Shibuya Tourist Spot: MIYASHITA PARK
Shibuya is an area so well-known that many people around the world think of "Shibuya's Scramble Crossing" when they hear "Tokyo." The Hachiko statue, a popular meeting spot, continues to attract crowds, and every day diverse people from Japan and abroad flock to this neighborhood.
Shibuya, where fashion, art, and music mix to create various cultures, is always brimming with the potential for something new to emerge. It naturally attracts young creators and performers, truly making it a source of trends. It's no exaggeration to say that visiting Shibuya gives you a glimpse of contemporary Japanese culture.
While famous as a "sleepless city," Shibuya is also unique in its urban development that harmonizes with nature, with peaceful parks dotting the area.
This time, we'll delve deep into "Shibuya Miyashita Park," a new hub in Shibuya that offers a sophisticated and comfortable experience right in the heart of the city!
If you are interested in explore Tokyo's trendy culture, check the article below! I summarize how and where you can enjoy them as much as possible.
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What is Shibuya Miyashita Park?
source：Official website
Amid Tokyo's urban development trend of ever-taller buildings, "Shibuya Miyashita Park" opened in 2020 as a deliberately "low-rise" 4-story complex facility. With the concept of "NO MORE NORMAL," it integrates a commercial facility housing about 90 stores, a park, and a hotel, becoming Shibuya's new landmark unlike any other.
It's adjacent to "Cat Street," the fashion street connecting Shibuya and Harajuku. Acting as a hub, it offers good access to Aoyama and Omotesando, lined with impressive and stylish stores, as well as Yoyogi Park.
In this open space where you can feel greenery wherever you are, you can enjoy shopping at high-end brand stores, have a light drink at Shibuya Yokocho where you can taste soul food and drinks from all over Japan, or engage in sports in the park... It's always bustling with locals and tourists who enjoy their own ways of spending time in this free gathering place.
Park: Shibuya Ward Miyashita Park
Opened in 1953, "Shibuya Ward Miyashita Park" has long been a beloved urban park for residents. In 1966, it was developed as "Tokyo's first elevated park," and with the addition of sports facilities like a skating rink, it continued to evolve as a park loved by active young people.
Even after its rebirth as Shibuya Miyashita Park in 2020, its originality remains intact. It boasts rich sports facilities including a skate park for skateboarding and inline skating, a bouldering wall (both paid), and a multipurpose sports facility/sand court for beach volleyball and beach soccer (available for groups only with advance reservation, paid).
There's also an attractive approximately 1,000㎡ grass area where you can relax comfortably between shopping trips.
"SKATEBOARD PARK," Symbol of Shibuya Street
The "SKATEBOARD PARK" has been used by Sakura Yosozumi, the 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist. It's a skate park that has long been a symbol of Shibuya's street culture.
The 480㎡ area features a layout for advanced users with sloped, curved surfaces. It's designed so that general visitors can watch from behind safety fences. Thinking that the next generation of skaters might emerge from here, I often find myself captivated by the practice scenes.
Taking a stroll and watching the skaters practice can be a pleasant way to spend time.
BOULDERING WALL
If you want to aim for the very top of the rooftop park on the 4th floor, try the "Bouldering Wall." With a rock wall about 5m high, it's a space where both adults and children can enjoy bouldering.
Necessary equipment like climbing shoes and chalk for grip can be rented, so you can come empty-handed. Bouldering, which requires thinking skills and balance sense to climb, is recommended for women as an intellectual sport that doesn't rely solely on muscle strength. If you have time, you might want to refresh yourself by playing for a full two hours.
Please experience the sense of achievement when reaching the top of the rock wall and the different, moving view of Shibuya from the summit.
Grass Area
Half of the rooftop of Shibuya Miyashita Park, the north block (the area on the Harajuku side), is a "grass area." Despite being on the 4th floor of a low-rise building, it's spacious and open, offering an excellent relaxation space away from the city's hustle and bustle. Many people spread leisure sheets and enjoy food and drinks while lying down - it's simply great for refreshing!
It's also nice that you can bring takeout from Starbucks in the park or from the food court on the 3rd floor. The park is open from 8:00 to 23:00, and it's recommended to visit at dusk or at night when it's lit up for a mood-filled experience.
RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK
"RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK" is a commercial facility born as Shibuya's new "street," featuring stores with diverse values and high cultural significance. The 330m-long site is home to high-end brand stores including the world's first Louis Vuitton men's flagship shop, as well as Gucci and Balenciaga.
Furthermore, it boasts unique stores like the first flagship store of New York-based sneaker select shop "KITH," and a concept shop of Tokyo-Asakusa-born "Hender Scheme," popular for its leather shoes and goods that perfectly mix mode and craft.
There are also music bars and yokocho (alleyways), creating an atmosphere that multifacetedly mixes Japanese culture. Whenever you visit, there are fresh surprises and discoveries that stimulate curiosity. This time, we'll introduce some recommended stores in detail!
