Tokyo Finds : My 3 places to go in Shibuya

Shibuya can be a crazy place to be in on a regular weekend. Locals and Tourists alike will congregate near the Hachiko statue in front of the Tokyu Departmental store, as Shibuya is the place to see and be seen for the trendy young locals in Tokyo.

Screen Shot 2018-10-29 at 1.13.54 PM

There are a massive number of shops in Shibuya, the good ones to consider for fashion is Shibuya 109 and Modi in this area. However I tend not to shop for clothes when I am in Tokyo, so I will head towards lifestyle goods. Here are 3 stores that I will be sure to visit when in West Shibuya;

  1. Loft

Leave Shibuya station by the Hachiko exit, walk pass the Hachiko statue on the left, and you will see a massive crossing. You will likely see Tower Records right by the junction (if you are still into CDs)

TokyoOct18-16

To get to Loft, cross the Shibuya Crossing towards Tsutaya and turn left at the next junction, from there you will see Seibu opposite the small road and Loft is just on the left of it.

Loft has a good range of stationery (when in Tokyo, you have to buy stationery!), lifestyle goods and homeware. The range of thermal lunch boxes, bottles, bento boxes are really nice, although I have never bought any of them, as I don’t have any use for it. In the same building as Loft, there is a Muji too.

ShibuyaLoft from Rachel T on Vimeo.

Around this vicinity of the Loft building, there are small shops with new and vintage records, toys, manga and figures. If one really wants to explore the area, it can keep you occupied for days!

 

2. Tokyu Hands

The Tokyu Hands store in Shibuya is just round the corner after Loft and it is the largest branch in Tokyo. If you don’t already know, Tokyu Hands is like the ultimate DIY and hobbyist shop in Tokyu. Apart from crafting materials; from woodworking, to clay making, jewellery making etc, there are camping equipment, bathroom accessories, bags and luggages, cosmetic and beauty items and more.

I can easily spend 2-3 hours just browsing the goods in this store.

TokyoOct18-14

 

3. Shibuya Hikarie

TokyoOct18-4

In east Shibuya, from exit 15 of Shibuya station is Hikarie. This is by far my favourite departmental store to go to in Shibuya. I found the things here are trendy and unique, a nice change for the massive number of shops that are targeted towards the youth in Shibuya. You can find cute gifts, unique household items, design or retro inspired products, and pet merchandise all in this store.

There are good food options in the basement 2 level of the food hall and on floors six and seven, restaurants. I found an Unagi restaurant here in Hikarie that I visited twice in that same trip, and will definitely visit again when I am back in Tokyo.

TokyoOct18-15

 

Recommended Accommodation in Shibuya :

TokyoOct18-3

The hotel that is right above exit 16 of the Shibuya Train station. The same building where the hotel is has 2 floors of restaurants and cafes, so it can be rather busy at most times of the day, but the best hotel in terms of location. Rates from $295 a night.

The hotel to stay in when you prefer to be a stone’s throw away from the bustle, and don’t mind a 500 metres walk from the train station. There is a street of Izakaya (Japanese pubs) adjacent to the street leading to the hotel, and a Japanese Curry shop just 20 metres away from the entrance of the hotel. This is my choice hotel when I want to stay in the Shibuya area. Rates from $440 a night.

Share it:

Related posts:

Solo in Tokyo

My 1st Tokyo trip was in June 2017. As it was our first trip as a family to Tokyo, the trip centred around the key areas of Shinjuku mostly, with a short visit to the limited areas in Shibuya, Odaiba Tokyo Bay and spending a day each in Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySEA.

TokyoOct18-10The boy and hb at the world’s busiest crossing in Shibuya

The next trip I took to Tokyo was in July 2018; a couple trip with hb, and we spent most of our time in Tokyo Bay and explored some parts of Ginza.

TokyoOct18-7In the shopping area of Ginza

While from this recent trip to Tokyo in Oct 2018; a solo trip, I familiarised myself with the area of Shibuya, visited key shopping spots in Shinjuku and explored new areas like Omotesando, Kichijoji, Daikanyama, Shimokitazawa, and a small area in Meguro.

TokyoOct18-5The crowd on a regular Saturday afternoon at Shibuya

The general impression that people have of Tokyo, is that the train transportation system is very complex and it is not easy to find your way around. But from my 2nd trip to Tokyo with hb, we were ‘ace-ing’ our way around the city.

