Unfortunately for us we didn’t read the fine print on our Tokyo Apartment rental that said check out was at 9 AM. What the heck ridiculous time for check out was that? We texted the host to confirm the time and were told that the early check-out was because the maid came “anywhere from 9-11am.” Bleh.

In a way it was a good thing. Instead of sitting around surfing the internet deciding where to go next, we were out on the street, reminiscent of our old backpacking days, with luggage on backs roaming the streets of Shibuya.

The sad story of a loyal pup, Hachiko, is remembered with a mural wall and nearby statue. I want a Hachiko!

Not to be outdone, lucky kitties, maneki-neko – can be found all around Shibuya. Sometimes people leave money. It would be nice to think that money somehow goes to support a shelter but I have no idea what happens to it.

In search of brunch we found Brasserie Viron, a French brasserie with a legit French bakery. Normally I prefer to eat local cuisine but it had been so long and, knowing Japan’s love for French food, we were curious…and hungry…

According to the bag, Brasserie Viron breads and cakes are made with French flour and baked on site. And that pretty much is the extent of my French language skills: ordering food.

Everything looked so tasty we had a hard time picking just one thing. So we picked four: a gruyere sandwich, a cheesy bread twist, an almond croissant, and a fresh baguette sandwich, which Sly took with him for lunch.

We didn’t bother with the Brasserie, instead we ordered from the bakery counter and then took our items outside where we gobbled them up while sitting on a concrete planter. Every bite was better than the last with just the right amount of crispness on the outside and soft flaky buttery goodness on the inside. I really regretted not buying a chocolate croissant or two (or twelve) for the road.

With time to spare and nowhere else to go, we hit up the famous Shibuya Starbucks, also known as the “busiest Starbucks in the world.” To speed up the ordering process, drinks could only be ordered in one size (an espresso will come in a big cup but will still be a shot).

I love my artisan coffee but I can’t deny I like Starbucks, especially in another country when drinking it seems somewhat out-of-place. Plus, I read that the Shibuya cross walk scenes from Lost in Translation were secretly filmed from this very Starbucks!

So of course, I took more photos.

Something about watching people cross a street was strangely mesmerizing.

Then it was time to say goodbye to Sly who had to leave for his flight to Okinawa while I stuck behind until later in the day.

Goodbye, Sly, see you in Korea!

this sort of felt like an ending to a movie

On my own in Tokyo I made my way back to the subway station, locked up my bag, and did a little shopping.

My first stop was Muji, a clothing store that kind of reminded me of a Japanese Madewell, except Muji sold Men’s clothes, travel items, the cutest stationery, beautiful modern housewares, and had a cafeteria. I could have bought everything in the store.

Next on my list was Tokyo Hands which was described as a DIY store. Basically it was another badass store that sold everything from stationery to pet supplies, to woodworking tools to hand-crafted clothing, to travel goods, to housewares…

…to fake food!

Would it be weird if I had this display case of fake food in my house? I could look at it all day.

I don’t know how long I spent browsing around Tokyo Hands but when I finally left the store I walked right into a sea of laughing, jumping people holding lanterns and flags on poles and carrying what looked to be a mini throne? Was someone inside?

At the time, I had no idea what was going on, but since Googling it I discovered that fall festivals are common in Shibuya. In this particular festival, a portable shrine called mikoshi  was carried through the streets on the shoulders of robed men and women, accompanied by a lot of shouting, clapping, chanting, and dancing. In front of Tokyo Hands people scrambled to set up tables of donuts and tea.

I’m still not exactly sure which shrine was being carried through the streets and so far I haven’t had luck matching the robes via a Google image search.

I watched as the mikoshi made its way down the street at which point, after a lot of clapping of wooden blocks. the shrine was set on a stand in the middle of the street while everyone dressed in robes dispersed to nearby restaurants to grab a kebab or the refreshment table to eat a donut.

When the festivities died down, I returned to Shibuya Station, hopped on a train to the airport, and flew back home to Korea.

But not before crossing the Shibuya Scramble one last time…

DETAILS

Apologies for the tip-heavy details but for once I have some useful information.

