Shibuya (Tokyo, Japan)
Shibuya in Tokyo is a Perfect Platform From Which to Experience Japan
Part of Tokyo, Shibuya is a characterful city within a city. With two of the world’s busiest railway stations, Shibuya and Shinjuku; it’s a breathtakingly busy place too, even by Tokyo standards. Apart from being a pulsating business centre, the city is also renowned for the retail therapy outlets that surround the station complex. Shibuya is now recognised as a major centre for fashion, and, following on from that, its popularity as a favoured hotspot for the younger set comes as no surprise.
In Shibuya, Even Crossing the Street is Thrilling and Free to Enjoy
Much of the activity centres on the railway station and you need to go to the Hachiko exit to witness human activity like no other. From all directions, seemingly thousands of people cross the street in what is called the Shibuya Scramble Crossing. The biggest surprise is that nobody collides. It’s possible that, after a while, watching folk cross the street might become boring and repetitive. In search of something more compelling, you can head into the centre of Tokyo on the metro’s Ginza Line. There’s a regular service and the trip takes just over half an hour. Do explore Shibuya though where traditional performances are staged at the Noh Theater, and where Japanese music blends with Western styles in a number of popular Karaoke Boxes - with many having their own restaurant and bar.
Tips Include not Tipping, in Shibuya and Throughout Tokyo and Japan
In order to get full enjoyment from your visit and to encourage a friendly response from the resident Japanese population, it’s worth noting some points of national etiquette. First, it’s customary to remove shoes when entering a house. Then, depending on where you are staying, basic requirements such as toilet paper, may not be supplied; so, don’t forget to take your own. A combination of walking and eating is frowned upon; so, sit down, or stand still. If you are prone to noisy eating accompanied by loud burping; that’s fine, they like that in Japan, but they don’t like tipping for supplied services. Unlike the sparse provision of toilet paper, there are lots of do’s and don’ts to observe during the course of your visit to Shibuya. Don’t worry too much though if you put a foot wrong; the Japanese are very understanding.
Accommodation in Shibuya Encapsulates Many Interesting Options
In combining the accommodation needs of its Japanese and Western visitors, you may find that the capsule hotel is a quite tiny and compact bitter pill to swallow. Apart from novelty value, and in this densely populated country of approximately 130 million, it is also an understandable way of accommodating as many people as possible in a confined space. The Nadeshiko is one such capsule hotel. Guesthouses, known as minshukus, in Shibuya, include Fukudaya. A popular possibility is to stay in temple lodgings which formerly accommodated Buddhist monks. But for the more conservative visitor, there are many Western-style hotels and self-catering apartments. There are budget hostels too, such as Wise Owl, for backpackers. Your accommodation base is a major element of the stay, so pay a visit to trivago for more detail on these and other Shibuya accommodation possibilities.
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Contact
1-1 Udagawacho, Shibuyaku, Tokyo , 150-8010