If you need to find some quiet spots in central Tokyo, here are some secret and not so secret options…
I actually find that the majority of my guests are pleasantly surprised that Tokyo isn’t the madness they have seen on tv.
Yes , it is full of hustle and bustle but thanks to a wonderful sense of order and systems that work more often than not… but will you get swept away in a sea of people.. hmm…. I would be very, very surprised if you do.
HOWEVER, sometimes you might find yourself right in the thick of it on a weekend or the day of a special event and need a mini-plan of action so I wanted to throw some options out there is you just need a moment of ( at least a tiny bit of) quiet.
ADDITIONAL TIP: If you want to avoid the peak hour on the trains….
Avoid train travel between 7am-10am and 4:30pm-8pm.
Takeshita Street in Harajuku
This is the first place I think of when I think of crowded Japan. It is fun and a must-do during your Japan travels (see my Harajuku with kids guide ) but …still… in terms of people everywhere? It’s pretty YUCKY!!!!
So..heads up, Takeshita is going to be mega in terms of the pure volume of people.
So you may want to put kids on shoulders, fold up strollers and all hold hands – but the road only spans two blocks and it’s all about the journey. Walk slow. Look and point. You will love the colours and the funny knick-knacks.
Tip: Don’t try and have a sit down meal here – mainly because of the long wait times.
(Use the restrooms before you start the walk too.)
It’s pretty much a one-way street and once you’re in there on a busy day you’ve pretty much got to finish those 2 blocks in order to get out.
I recommend the Cascade Restaurant Complex. There is a ramen, Mexican, Italian and American diner type food. There is also a cupcake shop.
Not many people know about this new-ish complex. See here for more information on each restaurant.
CASCADE HARAJUKU RESTAURANT COMPLEX
1-10-37 JINGUMAE, SHIBUYA
OPEN 11AM-8PM
WEBSITE
Incase you have difficulty finding the complex, head to Oriental Traffic shoe shop opposite JR Harajuku Station and turn down the little ‘pedestrian only’ road down by the Takoyaki shop. Walk to the end of that road and there it is.
Or, at the other end of Takeshita Street I recommend going to Starbucks on the rooftop of Tokyu Plaza. Even when this place is busy there is still so much space and it the perfect place to just pull yourself together and have a quieter moment again. While Starbucks isn’t normally on my personal ‘go and see’ list, in any city, but when my kids have the wriggles and we all just need a bit of downtime, the Tokyu Plaza Rooftop Starbucks has a fantastic open terrace where kids can run around, eat cookies, make noise etc. It is often themed in keeping with the season and celebrated holidays.
There is an elevator from the street level, near American Eagle.
STARBUCKS, TOKYU PLAZA 6th FLOOR
4-30-3 JINGUMAE
神宮前4-30-3 東急プラザ6F
OPEN: 8:30am-11pm
STARBUCKS TOKYU PLAZA WEBSITE
Did you know that the main drag in Ginza is closed to vehicles on weekends and national holidays? So you can properly get your ‘Lost in Translation’ picture !
But it is soooo busy there that you will need a break afterwards!
If you go to the Nissan Crossing Cafe (exit A3, A4 or A5 of the Ginza subway station) second floor there is not only a cool view one of Ginza’s major intersections but also they offer to take your picture and then scan it onto you coffee foam!
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NISSAN CAFE IS CURRENTLY NOT DOING THE PHOTO IMPRINTS ON THE TOP OF THEIR HOT DRINKS. THEY ARE ONLY DOING CAR IMAGES.
They have cafe latte and matcha (green tea) lattes.
I have never ever seen this cafe busy !
There is also a small cookie and cake selection (which kept my little boy happy.) Also the cafe space itself is quite spacious (for Tokyo). There are elevators up to the second floor.
Nissan Crossing is a global flagship gallery for Nissan. It is free to walk in and take a look around.
The Sony Showroom is on the 4th and 5th floors of the same building, if you’re interested.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NISSAN CAFE IS CURRENTLY NOT DOING THE PHOTO IMPRINTS ON THE TOP OF THEIR HOT DRINKS. THEY ARE ONLY DOING CAR IMAGES.
NISSAN CROSSING
中央区銀座5-8-1
5-8-1 GINZA, CHUO-KU
OPEN 10AM-8PM
GINZA SIX
中央区銀座6-10-1
6-10-1 GINZA, CHUO-KU
SHOPS OPEN 10:30AM-8:30PM
RESTAURANTS OPEN 11AM-11:30PM
WEBSITE
Although it is not exactly “around the corner,” when in Ginza you are not crazily far away from the Imperial Palace Gardens.
If you’d like an outdoor picnic in some of Tokyo’s most beautiful greenery – I recommend a taxi or train ride here. If you walk it is a bit over 20 minutes on foot from Ginza Station. Take your own food as there aren’t more than vending machine drinks about and there isn’t a lot of shade so take sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
The palace grounds are huge –the gardens are stunning.
In my mind, Shibuya Crossing is the ultimate touristy thing to do in Tokyo. But not in a bad way! In a “must, must, must – do” way.
Even after living in Japan for more than 10 years I still get the tummy butterflies and that selfie-twitch (yep – I said it) when crossing that massive intersection.
My hubby and I believe that it needs to be seen by day and by night.
But it a very ‘big city’ spot and you may need a little break from the crowds and here are my suggestions for afterwards.
There is also Trunk Hotel Kitchen for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The building is designed so beautifully and it has a large outdoor terrace which makes it extremely kiddie friendly. This place is just 11 minutes walk from Shibuya Station (and 14 mins from Harajuku, in case you feel like switching areas afterwards.)
The restaurant is beautifully styled and the place has never been overcrowded (and trust me, I go here all the time!)
Here is the Full Trunk Menu.They serve Western-style breakfast.
If you decide to visit in the evening, the hotel interior and bar doesn’t quite feel appropriate for children but the Trunk Kushi (skewered meat & veg) restaurant out the front of the hotel definitely is fine – with outdoor seating and, once again, enough space for a little wriggle.
TRUNK HOTEL (KITCHEN)
渋谷区神宮前５-31-7
5-31-7 JINGUMAE, SHIBUYA
OPEN FOR BREAKFAST: 7:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
OPEN FOR LUNCH: 11:30 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
OPEN FOR DINNER: 6:00 P.M. – 11:00 P.M.
TRUNK KITCHEN WEBSITE
If you need a little break in Shinjuku, go to the rooftop terrace at Takashimaya Department Store on the 13th floor.
TAKASHIMAYA TIMES SQUARE
5-24-2 SENDAGAYA, SHIBUYA
渋谷区千駄ヶ谷
OPEN: 10AM-7PM
WEBSITE
… and, did you know that it is possible to go up right next to Godzilla’s head? (mind you, you WILL have to walk through a busy area to get here BUT its quiet once you’ve arrived.)
Technically, you need to be a guest of the hotel or using the restaurant to go and see the Godzilla Head on the 8th floor… however… if questioned, just stop for a coffee on the way out perhaps?
No-one asked us a thing… so we just wandered in and out.
HOTEL GRACERY SHINJUKU
新宿区歌舞伎町1-19-1
1-19-1 KABUKI-CHO, SHINJUKU
WEBSITE