WHERE AND HOW TO STORE YOUR LUGGAGE AT SHIBUYA STATION

There are several ways to store your luggage at Shibuya Station in Tokyo. First off, Shibuya Station is confusing, not to mention BIG. Once you are used to it, it makes sense, but if it’s your first time, it can be overwhelming. Use this map (pdf) in reference to the instruction below. It’s super helpful, reasonably clear, and in English.

1. COIN OPERATED LOCKERS: As you exit any of the subway exits into Shibuya Crossing, you’ll notice a bunch of coin-operated lockers, some large, some small. You’ll also probably notice that most of these are taken. I searched in vain for a free locker at the Hachiko exit (exit 8) and then frantically wandered around the mall to the right (if facing the subway entrance) of Hachiko exit. I finally found a free locker and was able to cram my bag into the smallest locker, not that I had a choice because all the larger lockers were taken. As I roamed around the Shibuya 109 mall I noticed that there were a ton of available lockers, though most were located a little further away from the subway, like in the walkway that connected the two sides of the mall and near the basement level grocery store. TIP: If you can’t find a locker, keep looking! Lockers are hidden everywhere in the nearby mall, especially at basement level or beside bathrooms. I would recommend a soft-sided bag and of course bring change. I *believe* locker rentals are good for 12 hrs? Maybe 24? And cost anywhere from 300-600 yen, depending on size.
2. CARD OPERATED LOCKERS: If you don’t have correct change but have a Suica card (which you should probably get anyway if you are riding the subways in Tokyo) then you can use the card to rent a luggage locker. You can find these lockers around exit 3/3a on basement levels 1 and 2 (B1, B2).
3. BAGGAGE CHECK-IN: What if you have a large bag, don’t have a SUICA card and don’t have change? Go to Teco Plaza Tourist Information Center or a luggage office. (B2) Note: luggage offices and tourist centers have opening and closing times, unlike lockers. Make sure to double-check and confirm closing times or you may find your luggage is locked up for the night.

If you still can’t find a locker, an overview of all the coin operated lockers can be found on this site (may need to use Google translator). And if you’re still confused, try to find the info center using the map and they should be able to help!

WHERE TO GET FREE WIFI IN SHIBUYA

Finding free wifi in Shibuya is actually pretty simple. Just about any department store, tourist center, coffee shop, and even convenience store has free wifi. Starbucks has free wifi, as one would expect, along with an instructional pamphlet for how to use their wifi. When we finally connected, it was sloooowwww. I found the best wifi at department stores (though beware of basement level). Even outside of department stores, where I loitered for a bit, I could still get a signal. When in doubt, go to the tourist center (see map) and they not only have free wifi there, but can give you codes to wifi at Shibuya 109, etc.

EATING, COFFEE & SHOPPING IN SHIBUYA

EAT/DRINK

Brasserie Viron | CUISINE: French  | COST: The boulangerie/patisserie is inexpensive but still pricier than a regular bakery. It is also cash only.  | LOCATION: 33-8 Udagawacho, Shibuya 150-0042  | DESCRIPTION: There are essentially two parts to Brasseire Viron: a boulangerie/patisserie where you can order breads and other baked goods to go and a sit down brasserie located on the second floor. I read that the lines were long, but as we arrived right when we opened we didn’t have to wait. We didn’t have a chance to try the brasserie food though honestly I think I would be happy eating bread, croissants, and sandwiches all day, every day. | VERDICT: Some of the best French pastries I have ever eaten.

Starbucks | CUISINE: Coffee/Cafe | COST: Inexpensive | LOCATION: Right at Shibuya crossing. You seriously cannot miss it.  | DESCRIPTION: Two-story Starbucks with an awesome view of Shibuya (the same one as shown in the movie, Lost in Translation). There isn’t a ton of seating so be prepared to wait and stalk other people as they are getting ready to leave. I read that it’s frowned upon to take photos from this Starbucks, but we didn’t have a problem. We also bought some drinks and sat down, but I can see how it would be annoying if you stopped into the “world’s busiest Starbucks” just to take photos  | VERDICT: It’s a Starbucks, so you basically know what you’re going to get. What you won’t find at other Starbucks is this particular view.

