Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [85]
The shrine’s inner garden, Meiji-jingū-gyoen (adult/child ¥500/200; 9am-5pm), is almost deserted on weekdays. It’s especially beautiful in June, when the irises are in bloom.
YOYOGI-KŌEN
Weekends at Yoyogi-kōen (Yoyogi Park; Map; 2-1 Yoyogi-Kaminzonochō; admission free; dawn-dusk; JR Yamanote line to Harajuku, Omote-sandō exit or Chiyoda line to Yoyogi-kōen, exit 4) are prime for stumbling upon the cool and unusual – shamisen (three-stringed lute) or punk-rock practice, or fire-eating, for example. At 53.2 hectares (133 acres), its wooded grounds are ringed with walking trails even if there aren’t any interesting goings-on. It’s at its best on a sunny Sunday in spring or autumn.
ŌTA MEMORIAL ART MUSEUM
Pad quietly in slippers through the Ōta Museum (Map; 3403-0880; www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/english.html; 1-10-10 Jingūmae, Shibuya-ku; adult/student ¥1000/700; 10.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sun, closed from 27th to end of each month; Chiyoda line to Meiji-jingūmae, exit 5) to view its first-rate collection of ukiyo-e (wood-block prints), including works by masters of the art such as Hiroshige. Find it in the alley just northwest of the Laforet Building. Extra charges apply for special exhibits.
GALLERIES
Aoyama is packed with tiny galleries, most of them free. Up Killer-dōri, look for the Watari-um (Watari Museum of Contemporary Art; Map; 3402-3001; www.watarium.co.jp; 3-7-6 Jingūmae, Shibuya-ku; adult/student ¥1000/800; 11am-7pm, to 9pm Wed, closed Mon; Ginza line to Gaienmae, exit 3), which hosts cutting-edge contemporary art.
In the heart of Harajuku are the east and west branches of the Design Festa Gallery (Map; 3479-1442; www.designfestagallery.com; 3-20-18 Jingūmae, Shibuya-ku; admission free; 11am-8pm; JR Yamanote line to Harajuku, Takeshita exit), where a vibrant mixed bag of art and craftiness is displayed by local creators.
Cross Omote-sandō to find the Spiral Building (Map; 3498-1171; 5-6-23 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku; admission free; 11am-8pm; Chiyoda, Ginza, Hanzōmon lines to Omote-sandō, exit B1) features changing exhibits, dining and live music. Even more museum-store wares are sold on the 2nd floor.
Just around the corner from the Spiral Building, Kottō-dōri (Antique St) is a good place to seek out both galleries and antique shops.
Shibuya
Shibuya Crossing (Map) is probably one of the world’s most visually famous four-way intersections, where the green light given to pedestrians releases a timed surge of humanity. Mostly of interest as a stupendous youth-oriented shopping district and people-watching hotspot, the goods for sale and energy of Shibuya offer glimpses into the desires and psyche of a certain generation. Especially on weekends, you might get the feeling that the jammed streets are populated solely by fashionable under-25s.
HACHIKŌ STATUE
In the 1920s, a professor who lived near Shibuya station kept a small Akita dog, who would come to the station every afternoon to await his master’s return. The professor died in 1925, but Hachikō continued to show up and wait at the station until his own death 11 years later. The poor dog’s faithfulness was not lost on the locals, who built a statue to honour his memory.
PARCO FACTORY
Shows at the Parco Factory (Map; 3477-5873; 6th fl, Parco Part 1, 15-1 Udagawachō, Shibuya-ku; admission varies; 10am-9pm; JR Yamanote line to Shibuya, Hachikō exit) tend to feature contemporary art with a sense of fun, as befits a gallery in Shibuya. Think graphic design and pop culture for an idea of Factory aesthetic.
TOBACCO & SALT MUSEUM
This unusual little museum (Map; 3476-2041; 1-16-8 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku; adult/child ¥100/50; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun; JR Yamanote line to Shibuya, Hachikō exit) has some fairly interesting exhibits detailing the history of tobacco and the methods of salt production practised in premodern Japan (when Japan harvested all its salt from the sea). While there’s little English signage, much of the material is self-explanatory.
TEPCO ELECTRIC ENERGY MUSEUM
Folks with kids in tow and an interest in