Shibuya can be very much “in your face”. People everywhere, neon lights and giant screens competing for your attention, and bars and restaurants beckoning with their eye-catching entrances.
Need a quick break in Shibuya?
If you ever get tired from walking around and exploring Shibuya, and want to escape the hustle and bustle for a quick break, without emptying your wallet at one of the hip coffee shops, where do you go?
The most obvious answer is Yoyogi Park, this giant green oasis located at the top of the hill, bordering to Harajuku and Meiji Shrine. You just need to follow Koen Dori from central Shibuya, and you’ll get there in a few minutes. If you’re looking for a peaceful spot to rest, you’re guaranteed to always find one!
Shibuya’s smallest park?
Although Yoyogi Park may be the largest park in the Shibuya area, I believe I’ve found the smallest one. It’s located in the most unlikely of places, namely up in Dogenzaka, an area packed with bars, clubs and love hotels. It’s probably one of the easiest areas in Shibuya to completely lose your bearings, if you’re not careful. The reason is that the entire hill is virtually a myriad of narrow and twisting back streets that seem to be designed to mess with your sense of direction. This is completely different from Ginza’s main streets and back alleys, for instance, which basically form a perfect grid.
The size of the park is probably smaller than the average living room. That’s what makes it almost “cozy”, warmly illuminated at night by bulb lights hanging over a small wooden table with two benches. The area is definitely not a place where the local kids come to play after school, though. There isn’t even a smiling black and white plastic panda that’s standard in most parks! The miniature park is nicely decorated though, with different plants and greenery along its sides. As if that wasn’t enough, there is even a vending machine where you can grab a quick drink!
I’ll be very impressed if anyone can find it…
Check out some of Shibuya’s “pencil buildings“!