Visit Tokyo: She Wolf Diner

We went to Shibuya early one morning and decided to get breakfast there.  The first place we looked up on Google Maps was still closed, so we found an alternate spot.

The line was way too long, but we happened to see She Wolf Diner just right across the street.  After doing a quick check of Google reviews and seeing what was on the morning menu, we decided to check it out.

She Wolf Diner is an American-inspired spot known for their burgers, but since it was still morning, only breakfast items were available.

Morning Burrito

The Morning Burrito was stuffed with tomatoes, avocado, eggs, and bacon, and served with fries.  It was a yummy, satisfying burrito.

Morning Plate A

The Morning Plate A came with scrambled eggs, shredded potatoes, sausage, bacon, and bread.

Morning Plate B

The Morning Plate B had bacon, sausage, sunny side egg, French toast, and hash browns.

French Toast

The French Toast came with berries, and you could add on ice cream for extra if you are feeling really indulgent!

We enjoyed the breakfasts, and the service was great.

She Wolf Diner was a nice find - and one day perhaps we'll return to try the burgers!


She Wolf Diner
Japan, 〒150-0042 Tokyo

Shibuya, Udagawacho, 3−1 東武ホテル 1F

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Visit Tokyo: Hachiko Statue

The Hachiko Statue in Hachiko Square just outside of the Shibuya station is a popular meeting place, as well as a popular photo op location for visitors and tourists alike.

Hundreds of people gather daily to take photos of and with the statue of Hachiko, who in real life was a faithful companion to Professor Ueno Hidesaburo. He'd meet the Professor daily after work, but when the Professor unexpectedly died and did not return, Hachiko kept returning daily for the next nine years, waiting for his master.

It's a typically busy spot, but you won't have to wait long to get a photo of or with Hachiko.
 

Hachiko Statue
Dōgenzaka 1-choume 1

Shibuya, Tokyo

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Visit Tokyo: Shibuya Crossing

One of the main reasons people will visit Shibuya is to witness the unbelievable amount of people at the Shibuya Crossing (Shibuya Ekimae Kosaten).

Also known as the scramble crossing, the pedestrian lights will turn greet at all crosswalks, unleashing a sea of people.

During the day the crowd did not seem too bad.

At night, however, the number of people multiplied, and the scene was electrifying with all of the signs lit up.

The Shibuya Crossing is definitely one to witness as well as experience!

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Visit Tokyo: Kiddy Land Harajuku

There are several Kiddy Land locations throughout Tokyo, and its flagship store is a must-visit for kids and kids at heart.

Whether you collect certain types of toys, are looking for unique gifts, or are seeking omiyage, Kiddy Land has five floors worth of cars, stuffed toys, figurines, food, and so much more!

It's quite overwhelming as you visit each floor - the amount of toys, accessories, and knick knacks makes it really hard to narrow down your choices.

My kids took a while to select toys from the hundreds available.

In the end, they ended up with Pokemon and Disney CARS toys!

This Kiddy Land location offers Tax Free Shopping with a 5000+ yen purchase when you present your international passport!

Happy shopping!

Kiddy Land
Japan, 〒150-0001

Tokyo, Shibuya, Jingumae, ６−１−９
+81 3-3409-3431

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Visit Tokyo: Meiji Jingu

Meiji Jingu is a Shinto Shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The shrine is in the midst of a forest which was created by volunteers who donated over 100,000 trees. People believe that the souls of the Emperor and Empress continue to live on in the forest. 

On our first visit to Meiji Jingu several years ago, my husband and I wrote a gratitude message on a votive tablet, and I wanted to go back with the family and write a message on behalf of our entire family.

The first day we visited it was pouring, so we returned two days later.

There are several torii (gates) leading up to the shrine.  You are supposed to bow once when entering, and once when leaving.

One of the first things you see upon passing through the first torii is a wall of sake barrels.  The sake is offered each year to the deities.

Barrels of sake wrapped in straw

There is also a wall of wine, given as a gift by wineries in Bourgogne in France to foster continued positive relations between the countries.

Once at the shrine, we bought a Votive Tablet.

People use the votive tablets to write prayers and messages of of gratitude.

I wrote a message for our family and placed the votive tablet on the rack.

A couple of my kids also completed a prayer form.

This form of offering a prayer or message of gratitude is free. After writing their messages, my kids placed them in envelopes and deposited them into a box.

Unfortunately there were a lot of renovations going on and many parts of the shrine were blocked off, so we just took a quick walk around the area.

You are free to take photos when you are out in the open, but photos are prohibited inside the halls (e.g. anywhere a "roof is above your head").

It was a quick visit, but I'm thankful I was able to leave a message on the votive tablet rack for our family!


Meiji Jingu
Japan, 〒151-8557 Tokyo

Shibuya, Yoyogikamizonocho
+81 3-3379-5511

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Visit Tokyo: Calbee Plus

While cruising down Takeshita Street in Harujuku, we noticed a long line of people at Calbee Plus.  Even though we had already eaten some gigantic Harujuku Rainbow Cotton Candy from Totti Candy Factory, and had just bought a container of Frozen Popcorn from Sweet XO Good Grief, I just had to go stand in that line and get whatever it was people were walking out with.  It looked like French Fries, and since I love all things savory, I decided to check it out.

The line snaked around the store, and there were all sorts of omiyage to buy, so as I waited for my turn to order, I picked out three boxes of snacks.

There were two types of Potericos to choose from - Poterico Salad or Poterico Cheese. I opted for the Poterico Salad since I saw most customers were ordering that flavor.

I really enjoyed this hot, savory snack!  It was reminiscent of French fries, but a lot firmer, and the seasoning was tasty.

Don't let a long line deter you - it moves quickly, and it's worth it if you want something crispy and savory to snack on!


Calbee Plus
神宮前1-16-8
Shibuya, 東京都 〒150-0001
+81 3 6434 0439

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Visit Tokyo: Soft Serve at Yaro Ramen

After dinner in Shibuya, we decided to find a place to eat dessert as we walked back to the train station.  One of the first places we came across was Yaro Ramen, where a big ice cream display showcased five different varieties of ice cream for 500 yen each.

We placed our order at the ticket vending machine, and in a few minutes my kids got their Colorful and Cocoa soft-serve ice creams.

Colorful ice cream

Cocoa Ice Cream

The colorful ice cream was really cute (who can resist sprinkles, especially heart-shaped ones?), and the cocoa ice cream was good - once my kids got used to the cocoa powder.

It was intense! They initially inhaled the cocoa powder upon first bite, which caused them to choke. Cocoa powder went everywhere!

But they really enjoyed the ice cream - until they had to start walking back to the train station in 40-degree Fahrenheit weather.


Yaro Ramen
25-3 Udagawa cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Prince building 1F
03-3462-1586

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Visit Tokyo: Osaka Ohsho

While in Shibuya, we searched for a reasonably-priced restaurant that had enough seating for our family of 5.  After a few attempts at other restaurants, we finally settled on Osaka Ohsho, which turned out to be a great restaurant that had plenty of seating, and a variety of menu options at reasonable prices.

Osaka Ohsho, which translates to "The King of Gyoza in Osaka," specializes in gyoza made with a mixture of cabbage, ginger, garlic and 3 kinds of pork wrapped in the restaurant's special wonton wrapper. With numerous locations all over Asia, Osaka Ohsho offers a variety of Japanese and Chinese dishes.

Ohsho Set:

Gyoza

Bean Sprout Ramen

Fried Rice

Gyoza Dumpling Set:

Rice

Gyoza

Fried Chicken

Egg Drop Soup

Marinated Fried chicken with Tartar Sauce Set with Dumplings:

Fried Chicken with Tartar Sauce + rice, gyoza, soup

Sour & Spicy Soup Noodle with Vegetables and Meat

We sure ended up with a lot of food, especially gyoza!

Each piece of gyoza was a perfect golden brown on the outside, with flavorful filling on the inside.

The marinated fried chicken was some of the best fried chicken I've had anywhere.  It was so juicy and tasty, and it was really yummy with the tartar sauce (fried chicken with tartar sauce is quite common in Japan!).

The ramen and egg drop soup were both good, and the sour & spicy soup was as aromatic and colorful as it was delicious.  

My kids' favorites were the chicken and fried rice.  

Ordering was done via touch screen tablets, and at your table is all you need for your meal - chopsticks, napkins, wipes, dishes, and even a pitcher of water and glasses.  The restaurant did not have regular-sized forks for the kids, but they did have toddler-sized utensils and dishes, which the server kindly brought out for us.  

We had a great dinner at Osaka Ohsho, and the gyoza was indeed very good!

Osaka Ohsho
5 Chome-25-7 Hiroo 

Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0012, Japan
+81 3-5475-5450

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