We travelled from Tokyo Bay to the city central, and got the hang of getting our way around Tokyo. It was after this trip, that I was confident enough to make this recent solo trip to Tokyo.

Did I get lost in this trip? Surprisingly no. These were locations in Tokyo that I were travelling to for the first time in my life, yet I was confidently taking the right train lines like the locals. Each time I jumped a train towards into a new direction, I felt relaxed and excited to check out a new place.

Armed with very little spoken Japanese, I ate with the locals in the departmental store cafes and street shops, went to areas where the locals shopped on a regular weekend. And thoroughly enjoyed myself during this solo trip. Nothing beats exploring in the streets, taking my time to take in the sights and the sounds of the surroundings and spending as much time that I want to in browsing in shops.

I managed to explore a number of places in the 6 days I had in Tokyo, as I was very focused on the locations that I felt was worth spending the limited time I had in the city.

So in the next few posts that I will be covering on the city of Tokyo, I will be sharing a compilation of places that are must-visits in that specific precinct. I hope these posts that I have written on ‘Tokyo Finds’ will not just be a travelogue for myself, but possibly be a useful guide for anyone who might be planning a trip to Tokyo and wish to make the most of their time in the city.

Tokyo Finds :

Share it:

Related posts:

Top 15 Pet Shops in Tokyo

Pet Care business is big business in Tokyo Japan, and there is a wide variety of shops available selling merchandise for Dogs/Cats.

Most Tokyo residents stay in small apartments, so the majority of pet owners have small dogs. It’s more common to see mini – small breeds of dogs compared to medium – large breeds with the owners on the streets. Thus most of the dog accessories tend to be catered for the mini-smaller sized breeds.

These stores listed below, carry clothing and accessories such like Harnesses, Leashes, Feeding bowls for sizes for breeds such as Maltese, Chihuahua, Toy Poodle, Papillion, Pomeranian, French Bulldog, Pug, Yorkshire/Silky Terrier/Westies, Schnauzer.

If you do have a larger breed of dog, it worthwhile getting their treats, especially the single ingredient protein-based treats; like Horse meat, deer meat and Beef treats, mostly what I like to get for my dogs.

Dog Dental products are another must-have item to get from Tokyo; from toothbrushes, organic toothpaste, mouth-spray and Dental wipes. The other items that are good to get are harnesses, leashes, feeding bowls, bowties (the cat ones can be worn by the teacup breeds like Poodles, Yorkshire Terries, Mini Maltese, Mini Pomeranians and Chihuahuas).

Items such like dog beds good to buy too, as they are very affordable for good quality beds. That’s provided you are in Tokyo in late Spring / Summer (beginning April – mid August), as the beds available during this period are Summer beds, which are made with cool fabric options that are more suited for Singapore’s hot and humid weather.

Additionally, for tortoise owners, it’s important to have access to a variety of tortoise-safe accessories, such as water dishes, heating lamps, and substrates to maintain the right temperature and humidity levels within the tortoise’s habitat. It’s also essential to pick up hygienic cleaning supplies and substrates to ensure a clean and pleasant environment for both you and your tortoise. If you’re seeking guidance on tortoise nutrition, you might find this link particularly useful: https://www.tortoiseowner.com/how-to-feed-a-tortoise/, where you can discover tips on how to provide your tortoise with a balanced and nutritious diet.

In addition to these practical products, Tokyo offers a range of cute and stylish tortoise accessories, including miniature tortoise-sized bowties, personalized name tags, and cozy bedding options. These allow you to pamper your tortoise with a touch of style and comfort.

So, whether you’re a dog owner, a cat lover, or a proud tortoise parent, Tokyo’s pet shops have you covered. You can find everything you need to care for your beloved furry or shelled friend, ensuring they lead happy and healthy lives in the heart of this vibrant city.

Here are 15 Pet Stores in Tokyo that I have personally visited, over the course of 3 visits in Tokyo in 2 years (latest update Oct 2018, next update Jan 2018).

 

Shibuya

1. P2 in Shibuya Hiker

To get to Shibuya Hikarie, take exit 15 from Shibuya Train Station. It’s one of the more progressive and trendy malls in the Shibuya area, and I enjoy shopping in the lifestyle floor and the female accessories section.

IMG_5519

This P2 shop is located in the lifestyle floor in the Hikarie Departmental Store.