Gyukatsu Motomura  (牛かつ もと村) | CUISINE: Japanese / Beef Katsu | COST: Inexpensive, ¥;1200 (about $10 USD) for the basic set lunch menu | LOCATION: Multiple locations, we visited the larger Shibuya restaurant. | DESCRIPTION: Tiny shop serving only one menu item: beef katsu. I love when restaurants or chefs specialize in one thing and do it very well, which was definitely the case with Gyukatsu Motomura. In addition to the beef cutlet the basic set meal came with a tiny scoop of potato salad, shredded cabbage, a bowl of rice and a small bowl of soup. It’s a pretty good amount of food for the cost, and a bargain in Tokyo. The restaurants — both the “smaller” and “bigger” one don’t have much seating so you can pretty much expect a line — sometimes up to two hours long. At the bigger restaurant we stood in line just at the top of the stairs around 2pm and it was about a 35-40 minute wait until we were seated. I would not come here with more than 4 people in a group. It’s highly unlikely you would be able to sit together unless you got lucky. |VERDICT: Yum. Definitely worth a try though I would probably not wait two hours. There’s just too much good food to eat in Japan!

Toroya Izakaya ( 寅や ) | CUISINE: Japanese izakaya, sake bar | COST: approx $10-15 per small plate | LOCATION: Shibuya district, Tokyo (If you plan on doing a google search, you’ll need to enter the Japanese characters, not the Romanized name) | DESCRIPTION: This restaurant seemed like a really good neighborhood spot away from all the Shibuya crowds and tourists. The atmosphere was casual, warm and welcoming and the staff friendly. This is definitely not a tourist spot, and as such the menu is entirely in Japanese. Luckily one of the chefs spoke English! We essentially asked for an omakase style meal – meaning meals selected by the chef. If in doubt, and if you don’t have any food restrictions/aren’t too picky an eater, then it might be worth asking. Everything the chef selected was fantastic — simple but flavorful, carefully prepared, and perfectly seasoned. | VERDICT: Recommended.

Ichiran Ramen | CUISINE: Tonkotsu ramen “from the 60s”| COST: Approx $10 with egg. $1-2 per side or extras | LOCATION: Multiple locations throughout Japan. We went to this one in Shibuya | DESCRIPTION: Tonkotsu ramen, made from pork bone broth that has been simmered until  it essentially disintegrates, is thick and creamy and buttery. This is probably my favorite style of ramen though admittedly at times the richness of the soup it can build to the point where it feels as if you ate 10 sticks of butter. The process for ordering the ramen is very straightforward and self-explanatory — place your order at the vending machine, pay, get a ticket, and when a seat is ready your host/ess will seat you. The seating is similar to eating at a diner counter except with partitions on the side of you and a partition in front. I was initially concerned that I would be seated at one cubby while Sly would be at another but we were seated next to one another and were able to open the folding screen between us to have more of an open table space.According to the seating chart diagram it looked as if there were seats for families or children? I wouldn’t necessarily come here with a large group and expect to be seated together — it’s just not that kind of place. Once seate, push the service button, hand in your ticket, and in no time at all a delicious bowl of soup will appear in front of you like magic! | VERDICT: I’m sure there are better places in Tokyo, but this was one damn good bowl of soup. | TIP: If you are super hungry like Sly, or if you want to split a bowl, you can order what is called “kaedama,” or a noodle refill for a few bucks more. Leave at least half of your broth, fill out the form requesting more noodles, ring the bell, and voila! PS: Ichiran, like many ramen joints, is 24HRS!!!

SHOP

Muji | LOCATION: Shibuya location: 21-1 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, though multiple locations throughout JP (and worldwide) | DESCRIPTION: Multi-level store including clothing (men, women, children), cafeteria, and a collaboration between LOFT (another cute store) and Muji on floor 6+7. I would describe the clothes as a couple of steps above Uniqlo and the stationery, housewares and other items are similarly designed to be modern and classic. Another store that I could spend all day browsing. I’ll definitely need to take a look whenever we’re in Seoul or Busan. Or shop online!

Tokyo Hands | LOCATION: 7 minutes walking from Hachiko Exit of Shibuya Station. See map.  | DESCRIPTION:  I’m not really quite sure how to describe this store. It kind of reminded me of like an old school five and dime or general store, except on a much larger scale and with Japanese products. With a sweet cafe at the top. Seriously they had something for everyone — travel gear, housewares, DIY crafts, stickers, stationery, cosmetics, hand-made items, an artisan shop, pet supplies, etc. A fun store to browse.