oh… I do love a good mural and a splash of street art.
Here are my favourites so far…. (I also recommend taking long, leisurely walks through Shimokitazawa and the backstreets in Harajuku.)
*I plan on adding more as I go.
This is at Takadanobaba Station. This is the area where Osamu Tezuka set his animation series Astro Boy. ( This was also the location of Tezuka productions.)
The two reasons that I think Astro Boy fans will like a quick visit to this station are: the giant Astro Boy (and other characters) mural just outside the station and ALSO listening to the music played at Takadanobaba station every time a train leaves the station. It’s the Astro Boy theme song!!!
Someone put it on Youtube here.
* Just a heads up, in Japan – the character is called Atom (pronounced Atomu or called Tetsuwan Atomu) , not Astro Boy.
Understandably, my kids had no idea who these characters were but were kind enough to indulge me.
The street signs and other signs in windows are a reminder that you’re in Tezuka territory.
This is at the Nicolai Bergmann Cafe ‘Nomu’ in Aoyama.
And the wall is laden with flowers of the season.
For all the details see my Tokyo Flower Cafes post.
This is at the Newoman Food Hall – which I only recently discovered. There are so many beautiful eateries inside and (unlike the Food Hall in Ebisu that I found to be so disappointing) it has a range of different types of food and it’s just such a beautiful use of space.
The entire hall is open until 4am and is completely non-smoking until 11pm.
NEWOMAN FOOD HALL
新宿区新宿4-1-6
4-1-6 SHINJUKU, SHINJUKU
OPEN EVERYDAY 7AM-4AM
DEPARTMENT STORE WEBSITE
This is at Aloha Amigo in Harajuku. (They also have a really reasonable Happy Hour and a great lunch set for kids.
ALOHA AMIGO
渋谷区神宮前5-16-13 シックスハラジュクテラス
SIX HARAJUKU TERRACE, 5-16-13 JINGUMAE, SHIBUYA
OPEN 11:30-11PM (CLOSES AT 10PM ON SUNDAYS)
WEBSITE
If caffeine calls, the mural game for the new (well….new-ish… it opened in July 2017…) Starbucks in Ebisu is pretty strong.
STARBUCKS, EBISU UNION BUILDING
渋谷区恵比寿南1-2-10
1-2-10 EBISU-MINAMI, SHIBUYA
OPEN 6:30AM-10:30PM (OPENS AT 7AM ON FRIDAYS AND WEEKENDS)
WEBSITE
Around the corner from Reissue coffee shop in Harajuku you’ll find this beautiful mural created by Zio Ziegler in conjuction with shoe designer Vans and fashion outlet Beams.
And then there is this restaurant in a former bathhouse – with a gorgeous Mt. Fuji mural on the wall.
This izakaya was formerly a public bathhouse.
Now guests sit and dine in the empty tubs or have their own enclosed booths inside of the change rooms.
Such a cool idea, right? I loved all of the attention to detail in the styling of this restaurant – food presentation included.
These guys now have an English menu!!!. I recommend asking for the sashimi moriawase ( sushi platter), a nabe (hot pot) or yudofu ( tofu hot pot) and a drink – maybe an atsukan (hot sake)?
The food was delicious, came to the table quickly and was very reasonably priced ( I went twice with girlfriends and we all drank lots and lots, shared 5-6 dishes – including some sashimi and also a yudofu hot pot. It was around 6000 yen each. Even less when I went for date night. )
Upon arrival, the staff would give you an Otoshi ( a compulsory appetizer). You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to though. It’s just in exchange for adding a small table charge to the bill.
The staff weren’t overly chatty while delivering our meals …but…. I can’t wait to go back again. This place was cool.
BUNPUKU
港区芝 5-23-6 1F
GROUND FLOOR, 5-23-6 SHIBA, MINATO
OPEN 5PM-MIDNIGHT (UNTIL 4AM ON FRIDAYS)
OPEN 3PM-MIDNIGHT ON WEEKENDS
For other funky date night ideas see my post here.
Then if you decide to wander through the totally bohemian, trendy area of Shimokitazawa (Shimokita as it’s often called for short) I recommend stopping often to just take in everything.
It’s so hipster and …just so cool in everyway that it’s less about where you go and more about how you walk around and explore. This is the kind of area where you can pick up a second-hand record player, take in the local street art, see a band, find a good cold-pressed juice and dive into an amazing bowl of ramen.
It’s bohemian, vintage heaven but… not even the slightest bit pretentious. The trendy hipsters behind the counter look too trendy to chat – but they love a chat and every boutique, stall and coffee shop has a story.
It’s colourful and vibrant but still dirty and greasy – but in all the right ways.
And then there is this little street art treasure just near Tower Records in Shibuya.
And if you’re into some really trippy/kitsch murals then you HAVE to visit Hanayashiki Amusement Park – the oldest amusement park in Japan.
It first opened in 1853 and, after being there – I believe it! Hahahaha.
Don’t get me wrong – we had a fantastic time and I’m absolutely dying to go again. But I’m laughing because it was sooooo old school and so kitsch that I could not stop giggling (and taking pictures.)
Almost everything is candy coloured, has a little mascot statue on it and everything also click, click, clicks along its rails.
My daughter also had a ball. As we visited at 11:30am on a weekday the place was almost deserted. We did all of her favourite rides before 12:15!
Everything is truly old-school retro and we loved it!
I would, however, make sure that you eat before or afterwards as the food court also looked a bit too retro for my liking and there isn’t a great selection.
There are lots of restrooms everywhere and even a place to pay 100 yen to charge your phone!
I recommend taking kids younger than 5 (there are a few ‘scary rides’ that older teenagers might like though too – and a truly vintage haunted house!)
I also recommend for instagram addicts like me – it’s random photography heaven.
Almost every ride costs 200 yen and, as my daughter was under five, we only had to pay for one of us when we rode together.
They are most popular at night, I’m told as the whole park is illuminated. Check out their instagram @hanayashiki1853 for some amazing pictures.
HANAYASHIKI AMUSEMENT PARK, AKASAKA
台東区浅草2-28-1
2-28-1 ASAKUSA, TAITO-KU
OPEN 10AM-6PM ( HOURS VARY WITH THE SEASONS SO CHECK BEFORE YOU GO)
ENTRANCE 1000 YEN FOR ADULTS, 500 YEN FOR UNDER 12s, FREE FOR UNDER 7s (RIDES NOT INCLUDED IN ENTRY FEE)
WEBSITE
For other ideas for things to do in this area, see my post here.
I think the food hall inside of Magnet Department store is also pretty cool. All the details here.
**** Please note that often recommend Magnet Shibuya Food Court for families -but the building is currently being rennovated and so I’m not comfy recommending it at this time. ***
For all of my other Shibuya with Kids suggestions see my post here
And then, if you love murals , I also highly recommend this art hotel in Kyoto.
