōgenzaka is a photogenic area wavering between dingy and cool, full of branching streets and strange little bars where there’s always something going on. Everything stays open late into the night and although some alleys look a bit suspicious, it’s generally quite safe (like the whole of Japan to be honest).
Even if clubbing isn’t your thing, Dōgenzaka is well worth a walk. You can easily soak up the atmosphere by aimlessly meandering through the streets. You’ll encounter a wide range of wildly dressed party people and in some places you’ll feel like you’re walking through a Bladerunner set. You’ll have to almost squeeze yourself through the streets on weekend nights, but just after sunset (I was there in November, when it was dark at five) you’ll be able to explore everything in relative peace.
5. Love Hotel Hill: discover Shibuya’s love hotels
Dōgenzaka is sometimes referred to as Love Hotel Hill, which shouldn’t come as a surprise once you notice the sheer number of love hotels advertised everywhere. Love hotels are a very Japanese phenomenon: places where you can book a room by the hour. This makes it sound like they’re brothels, and some businessmen will likely use them as one, but the reality is much less dodgy than you might expect.
Many Japanese people continue to live with their parents until well in their thirties, and many families often share compact apartments with paper-thin walls. Finding the necessary privacy for a passionate humping session, is an almost impossible task under those circumstances. This is why many couples will occasionally book a room in a love hotel, so they can bang away in peace and without inhibitions.
Most love hotel rooms are functional and surprisingly cosy, but some go all in on themed decor. If it floats your boat, you can book a whole BDSM-basement, a Formula 1 bed or even a Jurassic Park room. After Dark by Haruki Murakami is a splendid novel highlighting the seedier aspects of some of these places.
6. Nonbei Yokocho & Miyashita Park: Shibuya after dark
There are plenty of other great spots for a night out in Shibuya beyond Dōgenzaka. Nonbei Yokocho for example (literally “Drunkard Alley”) is one of the most notorious yet atmospheric alleys in the area. This narrow little street runs right next to the train tracks, and is lined with tiny bars where salarymen drink their sorrows away over skewers of barbecued chicken. They’ll get drunk, hop on the last train home and start the rat race all over again the next morning.
Miyashita Park lies opposite the same train tracks but feels like a completely different world. What used to be a standard park was closed down and rebuilt with a structure on top, after which all greenery was moved to a new rooftop. The result is a modern elevated park where you can enjoy views of the Shibuya skyline. There are several food trucks, and even a small skate park.
Miyashita Park lies opposite the same train tracks but feels completely different. This used to be your standard park, but it was closed down and they constructed a building on top of it, after which they moved all greenery to the new rooftop. The result is a modern elevated park where you can enjoy views of the Shibuya skyline. There are several food trucks, and even a small skate park to enjoy.
Nearby you’ll also find Shibuya Yokocho, which can best be described as the cleaned-up cousin of Nonbei Yokocho. It’s another street next to the railway line, but this time filled with restaurants serving regional dishes from all over Japan.
7. Vintage shopping in Shimokitazawa: Tokyo’s best second-hand district
Just north of Shimokitazawa Station you’ll find what is widely considered the best neighbourhood for vintage shopping in Tokyo. Instead of skyscrapers and mega malls, this area is filled with coffee bars and independent stores offering retro and second-hand clothing you probably won’t find anywhere else in the city.
Flamingo is one of the most famous vintage stores in Shimokitazawa (they have two venues here) and sells mainly American retro. New York’s Joe Exchange is a similar store worth checking out. Stick Out is a shop for second-hand clothing and accessories where everything costs exactly 800 yen, while 2nd Street is an outlet offering second-hand designer clothes for relatively reasonable prices.
Beyond clothing, Shimokitazawa is also a great place for collectors. You’ll find record stores like Disk Union, several antique shops, and places selling wonderfully strange souvenirs. The neighbourhood reminded me of a younger and hipper version of Yanaka in Ueno. Both look like cosy little enclaves surrounded by the big city: some breathing room for those tired of Tokyo’s constant hustle and bustle.
8. Food and nightlife in Shimokitazawa: bars, live music & cafés
Shimokita is perfect for a pleasant night out as well, but the vibe will be completely different from Shibuya. No techno clubs here, but plenty of small concert venues and intimate bars with a stage for local bands.
Shelter (rock), 440 (singer-songwriters) and Que (pretty much everything) are among the best-known live music venues in the neighbourhood, and all three feel quite unique. Masako: Jazz & Coffee is a well-known Jazz bar. Café Stay Happy is also recommended: here you can have your drink in a hammock. No Room for Squares is a small cocktail bar hidden behind a vending machine. Bookstore B&B (it stands for Books & Beer) is a cosy bookstore offering craft beers. Cage is a literal outdoor cage where you can eat Thai or Vietnamese food until midnight. I ordered okonomiyaki in Daikonman instead. This is an oldskool restaurant where you can sit at the bar while they prepare your food – super tasty and quite cheap.
9. Gotoku-ji: visit Tokyo’s famous Maneki-Neko temple
Shimokitazawa’s most unique attraction is technically located just outside of the neighbourhood. Gotoku-ji is a beautiful Buddhist temple in a quiet, residential area. Normally, this would not be all that special, were it not for the thousands of beckoning cat figurines (maneki-neko) lined up throughout the grounds.
