Redevelopment brought rooftop parks and slicker signage, but Shibuya’s backstreets still hum with old bars and vinyl.
Shopping & Lifestyle
Loft. Part design store, part life upgrade – stationery, beauty products, kitchen tools, humidifiers, luggage, and tiny chairs that make you rethink your entire aesthetic.
(Tokyu) Hands. Where you go for one thing and leave with twelve—household doodads, clever gadgets, things you didn’t know you needed. Used to be better before they got bought (and dropped the Tokyo), but still worth exploring.
D47 Museum. Showcasing all 47 prefectures, this shop brings together craft, design, and local flavor. Each item tells a story from its region, and there’s even a beautifully made travel guidebook series to go with it, one for each prefecture.
Village Vanguard. Bills itself as a bookstore, feels like a fever dream—wall-to-wall with toys, manga, weird snacks, and novelty gifts.
Shibuya 109. A ten-story fashion tower, became a hub for the gyaru subculture, offering a variety of small retail stores aimed at young women.
Miyashita Park. Concrete rooftop with a skate park, sand court, and mall space below. Fun enough shopping, luxury brands, stationary shop, Face Records, Nose Shop, Tokyo Matcha, etc.
Jinnan
The quieter side of Shibuya—creative, walkable, and just off the main drag. I like browsing the shops around FREAK'S STORE, which is a boutique blending American casual with Tokyo streetwear. Start there and wander.
Disco. Where nails become miniature canvases blending fashion, and self-expression. Reservations required, good taste assumed.
Music & Media
Tower Records. Eight floors of music, from indie bands to obscure techno. You don’t even have to buy anything; wandering is its own kind of listening.
Manhattan Records. A holdout from when Shibuya spun on vinyl and a place for diehard physical-media people—walls stacked with hip-hop, soul, and rare mixes. Knowledgeable staff.
Face Records. It’s a vinyl institution. Since 1994, it’s been the spot for jazz, soul, funk, reggae, and rare groove, with both Japanese and imported pressings.
Food & Drink
Tokyo Food Show. A subterranean sprawl beneath Shibuya Station, a high-traffic maze of bentos, confections, and regional specialties.
Bistro Rojiura. Tucked away in an alley, French-Japanese, the ingredients are seasonal, and the vibe leans neighborhood secret. Breakfast here is cult—soft eggs, smoked fish, toast that crunches right.
Washoku Fujiya-Honten. A great izakaya, seasonal sashimi, charcoal-grilled skewers, and sake. Just far enough from the noise to feel like a secret.
Uobei. Kaiten sushi that ditches the conveyor belt for a high-speed sushi delivery system— touchscreen orders, which arrives via mini bullet tray (the original location had them on mini bullet trains. Fast, fun, and cheap, and the sushi is not bad.
Sushi no Midori. Fresh fish from Toyosu, super reasonable prices. It’s a democratic sushi experience—no reservations, just patience. Get a number and track with LINE (which allows you to wander, go downstairs to the Food Show)
Happy Pancake. Soufflé stacks so fluffy & jiggly—no baking powder, just eggs, steam, and patience.
Flippers. Miracle pancakes that taste like dessert and breakfast had a baby
SG Low. Part cocktail lab, part vinyl lounge—where high-concept drinks meet basement-level cool. The seating times are weird and unncessarily rigid. Drinks are good, food inventive.
The SG Club. A multi-level cocktail bar by Shingo Gokan, blending Japanese ingredients with New York flair. Each floor has a theme. Drinks are inventive, often featuring house-made SG shochu and seasonal Japanese flavors. The interior channels 1860s New York with Edo-period touches.
Cafés & Kissaten
Chatei Hatou. Showa era Kissaten – dark wood, porcelain cups, and coffee brewed slowly. Supposedly inspired Blue Bottle. The chiffon cake is generous, the service can be a little brusque.
Meikyoku Kissa Lion. It’s kind of a strange place, a time capsule of sound, a teeny tiny concert hall, rows of red velvet seats facing towering wooden speakers, classical vinyl spinning, and silence strictly enforced. The coffee is meh, everyone is there for the classical music.
Nightlife
Nonbei Yokocho. Near Miyashita Park, forty-odd shacks, lit by lanterns, pouring cheap drinks and older stories.
Dogenzaka. Love hotels, old record stores, late-night ramen, the area is sort of young and seedy. It could be fun to go into the windy streets.
Ruby Room. A red-lit shoebox of chaos, equal parts open mic, DJ set, and accidental house party.
Culture, Landmarks
Street Art. Peeking out from alleys, layered on shutters. Behind Manhattan Records is a wall that’s been tagged for years by both local and international artists. Near Tower Records is pixelated Astro Boy by Invader, one of the few pieces that have survived anti-graffiti laws. Find other secret works on your own or guided tours are available.
Shibuya Scramble & Hachiko. A five-way pedestrian surge framed orderly chaos and smartphone choreography. Just beyond, Hachikō statue sits, mostly surrounded by tourists. Together: the twin rites of Shibuya.