Shibuya is known for its Scramble Crossing, SHIBUYA SKY, shopping and pop culture.
But there is another important part of Shibuya that should not be forgotten: Japanese food culture.
From premium sushi and wagyu to casual ramen, yakitori and udon.
Around Shibuya Station alone, you can experience many different styles of Japanese cuisine.
The important thing is not to choose a restaurant simply because it is famous.
Choose the Japanese food you have wanted to try based on your plans, budget and who you are travelling with.
This article introduces seven Japanese foods to try when visiting Shibuya, especially for first-time visitors. 🍣
- 1. Sushi | One of Japan’s Most Iconic Foods
- 2. Wagyu Yakiniku | Japanese Beef You Grill Yourself 🥩
- 3. Ramen | A Casual Japanese Favourite 🍜
- 4. Yakitori | Japanese Food to Enjoy in Shibuya at Night
- 5. Gyukatsu | Finish Cooking It at Your Table 🥢
- 6. Udon | When You Want Something a Little More Relaxed
- 7. Matcha Sweets | A Japanese Flavour to Finish Your Meal 🍵
- What Should You Eat in Shibuya? A Guide by Budget
- Families and Couples May Want to Choose Differently 👨👩👧
- Should You Reserve Popular Restaurants?
- What to Remember When Eating in Shibuya 💡
- Where Should You Eat on the Day You Visit SHIBUYA SKY? 🗼
- Conclusion | Taste Japan in Shibuya ✨
1. Sushi | One of Japan’s Most Iconic Foods
If you want to enjoy Japanese food in Shibuya, sushi is difficult to leave off the list.
Sushi restaurants range from casual places where you can enjoy an affordable meal to refined restaurants where a chef prepares each piece individually in front of you.
For a Casual Experience | Uobei Shibuya Dogenzaka
If you want to experience Japanese sushi casually for the first time, Uobei Shibuya Dogenzaka is one option.
You can order a variety of sushi while keeping the price relatively affordable, making it an accessible choice for families and first-time sushi experiences.
It belongs to a completely different category from premium sushi, but it is easier to understand its appeal if you think of it as a place to experience Japan’s casual sushi culture.
Approximate price: ¥1,000–¥2,000
Reservation: Generally unnecessary. It is better suited to a casual visit, although you may need to wait during busy periods.
Google Maps – Uobei Shibuya Dogenzaka
For a Special Meal | Sushi Hanaoka
For a more special sushi experience, consider Sushi Hanaoka.
Away from some of Shibuya’s bustle, you can enjoy authentic sushi served as a course.
The official website lists the Chef’s Course at ¥16,500.
Unlike casual sushi, it is suitable for couples and other visitors who want to take their time and experience sushi itself as a special dining experience.
Approximate price: ¥16,500–
Reservation: Recommended. If you have a specific date or time in mind, booking in advance is the safer choice.
Sushi Hanaoka Official Website – English
2. Wagyu Yakiniku | Japanese Beef You Grill Yourself 🥩
If you want to try wagyu, yakiniku is also highly recommended.
At yakiniku restaurants, diners generally use a grill built into the table or a similar setup to cook the meat themselves while enjoying the meal.
Rather than simply eating, the experience includes:
Grilling the meat.
Enjoying the aroma.
Cooking each piece to your preferred level.
The time spent around the grill is part of the experience.
WAGYU YAKINIKU -SHOGUN- Shibuya
Located within walking distance of Shibuya Station, WAGYU YAKINIKU -SHOGUN- Shibuya offers wagyu and Kobe beef cooked on natural lava stone plates.
According to the official website, all-you-can-eat courses start from ¥9,000.
English menus are also available, making it relatively accessible for travellers who are unfamiliar with Japanese yakiniku.
Approximate price: ¥9,000–
Reservation: Recommended, particularly for dinner or when you have a fixed schedule.
WAGYU YAKINIKU -SHOGUN- Shibuya Official Website – English
Google Maps – WAGYU YAKINIKU SHOGUN Shibuya
3. Ramen | A Casual Japanese Favourite 🍜
Many visitors consider ramen one of the foods they want to try at least once during a trip to Japan.
