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. Nearby Shimokitazawa is its polar opposite: a relaxed, creative, hipster paradise full of vintage shops, coffee bars and great live music. Trot Op! visited both neighbourhoods in one day and came back with 9 must-see sights.
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 whole wide world. Everyone has probably seen at least one timelapse of the anonymous mass of salary men swarming all over this massive intersection. The district owes its name to the family that held a castle here in the Middle Ages, but its fame grew from the wild nightlife scene that came into being after WWII and is still going strong today. Now it’s mostly locals from all over the city partying in Shibuya, but originally it was mainly an entertainment district for stationed American soldiers. Koibumi Yokocho or “Love Letter Street” was a result of this. In this alley, teary-eyed Japanese girls came to have the letters to their long gone American sweethearts translated until well into the fifties. These days, the only evidence 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 serves the eccentrics and the subcultures and Ginza provides the fancy people with luxury brands and designer items, the big mainstream trends in Japanese youth culture mainly originate here. Shibuya is a neighbourhood of fast fashion, flashy neon signs and a healthy dose of chaos: perfect for an entertaining night out.
Discover Shibuya & Shimokitazawa: from urban chaos to Tokyo boho vibes
Barely a six-minute subway ride from Shibuya, Shimokitazawa almost looks like a different planet. Shimokita (that’s what cool people like me call the district) is a relaxed Bohemian enclave attracting musicians, artists and other creative minds. This makes it one of the most lively counterculture districts of Tokyo, albeit a bit quieter and with a more mature vibe than the kawaii rainbow bonanza that is 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. Shimokita is a neighbourhood of and for people in their late twenties and early thirties, who enjoy cozy record stores, lowkey but superb restaurants, trendy coffee bars and an exciting live music scene. It’s built on a human scale, without too many high-rise buildings and with plenty of atmospheric alleys to get lost in. Shimokita is a creative alternative to the metropolis surrounding it, with a few unique attractions. It’s very different from Shibuya, but because of their proximity a visit to both neighbourhoods can easily be combined in one go. These are the main sights.
1. Shibuya Scramble Crossing: cross the world’s busiest intersection
Shibuya Scramble Crossing is probably Tokyo’s most recognizable sight. On this massive intersection, all pedestrian lights turn green at the same time, and you’re constantly bombarded with flashing neon signs from the surrounding buildings. Up to half a million people a day cross the street here. This of course makes for impressive images, but if you want to see Shibuya Crossing at its busiest, it’s best to drop by between five and seven during the evening rush or on Friday nights. Those who prefer to watch the chaos from above can choose from various 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 big 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 & Shibuya Station: stand in line for a little bronze 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. Recently the entire complex was renovated, turning half the station into another huge mall. The most popular spot in Shibuya Station is just outside the actual building. It’s the tiny statue of Hachiko: Japan’s most famous dog. Hachiko was an Akita who spent ten years in front of this station in the early 20th century, fruitlessly waiting for his dead owner. As a result he became a symbol of absolute loyalty: a quality the Japanese loved so much they built him a statue. There’s usually a whole bunch of people queuing up to take their picture with the dog. This is a good thing, because the actual statue looks so unremarkably bland you’d walk right past it if it wasn’t for the queue giving you a heads up.
3. Shibuya 109: visit Japan’s fashionista capital
Near the station and Shibuya Crossing is a shopping mall that’s been the 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 quite underdeveloped at the time. Many upcoming designers and boutiques became huge by opening their first business here, and soon the shop windows in Shibuya 109 determined what the rest of the country saw as trendy. The most extreme by-product of this influence was the gyaru culture of the late nineties. Back then, the place was crowded with bleached blonde Barbie dolls with orange fake tan and long pink nails. Fortunately, this trend cooled down a bit in recent years, but even today the most eye-catching fashionistas are still hanging out in Shibuya 109. The mall collaborates with the biggest influencers and many of the sales assistants look like catwalk models themselves. This is the ideal venue to find out how Japanese youngsters dress these days, while you feel like an utterly styleless yokel in the process. 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 get to know more of Japan in a deep, funny and above all respectful way.
4. Dōgenzaka: go party in Shibuya
Dōgenzaka is close to Shibuya Crossing and its many winding alleys make it one of the most atmospheric places to experience Tokyo after sunset in. Once a residential area full of temples and apartments, it’s now a bustling entertainment district with a wide range of pubs, izakaya, clubs and karaoke bars. Club WOMB is located here – one of the most famous in Tokyo – but there are several to choose from. Dōgenzaka is a photogenic neighbourhood wavering between dingy and cool, full of branching streets and strange bars where there’s always something going on. Everything stays open until late at night and although some alleys look a bit suspicious, it’s generally quite safe (like the whole of Japan to be honest). Even if you’re not interested in clubbing, you can easily soak up the atmosphere by aimlessly meandering through the streets. You’ll see a lot 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: rent a room by the hour
Dōgenzaka is sometimes called Love Hotel Hill. This is of course due to the many love hotels you see advertised everywhere – very much a Japanese phenomenon. Love hotels are 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 huddle together in apartment blocks 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 just as functional and cosy as possible, but a few are actually themed. 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
There are many other nice spots for a night out in Shibuya outside of Dōgenzaka. Nonbei Yokocho for example (literally “Drunkard Alley”) is one of the most notorious but also most atmospheric alleys in the area: a narrow little street right next to the train tracks, where the salary men drink their sorrows away while eating barbequed chicken skewers. They’ll get drunk, hop on the last train back home and then start the rat race all over again in the morning. Miyashita Park is 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. As a result, you can now enjoy the Shibuya skyline in a brand new elevated park. There are a couple of food trucks available and there’s even a skate park to enjoy. Nearby is Shibuya Yokocho. This is the more cleaned up version of Nonbei Yokocho: a street next to the railway line, full of restaurants offering regional delicacies from all over Japan.
7. Go vintage shopping in Shimokitazawa
North of Shimokitazawa Station is the best neighborhood for vintage shopping in all of Tokyo. Instead of skyscrapers and megamalls, you’ll find coffee bars and independent shops here, full of retro and second-hand items you probably won’t find anywhere else. Flamingo is one of the most famous vintage stores in Shimokita (they have two venues here) and sells mainly American retro. New York’s Joe Exchange is a similar shop. Stick Out is a store for second-hand clothing and accessories where everything costs exactly 800 yen. 2nd Street is an outlet that also offers second-hand designer clothes for relatively reasonable prices. In addition to the clothing stores, you’ll find a lot of other top shops for collectors in Shimokita: record stores like Disk Union for example, but also a number of antique shops and places selling strange souvenirs. Shimokitazawa reminded me of a younger and hipper version of the Yanaka neighbourhood in Ueno. Both look like cosy little enclaves surrounded by the big city: some breathing room for those tired of the hustle and bustle in the rest of Tokyo.
8. Food and nightlife in Shimokitazawa
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 pubs with a stage for local bands. Shelter (rock), 440 (singer-songwriters) and Que (everything) are some of the best known ones, 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 a temple full of beckoning kittens
Shimokitazawa’s most unique attraction is technically just outside of it. Gotoku-ji is a beautiful temple in a quiet, residential area. Normally, this would not be all that special, were it not for the thousands of cute waving cat figurines (maneki-neko) lined up inside. This well-known figurine apparently even originated here. According to legend, a nobleman stood outside the temple once, when a cat suddenly waved him in from behind the gate (as they tend to do). The man followed the animal inside, just to see lightning strike the exact spot he was standing in a moment ago. Out of gratitude he donated a large sum of money to the temple – they’d better bought some cat food with it – and the beckoning kitten was seen as a lucky charm ever since. Every year countless of these figurines 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. One of the only two remaining tram lines in the city runs through it, and even the tram looks like a cat (see picture below).
General travel tips for Tokyo: hotels, tours and public transport
**Disclaimer: This section contains a number of (useful) affiliate links. This means that if you book a hotel or tour through a referral on this page, I’ll receive a small compensation for it, so I can put food on the table without having to start an Onlyfans account. It won’t cost you even an extra cent, so why hesitate? Thank you in advance!**
Where you stay in Tokyo doesn’t really matter that much and depends on your budget and interests. Make sure you’re close to a metro station though. It’ll save you plenty of time every day and apart from the occasional bus, you don’t need to use any other means of transport. Read my articles, decide which area you’d like to stay in and then compare rates and venues on Booking.com (as I did too).
You can book a a whole range of interesting activities, guided tours and day trips in Tokyo. For a complete overview, take a look at GetYourGuide. More specific interesting activities in the area (all with super positive reviews) are for example 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 or 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.
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. You really need mobile data in Japan, so you can use Google Maps to navigate through the subway system in real time. Google will tell you which train to take when, which carriage is best for your transfer and which exit you need to use to get to your destination fastest. Without online help you’re almost guaranteed to get lost.
You’ll need a Suica Card to use public transport smoothly. The Welcome Suica Card is specifically catered to tourists and can be ordered online. You can top up the card with cash in any station, and it works in other Japanese cities as well. The Suica Card also serves as an electronic wallet. The Japanese economy is surprisingly cash-focused, so if you don’t pay with your Suica Card, you’ll be carrying around a whole pouch of nearly unusable coins after a couple of days.
If you want 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.
In need of cash? 7-Elevens always have an ATM in store, accepting all foreign cards. You’ll want to use these, because plenty of other places won’t be as compliant.
EU citizens do not need a visa to enter Japan for trips up to ninety days. You could basically leave tomorrow should you want to. The yen is historically low these days, so now is the time.
Ready for more Tokyo? Read my articles on Harajuku, Akihabara, Ginza, Asakusa, Ueno and Marunouchi next.
Looking for another Asian Trip? Read my blog posts on Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Hanoi. Would you rather go to Texas? Read my posts on Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
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