A scramble intersection will greet your eyes as you come out the Hachiko Exit of Shibuya Station. You may feel confused and overwhelmed for a while by the surging crowds of people from all directions until you get used to it. Center-gai, stretching from the intersection toward the south, is the most bustling area in Shibuya, always thronged with people, and there stand many restaurants, fast food chains, drugstores, large CD shops that target the young, and volume-sales electrical appliance stores.

Takeshita-dori Street is a popular shopping spot in Harajuku. There are apparel shops, accessory shops, variety goods stores, sweets shops, crepe shops and restaurants. The street is bustling with shoppers, mainly the young, on the weekend and holidays, so that you may find it difficult to make your way through the street. A totally different atmosphere awaits you as you leave Takeshita-dori Street and cross Meiji-dori Street. This area is called "Uraharajuku." Its slightly edgy, avant-garde and sophisticated atmosphere is attractive many urbanites. Each of the fancy apparel shops along "Cat Street" provides clothes with an exceptionally individualistic look and shoppers seen at those shops usually are wearing

A one-minute walk from JR Harajuku Station, Meiji Jingu Shrine was established in 1920, dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. It is well known that the number of New Year visitors to this shrine between December 31st and January 3rd every year is the largest in Japan ? as many as 3 million people each year. There are big festivals held in spring and autumn every year and various other events and ceremonies throughout the year. Surrounding this shrine is a large forest called Jingu-no-mori with more than 170,000 trees dedicated from all over Japan at the time of its construction. You can enjoy a rest in Yoyogi Park adjacent to the shrine. You may also happen to come upon scenes of a colorful wedding ceremony being held at the shrine.

Originally created as an approach to Meiji Jingu Shrine for worshippers, "Omotesando" is now a famous, stylish shopping street with many boutiques from all over the world. The street is lined with world's luxury brand shops such as Armani, Dior, Gucci, Celine, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel. You can also find casual fashion shops for young people. Omotesando Hills has been attracting a huge number of visitors on both weekdays and weekends since its opening in 2006.

Shibuya 109 is a major shopping building in Shibuya, known popularly as Maru-kyu in Japanese (maru means circle and kyu is 9 in Japanese). Inside its aluminum-paneled building, there are lots of clothing stores that cater to women in their teens or twenties. The shop staff are all very fashionable and young customers are eager to copy their fashions. Some of the staff even appear in fashion magazines. Various events are held at the event space set up in front of the main entrance. You will find men's fashions in 109-2 building across the intersection.

The brightly colored shrine-like building of red and green certainly draws your attention. A wide range of goods, including fancy goods with Japanese design, block prints, folding screens, tableware, kimono and furniture are available and Oriental Bazaar is a popular souvenir shop among foreign tourists. You can get a high-quality gift at reasonable prices such as an imitation Japanese sword, an elegant kimono or antiques. Stopping in at the shop while visiting Harajuku and Omotesando is sure to be enjoyable.

This restaurant is widely known for its tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet) which is made with selected pork of pigs that are raised with meticulous care. "Soft tonkatsu that can be easily cut with chopsticks" has become the catchphrase of Maisen's cutlets. You can also enjoy traditional Japanese dishes made with ingredients of each season. The Western-style building of the main restaurant in Aoyama was an old bathhouse that has been converted and renovated, with the high ceiling creating a sense of spaciousness and ease. You can relax and leisurely enjoy the cuisine here. One of the branches of Maisen in Shibuya is directly connected to Shibuya Station and provides you easy access. The popular hirekatsu (fried pork fillet cutlet) sandwich makes a nice gift.

Located just outside the east Exit of Shibuya Station, Ramen Building is a four-floor building with four ramen noodle restaurants. On the 1st floor Men-ya Bonten serves you a huge portion of ramen noodles. At Match-Bo on the 2nd floor, you will love its rich soup made with pork bones and with either soy source or miso (soybean paste) base. On the 3rd floor, Tsukemen Ranse has various kinds of tsukemen (noodles and soup served separately) including curry soup. Torisoba Utsuke on the 4th floor attracts customers with its soup made of several kinds of chicken bones. The huge advertising copy panel that covers the front wall of the building announces "Ramen Daisenso (ramen wars)" with the character image of beautiful girl wearing combat gear. Many young people and business people visit here to satisfy their appetite.