About Shibuya246
Welcome to Shibuya246, bringing you news on products and trends from Japan.
Living and working in Shibuya for over 20 years, this city within the city of Tokyo is always surprising me with shops, trends and new places to visit. On this blog I introduce many of those new places, and some of the old great ones, in Shibuya, as well as other things about Japan.
What you'll find here
I also travel around Japan, so there is plenty of the countryside too. Temples are a feature of these trips and make the visit more memorable, and I include local food in the photos along the way.
- Characters: Japanese characters and character goods: Rilakkuma, Hello Kitty, Gundam, Pokémon, Doraemon, figures, toys and gachapon.
- Goods: New Japanese products and gifts: gadgets, stationery, homeware and the latest things in the shops.
- Conbini Monday: A weekly look inside Japanese convenience stores: new snacks, drinks and limited editions at Lawson, 7-Eleven and FamilyMart.
- Food & Drink: Japanese food and drink: new chocolate, drinks, restaurants and what people are eating in Tokyo.
- Photos: Photo posts and Tokyo photo walks from around Japan.
- Living in Japan: Everyday life in Japan: homes, schools, language and the small things that are different.
- Outdoors & Sport: Gardens, parks, mountains, golf and sport in Japan.
- Culture: Japanese culture, festivals, temples, anime and music.
- Shibuya: Shibuya, Tokyo: the streets, shops, stations and changes around Route 246.
- Trains & Transport: Japanese trains, stations, roads and getting around.
- Travel: Travel around Japan: Kyoto, Tokyo and beyond.
- Shopping: Shopping in Tokyo and Japan: stores, openings and sales.
- Marketing: Advertising and marketing in Japan: campaigns, signs and how brands sell.
- Tech: Japanese gadgets and technology.
- Buildings: Architecture and buildings in Tokyo and Japan.
The blog has 924 posts from 2008–2026. Browse them all in the archives or search.
Visiting today: up-to-date travel notes
Shibuya246 began in 2008 as a diary of life in Tokyo, and the original posts stay as they were written. From 2026, posts about places you can visit also carry a separate Visiting today section at the end: how to get there, prices and opening times, the best time to go, a practical tip, and what has changed since the post was written.
These notes are researched from official and local sources, which are listed under each note, and are checked every quarter, with the date of the last check shown on each note. Each place also has a map, the best months to visit, nearby posts, and a stamp: tap Been here to collect it in your Japan stamp book, or Want to go to build a trip list. They are kept apart from the original post so you can always tell what was written at the time and what is current. Prices and times do change, so check before you travel.
The name
Route 246 (Aoyama-dori and Tamagawa-dori) is the main road running through Shibuya, past the station and on towards Aoyama and Akasaka.
