If you want to take a stroll in Tokyo on a weekend with fewer people, but with many unique cafes and specialty shops, head to “Otsuka” located north of Shibuya, close to Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine. This area is home to many unique cafes, independent bookstores, and small restaurants, and has a relaxed atmosphere that is different from the busy pace of Shibuya center. It has become a popular weekend destination for Tokyoites in recent years.
“What are some good shops to visit in Shibuya? Follow Piaor and let’s take a walk together!”
Read More: Exploring Tokyo’s Best Hidden Gems: Unveiling Off the Beaten Path Experiences and Local Culture
【Transportation】Where is Shibuya located?
“Aoshima Valley” is located north of Shibuya Station. You can choose to depart from Shibuya Station and walk towards Shibuya Tokyu Department Store and Yoyogi Park. The district is about a 15-minute walk away. Aoshima Valley is located south of Yoyogi Park, and areas such as Kamiyamacho, Udagawacho, and Tomigaya are all within the scope of Aoshima Valley.
As the focus of Piaor’s shopping this time is the “Fuglen Tokyo” cafe, I took the subway directly to “Daiyuzuki Hachiman Station”, or you can also take it to the nearby “Daiyuzuki Park Station”. These two stations are closer to this cafe, and then walk all the way from the north to Shibuya Station. The next attractions I introduce will also be introduced from north to south.
Exploring Shibuya: Shibuya Crossing Area in Tokyo: Things To See And Do
【Aoyama Dessert Shop】Nata de Cristiano
- Address: 1-14-16 Stanford Court 103, Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Business Hours: 10:00~19:30
- Official Website
The northernmost famous shop in Aoyama is “Nata de Cristiano”, which sells authentic Portuguese egg tarts. If you want to taste the crispy crust and rich egg flavor of authentic Portuguese egg tarts, come to this shop.
What is the taste of authentic Portuguese egg tarts?【Must-Try Food in Lisbon】Casa Pastéis de Belém, the original store of Portuguese egg tarts
【Recommended Cafe in Shibuya】Cafe ROSTRO
- Address: 1-14-20 Southpia 1F, Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Business hours: 8:00-20:00
- Official website
After passing by the Portuguese egg tart shop, there is a residential-style walking path. Next to it is a café that is quite popular, with a sign at the entrance claiming to be a specialty store for authentic Japanese coffee. They will adjust the coffee exclusively for you based on your preferences for type, flavor, and roast level.
【Aoyama Coffee Shop】Fuglen Tokyo
- Address: 1F, 1-16-11 Tomigaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Business hours: Mon-Tue 8:00-22:00, Wed-Thu 8:00-next day 1:00, Fri 8:00-next day 2:00, Sat 10:00-next day 2:00, Sun 10:00-next day 1:00
- Official website
Next, Piaor visited the most popular café in Aoyama, “Fuglen Tokyo,” which comes from Norway in Northern Europe. The Aoyama branch is their first overseas location, renovated from an old Japanese-style house, providing an experience of “traveling to another city to live.”
The “Fuglen Tokyo” store displays antique and utensils with Nordic style, and the wooden structure also brings a little feeling of a small wooden house in the north. It also plays unique music.
Aside from Japanese people, there are tourists from all over the world at the scene, so the menu is also available in English, and the staff can speak English. Payment can also be made with credit cards, making it quite international.
Tastes as delicious as the bread I had in Northern Europe.
Hand-brewed coffee takes a bit longer, but it’s quite delicious.
Currently, the “Espresso Shakerato” that I can only drink in Japan, Italy, and Taiwan is quite refreshing.
【Aoyama】Boutique Shopping
After eating and drinking enough, I walked south along “Fukugaya 1-chome” and passed by many hidden small shops. Overall, this area doesn’t feel very commercial, more like a high-end residential area coming outwards, with cultural streets on both sides of the road. The name “Okusibu” actually means “inside Shibuya”, giving a sense of another side of Shibuya, with an atmosphere of adults that can be truly felt here.
If you love chocolate, we recommend visiting the chocolate specialty store “Musée du Chocolat Théobroma” owned by the authoritative chocolatier Tsuchiya. It’s like a museum inside, with a wide variety of chocolate-based desserts from baked goods to Western-style sweets. Among them, the “Caviar Chocolate (キャビアチョコレート)” is particularly special.
▼ Shibuya Cheese Stand is a cheese specialty store, and their fresh cheese is delicious.
▼ Douhu Fukatani Roasting Factory is a retro coffee bean shop, with prices ranging from 750 yen to 1,000 yen. There are many varieties, and the shopkeeper explains them in detail. They also sell coffee, tiramisu, ice cream, and more on site.
▼ Monocle, the London lifestyle magazine store, offers many Tokyo-exclusive gifts, stationery, and travel accessories.
▼ There are also coffee and grocery stores.
▼ Beasty Coffee is a coffee shop with sockets and no time limit, which is very suitable for working on a computer. There are three different roasting levels of coffee beans to choose from on site, and their matcha cake is also delicious.
▼ Walking in the area of Aoshiba, beyond the peak hours, there is a feeling of entering a quiet residential area.
▼ Nonki (のんき) Izakaya
▼ Pocem CafeDining sells Napoli-style Italian pasta.
▼ If you want to eat Kobe beef shabu-shabu, we recommend “Shabu Zen Shibuya”.
【Summary】Is Shibuya a good place to shop?
Actually, Omotesando was not quite what I had imagined. The relaxed atmosphere described in magazines is actually in contrast to the bustling center of Shibuya. In reality, Omotesando is not a self-contained commercial area, with shops scattered on both sides of the street. If you want to visit every store, you will need to keep crossing the street, and during rush hour, there are a lot of cars. It is actually more suitable for people living in Tokyo to come here on weekends when other places are crowded, and enjoy the atmosphere of being away from the crowds. There are also fewer people in many cafes, but the environment is very comfortable.
Everything You Need to Know about Tokyo
Explore more of our adventures around Tokyo:
- Guide: A Comprehensive Tokyo Travel Guide
- Attractions: Best Places to Visit in Tokyo
- Food: Ultimate Tokyo Food Guide
- Hotel: Where to stay in Tokyo
- Tokyo Disneyland Planning Guide
Simplify Your Tokyo Trip