<Store Information>
・Address: 6-20-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
・Access: 3 minutes walk from JR / Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line / Ginza Line / Fukutoshin Line, Tokyu Toyoko Line / Den-en-toshi Line, Keio Inokashira Line "Shibuya" Station, 8 minutes walk from Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line / Fukutoshin Line Meiji-jingumae <Harajuku> Station Exit 7
・Closed: Irregular
・Phone: 03-6712-5630
・Hours: 11:00-21:00 (Restaurants until 23:00 *Food hall only Monday-Friday 11:00-22:30, Saturday/Sunday/Holidays 10:30-22:30
*May vary by store
・Official website
TARO TOKYO ONIGIRI RAYARD
source：Official facebook
With the concept "Onigiri is an infinite universe," "TARO TOKYO ONIGIRI" is popular for its creative and visually beautiful rice balls that freely combine ingredients.
On March 15, 2024, it made its debut as a new takeout-only store at RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK!
They create exquisite rice balls using traditional kamado cooking (kamado is a traditional Japanese cooking equipment surrounded by earth or cement to retain heat, heated by firewood or gas) to bring out the umami and sweetness of the rice, pursuing a texture where each grain has a firm bounce.
In addition to traditional Japanese flavors like grilled salmon and chirimen sansho (dried young sardines with Japanese pepper), there are also Western-Japanese fusion flavors featuring butter, cheese, and spam, which are attractive points that overturn the conventional image of onigiri.
By the way, in my case, choosing onigiri from here based on my mood of the day and eating it leisurely on the grass area has become my favorite style.
THE MATCHA TOKYO
There are many cafes that serve matcha. However, what "THE MATCHA TOKYO" offers is "100% organic matcha drinks and food" that seemed to exist but didn't.
To cherish the original taste of tea leaves, they adhere to organic methods from soil preparation to tea leaf production and blending, pursuing the taste of truly high-quality and wholesome matcha.
The matcha at THE MATCHA TOKYO is characterized by its fine foam and smooth texture, with enhanced umami flavor. When I'm tired, I refresh myself by enjoying carefully prepared matcha right before my eyes.
The ice cream, which is as rich as if matcha itself were frozen, is also recommended.
THE SHIBUYA SOUVENIR STORE
source：Official X
With the theme "The specialty of Shibuya is its people," this store collaborates with artists and creators who have been shaping Shibuya's culture past and present, offering a lineup of products that make you feel the "real Shibuya." Items like cookies commemorating the 100th anniversary of Hachiko, Shibuya's eternal symbol, and retort curry supervised by a famous curry maniac stimulate your desire to buy.
Regular pop-up events for popular anime like Tokyo Revengers and BLEACH are also held, so it's worth checking their Instagram frequently.
sequence MIYASHITA PARK
source：sequence Official website
"sequence MIYASHITA PARK" is a hotel where the rooftop park of Shibuya Miyashita Park and the hotel lobby are seamlessly connected. Adjacent to the commercial facility RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK, it has good access from both Shibuya and Harajuku, making it perfect for shopping enthusiasts.
The sophisticated interiors and night views from large windows are also popular. With bunk rooms and rooms suitable for large groups of family or friends, it's ideal for group travel. The 14:00 checkout time is attractive, allowing you to relax in the morning even after a late night out.
Why not start a fulfilling day by taking a morning walk in the park with a coffee in hand?
<Store Information>
・Address: 6-20-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
・Access: 3 minutes walk from Tokyo Metro Shibuya Station Exit B1, 7 minutes walk from JR Shibuya Station Hachiko Exit, 8 minutes walk from Tokyo Metro Meiji-jingumae <Harajuku> Station Exit 7
・Phone: 03-5468-6131
・Hours: Check-in from 17:00, Check-out until 14:00
・Official website
VALLEY PARK STAND
source：sequence Official website
"VALLEY PARK STAND," located on the entrance floor of the hotel, is a cafe that can be casually used even by non-hotel guests. The comfortable space where you can be soothed by the lush green scenery is addictive, making you want to spend all day there.
If you purchase a sequence original tumbler, you can enjoy unlimited free coffee or tea during your stay. It's recommended to enjoy lunch while basking in the sun in the park with coffee and "MIYAPITA," a volume-packed pita sandwich stuffed with overflowing ingredients.
At night, it becomes a bar, and DJ music events are held every Wednesday and Thursday from 18:00 to 22:00. With various ways to enjoy depending on the time of day, please drop by at your favorite time.
ROOF TOP BAR "SOAK"
source：sequence Official website
"ROOF TOP BAR SOAK" is located on the 18th floor of sequence MIYASHITA PARK, offering a sense of openness.
Supervised by bartenders who have gained experience in numerous authentic bars, I was captivated by the high quality of the original cocktails!
The careful attention to music selection, sound, and lighting production is also evident throughout, creating a sophisticated atmosphere that many people become addicted to, with voices saying "I don't really want to tell anyone, I want to keep it a secret."
The view from the 18th floor is also beautiful, making it perfect for enjoying drinks and meals while gazing at the sparkling city night view with someone special.
ART MUSEUM
source：sequence Official website
The "ART MUSEUM" at sequence MIYASHITA PARK is a project by "The Chain Museum," which operates art coordination and art galleries for space production in hotels, commercial facilities, and offices.
With the concept "Does everything placed on a pedestal become/is art?", pedestals are installed in the hotel entrance and each room, displaying various sizes of art pieces.
In particular, the guest rooms are "the world's smallest museum to enjoy 20cm x 20cm works," creating a space where you can face art quietly without feeling pressured. Works by artists like Kotaro Ushijima, who continues his expressive activities in Shibuya, are displayed, offering a rich time that will stir your heart.
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