When in Japan: Shibuya

Talking about leaving first impressions, Shibuya was remarkable for a first stop of a 7-day Japan trip. On a chilly autumn night, we were warmly welcomed by its vibrant atmosphere. It's truly the heart and soul of Tokyo.

As soon as we went up from Shibuya station, we immediately saw the blinking billboards, countless shops, and of course, the bustling crowd. We actually didn't mind being bumped by so many random people while we walked around. 

And as they say, a visit in Tokyo won’t be complete without doing the famous Shibuya crossing! Shibuya has been well-known because of this huge intersection where people, locals and foreigners, cross in all directions. It was so cool that my sister and I actually crossed several times! 

For me, the most interesting part was actually not the crossing part itself. Rather, standing at the brim of the pedestrian lane while waiting for the traffic lights to turn green and looking up at every colorful lighting was the very source of the somehow-hard-to-explain happy feeling. 

We also paid a visit to Hachiko, an Akita dog who serves as an example of loyalty in Japanese culture. He became so famous after waiting every day for his master Hidesburo Ueno, a University of Tokyo professor, at Shibuya station. One day, Professor Ueno was not able to return to Shibuya station anymore after dying from cerebral hemorrhage. Despite this, Hachiko still waited for his master and he did it for more than nine years.

Now, this bronze statue remembers the faithfulness of a dog to his master. It's true that there's friendship between humans and animals.

To easily find Hachiko’s statue, take the Hachiko exit at Shibuya station. Once at the exit, a small park called Hachiko Square is at the left.

Restaurants in Shibuya are countless. Local food variety from sushi to noodles is pretty overwhelming. Actually, I did not bother to search for a specific restaurant in Shibuya anymore. We just walked around to find a food place for dinner.

We went to this ramen shop Ichiryu randomly. We got here because the ramen smelled good outside. Plus, the price was reasonable. The best advice is just follow where your nose brings you.

Some ramen shops and restaurants go by this kind of ordering. It's a self-service ordering machine. At first, it was slightly confusing which option or button to tap, but good thing it had an English translation. After deciding on what to order, it issued a piece of paper that we gave to the crew inside. Just like a vending machine, we inserted the payment in the designated slots. It accepted both bills and coins. It also gave us change.

How to get there: The most convenient way to go to Shibuya is via train or subway. Shibuya station is one of the major stations in Tokyo so it's served by a number of lines including the Yamanote line, Saikyo line and Shonan-Shinjuku line, Ginza line, Hanzomon line, Fukutoshin line, Toyoko line, Den-en-Toshi line, and Inokashira line. There's also a stop in Shibuya if taking the airport bound Narita Express service. 

ShellyViajera Travel Blog