According to legend, a nobleman once stood outside the temple when a cat suddenly beckoned him inside from behind the gate. Moments later, lightning struck the exact spot where he had been standing. Grateful for the feline intervention – they’d better have spent some of it on cat food – he donated a large sum of money to the temple, and the beckoning cat became a symbol of good fortune ever since.
Every year countless maneki-neko are left behind by temple visitors. This obviously makes for photogenic selfie backgrounds, but the rest of the place is worth a visit as well. There are always some people taking pictures of the cats, but everywhere else the complex is quite peaceful. This makes for a stark contrast with busy places like Sensoji in Asakusa or Meiji Shrine in Harajuku.
The residential area around the temple is one of the quietest I’ve experienced in Tokyo as well. One of the only two remaining tram lines in the city runs through it, and even the tram looks like a cat.
Practical travel tips for Shibuya & Shimokitazawa
**There are a couple of affiliate links to interesting activities or hotels in this article. These were personally selected to make sure they actually add value. If you’re already planning to book a tour or hotel in Tokyo, consider doing so via one of my links. Doesn’t cost you an extra dime and I’ll get a small compensation for my efforts. Thank you in advance.**
Where to Stay in Tokyo: best hotels in and around Shibuya & Shimokitazawa
Shibuya is a great place to base yourself for your Tokyo trip. You’re right in the action at night, and there are good connections to most other parts of the city. Shimokitazawa’s laid-back vintage vibe is not far away, and Harajuku’s (which is actually part of Shibuya) Yoyogi Park is most likely within walking distance. Here are some of the top-rated hotels in and around Shibuya, in different styles and budgets.
Budget hotels in Shibuya:
–The Millennials Shibuya: very highly rated hostel in between Shibuya Station and Yoyogi Park (perfect location to explore both neighbourhoods). Offers capsule style dorm rooms.
–Almond Hostel & Cafe Shibuya: decent hostel in a quiet location between the Yoyogikoen and Yoyogi-Hachiman metro stations. Obviously very close to Yoyogi Park.
Midrange hotels in Shibuya:
–Shibuya Tokyu REI Hotel: classic city hotel with reliable service and excellent location right next to the station. Great for hopping between districts.
–lyf Shibuya Tokyo: popular choice among younger travelers with bright, social spaces.
–Mustard Hotel Shimokitazawa: hip, minimalistic hotel in Shimokita, close to a whole bunch of bars and restaurants.
–Shibuya Stream Hotel: newer, popular hotel right by the Shibuya Station C2 exit, with sleek modern rooms.
High-end and luxury hotels in Shibuya:
–Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya by IHG: stylish and highly rated hotel, close to Shibuya Scramble Crossing. Offers great views.
–Trunk Hotel Cat Street: one of the better boutique hotels in Tokyo, located right next to Cat Street in Harajuku. Trendy, intimate and perfectly placed to explore Harajuku as well as Shibuya.
–Hyatt House Tokyo Shibuya: highly rated for its spacious, modern rooms. Within walking distance of most of Shibuya’s main sights.
Tours and activities in Shibuya and Shimokitazawa
You can book a lot of interesting activities, guided tours and food experiences in Tokyo. For a complete overview, take a look at GetYourGuide. Here are some Shibuya/Shimokita specific activities that could be interesting:
-a four hour night tour through Shibuya and Shinjuku.
-a private tour in Shibuya and to many other main highlights in a pimped-out Tokyo Drift car.
-a manga drawing workshop led by a pro artist.
-a great local bar/izakaya crawl in Dōgenzaka.
-a private vintage shopping tour in Shimokitazawa.
Want to take a break from the city? Go for a guided day trip to Mount Fuji and Hakone.
Getting around Shibuya and Tokyo
Shibuya Station is one of the main transport hubs in Tokyo and connects easily to almost every other major hub like Shinjuku, Ueno and Tokyo Station.
Buy a Suica Card (or Welcome Suica Card for tourists) to use trains, subways and buses smoothly. The card also works as an electronic wallet in convenience stores, vending machines and even some restaurants.
Mobile data is essential in Tokyo. Google Maps will tell you exactly which train to take, which carriage to board and which exit to use. Without it, getting lost is almost guaranteed. Buy a local eSIM card before you get to Japan, you’ll need it. I’ve been using Airalo for years. This is an app that lets you buy data in almost every country on the planet. It just takes a couple of clicks. Install the sim at home and activate it after landing: that’s it.
Japan Rail Pass or individual tickets?
If you plan to visit a lot of different cities with the Shinkansen bullet train, it’s best to buy a Japan Rail Pass (book it here directly). You’ll have to do this from home and long before your departure, because they’ll actually send you the pass by mail and you can’t buy one in Japan. If you’re only visiting three or four cities like I did, it might be better to buy separate tickets on the spot – you’ll have to do the math to see which option is preferable. JR-passes can be booked here.
Don’t want to bother with all of this and looking for a tailor-made trip (either individually or in a group) instead? Check out Japan Experience: they offer plenty of wonderful itineraries throughout the entire country.
Further reading
Ready for more Tokyo? Read my articles on Odaiba, Shinjuku & Roppongi, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ginza, Asakusa, Ueno and Marunouchi next.
Looking for another Asian Trip? Read my blog posts on Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Hanoi. Would you rather go to Texas? Read my posts on Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
No Comments