Attractions

Omotesando

Omotesando

Travel Guide

Introduction

Referred to as Tokyo's Champs-Elysees, Omotesando is a wide Zelkova tree lined avenue in Harajuku, serving as the main approach to Meiji Shrine. Trees remain taller than any of the buildings here due to specific building codes.

Omotesando is a stylish and trendy street where fashionable boutiques and popular restaurants stand side by side. Once away from the street, there lies a luxurious residential area, which is popular among foreigners.

In addition to the shopping districts, you can find museums and galleries interspersed. The Nezu Museum, located behind Kotto-dori is a popular home of Oriental style art from throughout Japan and China, and the tea room here is well known for its ceremonial tea serving and Japanese desserts. The Okamoto Taro Memorial Museum is also located here, housing both modern and Contemporary Japanese art.

Every year, Omotesando is the venue for Tokyo's Saint Patrick's Day Parade.

It’s a great place to stroll, do some window-Shopping, and enjoy a chic ambiance while avoiding the heavy crowds of Midtown.

BVLGARI building - OmotesandoCoach building - Omotesando

Omotesando is a generic term meaning path or road leading to a shrine. In this case Omotesando, is the road leading from Omotesando Station to Meiji Shrine located in Harajuku which is part of Shibuya. As Meiji Shrine is the most popular shrine in Tokyo, the road is simply referred to as Omotesando.

History

Omotesando was originally created in the Taisho Era as the frontal approach to Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken.

Cafe - OmotesandoNight view - Omotesando

 
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Travel Advice

Sightseeing

- While being next to Omotesando, Harajuku and Omotesando areas that accommodates many international fashion brands, Harajuku is known as a fashion town sending out unique and novel fashion styles to the world. Along the narrow allies away from Omotesando Street, known as Ura-Harajuku, you can find the boutiques introducing novel fashion styles created by young artists. On the other hand, Takeshita-dori Street is filled with fashion shops geared towards teens, which attracts lots of teens each day.

- Harajuku is only 15 minutes away from Shibuya by foot, just follow the train tracks along Koen-dori from the scramble crossing. (You should pass Tower Records on your right and the Yoyogi National Gymnasium on your left.).

- If you have more time, an interesting and recommended walk will let you experience Harajuku and Shibuya, and all of the trendy places in between:

Start from the Takeshita exit (竹下口) of JR Harajuku station, walk straight away from the station down Takeshita-dori (竹下通り). When you reach the first major crossroad, Meiji-dori (明治通り), turn right.

When you reach the tree-lined Omotesando, turn left. There are no obvious Omotesando street signs, but you will note a 2d story office with that name above the pink "Condomania" store on one of the corners. (And no, that business does not sell all sizes of condominium units.)

The approximate half-way point is where Omotesando meets Aoyama-dori (青山通り). There is very little of interest beyond this point, so one option is to walk back down Omotesando and return to Harajuku. If you elect to go forward then turn right on Aoyama-dori and you will eventually pass United Nations University on your right, and Aoyama Gakuin University on your left, before continuing down and finishing up at Shibuya's world-famous pedestrian crossing.

Allow yourself approximately two hours for this walk

 
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Visit

Address Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Phone  
Admission Free  
Hours Free time  
Closed Open 7 Days a Week
Duration 1 hour
Getting There By Train
1 minute walk from Omote-sando Station on subway Chiyoda Line, subway Ginza Line or subway Hanzomon Line.
Parking No parking available
 
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Attractions in Japan

 
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