Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HACHIKŌ
A statue outside Shibuya station marks the waiting spot of
Hachikō
(1923-35), an Akita
dog who would come to greet his master every day as he returned home from work - a
practice that continued for almost a decade after the professor's death, with the dog
arriving on time every day to greet the train. Locals were so touched by Hachikō's devotion
that a
bronze statue
was cast of the dog. During World War II, the original Hachikō statue
was melted down for weapons, but a replacement was reinstated beside the station in
1948 - it remains one of Tokyo's most famous rendezvous spots. You can see the real
Hachikō, who lives on in stuffed form in the National Science Museum (see p.62), and
there's a memorial in Aoyama Cemetery.
10
Shibuya Hikarie Building
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• 2-21-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku • Creative Space 8 daily 11am-8pm •
W
hikarie.jp • Shibuya station
A 34-storey tower just east of Shibuya station,
Shibuya Hikarie
is one of the city's
more inventive recent constructions. Designed like a stack of mismatching building
blocks, this complex contains o
ces, shops, restaurants and various cultural
facilities, including a 2000-seat theatre whose lobby provides a sweeping view of
the skyline. The prime attraction is
Creative Space 8
on the eighth floor, a quirky
mix of gallery and shops.
Konnō Hachimangū Shrine
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• 3-5-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku • 24hr; buildings open 6am-5pm, ceremony daily 9am • Free • Shibuya station
One of the few bona fide sights in the Shibuya station area, the modest
Konnō
Hachimangū
shrine is of major importance - first established in 1092, though
rebuilt many times since, it was used as a place of worship by the Shibuya clan, who
gave the area its present name. Their castle was once adjacent to the shrine, though
only a couple of pieces of fortress stone are preserved on the site. Nevertheless, it's
a pleasant escape from the noise of modern-day Shibuya; pop by for the morning
ceremonies, if possible.
Toguri Museum of Art
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, Toguri Bijutsukan • 1-11-3 Shōto, Shibuya-ku • Tues-Sun 10am-5pm; English-language tours 2pm • ¥1000; tours free to
ticket-holders; check website for discount admission coupons •
T
03 3465 0070,
W
www.toguri-museum.or.jp • Shibuya station
A little to the west of central Shibuya, the superb
Toguri Museum of Art
displays
Edo-era and Chinese Ming-dynasty (1368-1644) ceramics. This small but exquisitely
displayed exhibition, comprising selections from a collection of some 6000 pieces, is a
must for those interested in pottery. Carefully positioned mirrors enable you to inspect
the fine detail of work on the underside of displayed plates and bowls, and there's a
pretty garden beside the lobby. The museum lies close to the
Bunkamura
arts complex,
which also features Theatre Cocoon (see p.181).
Japan Folk Crafts Museum
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, Nihon Mingeikan • Tues-Sun 10am-5pm • ¥1000 •
T
03 3467 4527,
W
mingeikan.or.jp • Komaba-Tōdaimae station
Two stops down the Keiō Inokashira line from Shibuya station is the outstanding
Japan Folk Crafts Museum
. Set in a handsome stone-and-stucco building five
minutes' walk northwest of the station, the museum is a must-see for Japanese-craft
fans, with an excellent collection of pottery, textiles and lacquerware. The gift shop
is a fine source of souvenirs, and an annual competition and sale of new works is
held every December.
Opposite the museum stands a nineteenth-century
nagayamon
(long gate house),
brought here from Tochigi-ken prefecture in northern Honshū by the museum's
founder, Yanagi Soetsu, father of the famous designer Yanagi Sori.