IMG_5512

IMG_5511

There is a wide range of treats, feeding bowls, collars and cat bowties too (great for teacup sized breeds). There is a good selection of clothing for small breeds and the prices start at 3800 yen to 8000 yen (for mostly wool sweaters or formal looking outfits).

hikarie1

hikarie2

Shibuya Hikarie

2 Chome-21-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-8510, Japan

 

2. Tokyu Hands Pet First

Tokyu Hands is a must-visit departmental store for me in Tokyo, as I am a stationery addict and love to browse through the stationery items available. The Shibuya Tokyu Hands store has a good sized Pet Shop located on the 6th Floor.

tokyuhdshby

Tokyu Hands Pet First

12-18 Udagawachō, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-0042, Japan

 

3. Pet Paradise Takeshita Street
If you have limited time to search for Pet Shops, Pet Paradise is the one to go for if you are looking for dog clothing and treats. This store is located right on Takashita Street; Harujuku which is often a ‘must-see’ for first time visitors to Tokyo. The store experiences high volume but as its very small, so it tends to get rather messy.IMG_5543

I usually like to get Pet Paradise treats for my dogs and they love the Horse Meat treats. Pet Paradise has a good selection of Character Harnesses for the teacup  – small sized breeds that are reasonably priced starting at 4200 yen each.

For a larger selection of clothing and other accessories, I would recommend visiting the Pet Paradise Store at Kichijoji.

Pet Paradise Harujuku

1 Chome-6-5 Jingūmae, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-0001, Japan

 

Shinjuku

4. Tokyu Hands Pet First
Tokyu Hands Shinjuku is located within the Takashimaya Times Square, as the size of the store is about half the size of the one in Shibuya, the selection of merchandise available tend to be limited. However, this place do carry a good range of dental and grooming products, collars and leashes for dogs.

IMG_5937

tokyuhdshjk

Tokyu Hands Shinjuku

〒151-8580 Tōkyō-to, Shibuya-ku, Sendagaya, 5 Chome−24−2 タカシマヤタイムズスクエア南館 2~8F

 

Kichijoji

5. Pet Paradise
Kichijoji is about 25 minutes away from Shibuya and its the precinct where Ghibli Museum is located. Even if you are not a Ghibli fan, this area is worth going for to experience local ‘Village Shopping’ for independent fashion, homeware and handmade items.

IMG_5580

Step out of the train station and cross a small road and you can’t miss the sign for Sun Road Shotengai entrance, walk through it walk for a couple of minutes and you will spot a Pet Paradise.

IMG_5583

This is one of the bigger Pet Paradise stores (the Venus Fort branch in Odaiba is the other) I have visited from my trips to Tokyo, about 4-5x bigger than their Harujuku store.

Pet Paradise Kichijoji

〒180-0004 Tōkyō-to, Musashino-shi, Kichijōji Honchō, 1 Chome−2, Unnamed Road 1丁目-2

 

6. Tokyu Departmental Store Pet Shop

The location of this Pet shop was rather obscure, but I was surprised to find that the range of items that they carried in their small shop was quite complete.

IMG_5590

Take the lift in Tokyu Departmental Store to the Roof Floor (RF) and there you will see an outdoor playground. On weekends, there will be some number of parents and their children taking a respite from shopping. Look out for a small shop to the left after stepping into the entrance of the roof top. you will see a door in between numerous vending machines. There you will find the Pet Shop without a store sign…

tokyukichijoji1 tokyukichijoji2

You will be pleasantly surprised what you can find in this Pet Shop!

The small dog harnesses were the cheapest I found here at about 2000 yen per harness, sachets of Biogance shampoo was available at 150 yen each (I ended up buying a few variants of shampoo and conditioner for my dogs to try)  and they had a very good range of single ingredient treats.

Tokyu Hands Kichijoji

Japan, 〒180-0004 Tōkyō-to, Musashino-shi, Kichijōji Honchō, 2 Chome−3, 吉祥寺本町2丁目3−1

 

**Other notable pet stores / pet related places to visit in Kichijoji

  • Nekosekai Store – As the name suggests, it is a Pet Store located in Coppice Departmental Store in Kichijoji, dedicated to cats!

nekosekaikcjj

  • P’s First – This store only sells Puppies and Kittens, but its worth visiting if you want to be tempted to bring home a Japanese Pup/Kitty!

