Suggested Itineraries

A popular urban oasis, Meiji Jingu Shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Conveniently located near shopping districts such as Harajuku, Omotesando, and Shibuya, Meiji Jingu Shrine welcomes more New Year's visitors than any other shrine in Japan. Visitors are said to receive good fortune in many areas of life, including household safety, physical safety, fulfillment in friendships and romance, qualifying test scores, and business prosperity. You can find wooden good-luck bells known as kodama (meaning “echo”), which are popular among fortune-seeking Japanese women. These charms are made from sacred trees grown on the shrine precinct, and their woody texture and sound soothe the spirit.

Short for Okushibuya, Okushibu refers to the Kamiyama-cho and Tomigaya area outside the Shibuya shopping area known as Center Gai. This popular district is filled with stylish zakka (miscellaneous merchandise) stores, restaurants, coffee shops, and more. Characterized by its tranquil atmosphere, Okushiba is a great place for a stroll to escape the hustle and bustle of Shibuya Station and Center Gai.

No visit to Japan is complete without lunch at a great soba restaurant. Oonoya will make your trip complete with soba carefully selected from the bests harvests each season, with a specialization in stone-ground sarashina buckwheat from Shinshu. Oonoya's dedicated artisan chefs use the buckwheat to create soba noodles, buckwheat dumplings, and buckwheat tofu.

Within walking distance from Meiji Jingu Shrine, the Yoyogi Hachimangu Shrine precinct encompasses a treasured natural forest, preserving traditional Japanese atmosphere in the middle of the Tokyo metropolis. The frequent subject of Japanese television shows and magazine articles on spiritual locations, the shrine is dedicated to Emperor Ojin, also known as Hachiman. Blessings the shrine imparts include warding off evil, transportation safety, household safety, business prosperity, recovery from sickness, qualifying test scores, safety in childbirth, and more. Designated as a cultural property of Shibuya, the shrine has archaeological artifacts and even a pit house from the prehistoric Jomon period that visitors can view.

The maneki-neko (beckoning cat) that waves people in with a paw is a common figurine in Japanese households and shops. Gotokuji Temple is known as one of original locations where the maneki-neko tradition emerged. The temple is located in a corner of a quiet residential district, and near the main hall is a small building known as Maneki Neko-do Temple, where you can find many maneki-neko cats of various sizes. It is also registered as a Tokyo historical site.

This shopping district, located on the south side of Gotokuji Station, is marked by a nostalgic atmosphere. You will find many seafood vendors, flower shops, butchers, and other stores with a retro feel. Stroll around and take in the local businesses with their long histories. Be sure to look for Tamanyan, the district mascot, as well as the many maneki-neko that celebrate Gotokuji Temple as the origin of the beckoning feline tradition.