Ramen may appear to be a single type of dish, but there are many different styles of soup, including:
- Tonkotsu
- Soy sauce
- Miso
- Salt
Toppings and noodle thickness also vary between restaurants, so trying ramen more than once during your journey can be part of the fun.
ICHIRAN Shibuya
One accessible option for first-time visitors is ICHIRAN Shibuya.
ICHIRAN specialises in tonkotsu ramen and is also known for its individual “flavour concentration booths”.
When ordering, you can select options such as the richness of the flavour and firmness of the noodles, allowing you to experience a distinctive Japanese ramen ordering style.
Approximate price: ¥1,000–¥2,000
Reservation: Generally unnecessary. Expect possible queues during popular meal times.
4. Yakitori | Japanese Food to Enjoy in Shibuya at Night
For dinner, yakitori is another option worth considering.
Yakitori is made by cutting chicken and other ingredients into small pieces, placing them on skewers and grilling them.
The two main seasonings are:
Shio — Salt
Tare — Sauce
Different cuts have very different textures and flavours, so ordering several varieties and trying them one by one is recommended.
Yakitori Tsukada Shibuya
Yakitori Tsukada Shibuya is easily accessible from Shibuya Station and specialises in yakitori.
Unlike a quick ramen lunch, it is suitable for visitors who want to enjoy dinner at a slower pace while experiencing part of Japanese izakaya culture.
Approximate price: ¥4,000–¥8,000
Reservation: Recommended for dinner, especially if you want to visit at a specific time.
Google Maps – Yakitori Tsukada Shibuya
5. Gyukatsu | Finish Cooking It at Your Table 🥢
If you are familiar with tonkatsu but have never tried gyukatsu, Shibuya is an interesting place to give it a try.
Gyukatsu is beef coated in breadcrumbs and fried.
At some restaurants, the beef cutlet is served so that you can finish cooking it to your preferred level on a hot stone or similar grill in front of you.
Gyukatsu Motomura Shibuya
One well-known option in Shibuya is Gyukatsu Motomura Shibuya.
You can enjoy the combination of the crispy coating and beef together with rice and other accompaniments.
It is also a good option for visitors who want to try a Japanese dish that is different from sushi or ramen.
Approximate price: ¥2,000–¥3,000
Reservation: Generally unnecessary. Popular times can involve queues, so allow extra time.
Google Maps – Gyukatsu Motomura Shibuya
6. Udon | When You Want Something a Little More Relaxed
After several meals of sushi, yakiniku and ramen, there may be a point during your journey when you want something simpler.
That is when udon can be an easy choice.
These thick, soft noodles served with dashi are an everyday part of Japanese food culture.
Both hot and cold udon are available, allowing you to choose according to the season and your mood.
TsuruTonTan UDON NOODLE Brasserie Shibuya
TsuruTonTan UDON NOODLE Brasserie Shibuya is located on the 13th floor of Shibuya Scramble Square.
One major advantage is that it is in the same building as SHIBUYA SKY, making it easy to combine the two.
It can work well for lunch on the day you visit SHIBUYA SKY or for an early dinner before heading to the observation deck.
Approximate price: ¥1,000–¥2,000
Reservation: Not always essential, but worth considering if you are combining your meal with a fixed SHIBUYA SKY entry time.
Google Maps – TsuruTonTan Shibuya
7. Matcha Sweets | A Japanese Flavour to Finish Your Meal 🍵
After enjoying Japanese food, consider trying matcha sweets.
Matcha is deeply connected with Japanese tea culture, but today it is enjoyed not only in traditional tea settings but also in:
Ice cream, parfaits, cakes and chocolate.
There are many ways to experience its distinctive flavour through desserts.
Nanaya Aoyama
Within walking distance of the Shibuya area, Nanaya Aoyama offers matcha gelato in different levels of intensity.
As well as visiting after a meal, it can be a pleasant stop when taking a break while walking from Shibuya towards Omotesando.