IMG_5589

  • Cat Cafe Temari no Ouchi – This Cat Cafe is nestled amongst the row of quaint shops to visit in Kichijoji and has a facade that will rival that of a house from a Ghibli movie! I didn’t visit the cafe from my last trip, but I am planning to go back to check it out!

 

Daikanyama

7. Green Dog

The Daikanyama precinct can get rather crowded on the weekends, so I would recommend visiting the T-site Garden (where Green Dog shop is located) on a weekday. Most people who visit Daikanyama would want to chill out at Ivy Place Cafe. I wouldn’t wax lyrical about the food, but the ambiance in Ivy Cafe is rather nice. However, be prepared to queue to get a seat if you come in a group even on a weekday afternoon!

The Green Dog shop is right after the Ivy Cafe if you are entering from the T-site bookstore entrance. But if you are entering from the garden, Green Dog is facing the dog-like sculpture leading to Ivy Place Cafe.

Greenddkym4

The Green Dog shop selling pet merchandise is sandwiched between the middle of a grooming service and a veterinarian clinic on the other end.

Greenddkym1

The shop has a good variety of merchandise; wide range of dental products, cute toys, nice dog clothing, accessories and their in-house treats.

Greenddkym2

Green Dog at Daikanyama T-site

16-15 Sarugakuchō, Shibuya-ku, Tōkyō-to 150-0033, Japan

 

Meguro
Meguro is next to the Daikanyama Precinct, it’s a very quaint place to go after exploring T-Site Daikayama, however there is at least a 20 minute walk from the T-Site location .

8. Snobbish Babies

This is one of the higher end stores that I have visited so far, as the dog clothes are expensive here; starting from 7000 yen for a dress or shirt. The key proposition for this store is that you can find matching clothing for your dog and yourself in this place!

IMG_5687

SBMgr1

SBmgr2

Snobbish Babies

FONTAINE目黒青葉台 7, 2 Chome-16-8 Aobadai, Meguro-ku, Tōkyō-to 153-0042, Japan

 

Shimokitazawa

9. D.O.G

IMG_6034

D.O.G. has a good selection of dog clothing with prices starting from 3800 yen, on par with the dog clothing prices at Pet Paradise and P2 Shop. and they carry a good range of in house treats.   dogsm

D.O.G.

2 Chome-35-11 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tōkyō-to 155-0031, Japan

 

**Other notable Pet Stores to visit in Shimokitazawa

  • Coo and Riku – This is a Pet Shop selling Puppies and Kittens with Grooming Services at the back of the shop. Amongst the Pet Shops I have visited that have puppies and kittens for sale, this shop has the most reasonable prices.

IMG_6021

Japan, 〒155-0031 Tōkyō-to, Setagaya-ku, Kitazawa, 2 Chome−31−3 エペビル1F-2F

 

Odaiba Tokyo Bay

Odaiba is about 40 minutes away from the city centre, but its worth taking the trip if you want to look for an extensive range of merchandise for dogs, and not have to travel to other places listed above. It can get rather crowded on the weekends, but weekend is the time where you can do some dog watching in these Pet Friendly malls; Aqua City and Venus Fort.

See video for the glimpse of the shops. Photos to be updated here after April 2019.

Pet Shops Odaiba from Rachel T on Vimeo.

The biggest pet shops in Tokyo, Aqua City Pete Mo and Venus Fort Joker’s Town are found in Odaiba, and they have almost everything. A wide selection of beds to choose from, plenty of good quality and machine washable selections, which are recommended to buy only if you are visiting Tokyo from April – Aug (Spring, Summer season), as the fabric used for the beds will be more suited for hot and humid weather. However if you are coming from a country with four seasons, you can buy the beds anytime in the year.

Be prepared to see rows and rows of treats (try not to be tempted to get one of each!), toys and grooming products.

10. Aqua City Pete Mo

〒135-0091 Tōkyō-to, Minato-ku, Daiba, 1 Chome−7−1 アクアシティお台場

 

11. Aqua City Harness Dog

 

12. Venus Fort Joker’s Town
〒135-0064 Tokyo, Koto, Aomi, 1 Chome−3−15 パレットタウン ヴィーナスフォート

13. Venus Fort Pet Paradise

 

14. Venus Fort Jewel Cake

 

15. Venus Fort Wandaway

 

** I will be updating details of shops in the precincts of Ginza and Jiyugaoka in Jan 2019 and May 2019 with my subsequent visits to Tokyo

Share it:

Related posts: