5 best things to do at Miyashita Park in Shibuya

If you’re looking for some greenery amid Shibuya’s concrete jungle, make a beeline for Miyashita Park’s gorgeous rooftop park, also known as Shibuyakuritsu Miyashita Park. Grab a drink or snack at the on-site café and unwind on the open lawn while soaking up the Shibuya atmosphere. Opposite the park’s information centre is a large bronze installation of Doraemon and his friends, plus a smaller version of Shibuya Station’s Hachiko statue. The green space also has a skateboard park, bouldering wall and even a sand pit for beach volleyball. 

Divided into two areas, North and South, Miyashita Park boasts around 40 shops across three floors. 

Studio Ghibli fans should head straight to GBL, whose interiors took design references from various Studio Ghibli movies. The changing room, especially, is inspired by a memorable scene from ‘Castle in the Sky’ (1986). Here you’ll find merchandise and clothing inspired by the illustrious feature animation studio, including jackets, denim tote bags and skateboard decks. A popular souvenir is the small figurine of the wolf from ‘Princess Mononoke’ (1997). This item is inspired by Shibuya Station’s Hachiko statue and is available exclusively at Miyashita Park’s GBL store.

If you’re looking for some cool stationery, drop by the Hightide Store. Most of the products here are developed by Hightide Inc., a stationery manufacturer from Fukuoka prefecture in Kyushu, Southwest Japan. This is the company’s only Tokyo store and you’ll find everything from adorable pencil cases and small pouches to pens and memo pads. If you’re looking for a special souvenir, pick up a small notebook or stylish eco bag that’s designed exclusively for Miyashita Park.

In need of some fancy new sportswear? Visit Miyashita Park’s two-floor Adidas store, the brand’s biggest shop in Japan. Aside from training gear, you can find Shibuya-exclusive T-shirts featuring a silhouette of Hachiko or the slogan ‘Adidas Originals’ written in katakana characters. Don’t miss the corner with official T-shirts of Japan’s national football team on the first floor, and you can even pick up a pair of kawaii Hello Kitty sneakers for your kids on the second floor.

The above mentioned stores have English-speaking staff available at all times.

Art enthusiasts should drop by Miyashita Park’s Gallery SAI. You can admire works by Japanese and international artists, with past exhibitions headed by creatives such as Masato Tawata (pictured above), Eric Haze, Naoki Ishikawa and Adriana Oliver. There’s no set genre, so you’ll be able to explore new themes each time you visit. Exhibitions rotate monthly and all artworks are available for purchase and can be shipped overseas. Check the details with the English-speaking staff, who are available at all times. Entry to the gallery is free. To find out more details about the current exhibitions, check Gallery SAI’s Instagram.

Miyashita Park’s first floor is home to Shibuya Yokocho, a food alley with 19 eateries modelled after mid-20th century Tokyo, complete with retro-style lanterns and signboards. Hop from one small eatery to the next, and sample local specialities from across Japan.

Hokkaido Shoku-ichi is the place to try specialities from Japan’s northernmost prefecture including Sapporo miso ramen and jingisukan. The latter is the Japanese pronunciation of Mongol emperor Genghis Khan, with the dish featuring slices of mutton and vegetables grilled on a slotted dome-shaped cast iron grill. At Okinawa Shoku-ichi, on the other hand, you’ll find local dishes of Okinawa, Japan’s tropical southernmost prefecture. The menu includes Okinawa soba, taco rice and goya chanpuru, an Okinawan stir-fry dish with bitter melon, tofu and meat or fish. 

Another highlight is Rikishi Meshi Yorozu, run by a former professional rikishi (sumo wrestler). Here you can try a wrestler’s most important meal of the day, chankonabe. This stew with fish, meat and vegetables is served to wrestlers at sumo stables and is traditionally prepared by the rikishi themselves.

Three-floor venue Or is the perfect location for spending a fun night in the heart of Shibuya. Start the evening on the first floor café with a hearty pasta dish that you can pair with a Japanese craft liquor in flavours like sakura, matcha and yuzu. On weekdays, there’s a happy hour deal between 6pm and 9pm, including two drinks for a mere ¥1,000. DJs start spinning house, hip hop and techno tunes from 8pm until 5am daily.

On Fridays and Saturdays, Or hosts club events across all three floors. The second floor has space for up to 100 guests, complete with a stunning interior designed by Japanese artist Shohei Otomo, who’s known for his detailed ballpoint pen drawings. The music bar on the third floor is the club event's main space, where 300 guests can hit the dance floor, grab a drink at the spacious bar or take a breather along the window front. Entry ranges between ¥1,500 and ¥2,000 (plus one drink purchase), depending on the event. Check the website for the weekly schedule. Note that admission is limited to those aged 20 and older.