Approximate price: around ¥1,000–
Reservation: Generally unnecessary. It is easy to include as a casual dessert stop during your walk.
What Should You Eat in Shibuya? A Guide by Budget
If you are unsure what to choose, another approach is to start with your budget.
| Approximate Budget | Easy Choices | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| ¥1,000–¥2,000 | Sushi, ramen, udon | Lunch or a casual meal |
| ¥2,000–¥4,000 | Gyukatsu and similar dishes | A more substantial lunch |
| ¥4,000–¥8,000 | Yakitori and similar dining | A relaxed dinner |
| ¥9,000– | Wagyu yakiniku | A special dinner |
| ¥15,000– | Premium sushi | Celebrations and special dining experiences |
Prices vary depending on what you order. Menus and prices may change, so check the latest information from each restaurant before visiting.
Families and Couples May Want to Choose Differently 👨👩👧
For Families
When travelling with young children, how easy the restaurant is to enter and the amount of time required for the meal can be just as important as the food itself.
During the first few days of a trip, tiredness from long-haul travel and time differences may still be noticeable.
Rather than forcing a reservation at a premium restaurant, leaving room to choose according to how everyone feels can be more comfortable:
Sushi → Ramen → Udon
Popular restaurants may also have queues, so families with children may find it easier to avoid the busiest dining times.
For Couples
Enjoying casual ramen or sushi during the day and choosing wagyu yakiniku or premium sushi for dinner can create a pleasant contrast between meals throughout the day.
On a day when you are visiting SHIBUYA SKY, one possible schedule is:
Explore Shibuya
↓
Early dinner
↓
SHIBUYA SKY at sunset
This allows you to enjoy both dinner and the city view without rushing. 🌇
Should You Reserve Popular Restaurants?
Not every restaurant requires a reservation.
Ramen and casual sushi restaurants, for example, often operate without reservations.
On the other hand:
Premium sushi
Wagyu yakiniku
Popular yakitori restaurants
Dinner for a special occasion
are worth booking in advance once your schedule is confirmed.
If there is a particular restaurant that you consider essential to your trip, check how reservations work rather than waiting until the day of your visit.
Reservation and cancellation conditions also vary between restaurants.
What to Remember When Eating in Shibuya 💡
Rules and customs vary between restaurants.
Smaller establishments in particular may have limited seating.
At some restaurants, the usual style is to enjoy your meal and then move on rather than occupying the table for a long period.
A restaurant being popular does not necessarily mean that it will be the best choice for your particular trip.
Consider:
“What do you want to eat?”
“Who are you dining with?”
“Where are you going afterwards?”
Thinking about all three can make dining during your trip much more comfortable.
Where Should You Eat on the Day You Visit SHIBUYA SKY? 🗼
If you are visiting SHIBUYA SKY, coordinating your meal time is particularly important.
If you have booked a sunset entry time and visit a popular restaurant immediately beforehand, waiting for a table could cause you to miss your admission time.
For this reason, a good approach is to:
Eat an early meal
or
Enjoy dinner after SHIBUYA SKY
There are also restaurants inside Shibuya Scramble Square, so dining inside the building can reduce travel time.
On a day centred around SHIBUYA SKY, choose your restaurant based not only on the food but also on travel and waiting time.
Conclusion | Taste Japan in Shibuya ✨
Shibuya offers cuisine from around the world.
But while you are here, take the opportunity to experience Japanese food culture as well.
Taste sushi one piece at a time.
Grill wagyu at your table.
Enjoy the steam and aroma rising from a bowl of ramen.
Order several varieties of yakitori.
Cook gyukatsu to your preferred level.
Taste the dashi in a bowl of udon.
Finish with matcha sweets.
The pleasure of dining in Japan comes not only from the food itself, but also from experiencing how it is eaten.
Walk through the streets of Shibuya, step through the entrance of a restaurant that catches your attention, and discover a flavour you have never tried before.
Those moments can become memories of your journey that no photograph of a sightseeing attraction can fully capture. 🌸
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