Jinnan Shibuya

• History
• Jinnan Shopping
• Atmosphere
• NHK Studio Park
• NHK Hall & NHK Fureai Hall
• Yoyogi National Gymnasium
• Yoyogi Event Plaza
• Access
• Map
• Accommodation

Jinnan Shibuya Tokyo 神南　渋谷

Jinnan is a shopping and dining area in Shibuya, Tokyo, that draws youthful fashionistas and, in its upper reaches, is also home to the national broadcaster and some of Tokyo's major sports facilities.

Jinnan fashion street, Shibuya, Tokyo.

Fashionable Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo

The Hachiko Exit of Shibuya Station is the most-used exit. And if you stand on the station side of the the famous Shibuya Eki-Mae intersection - popularly known as the "Shibuya Scramble" - you will see the silver-gray Tsutaya/Starbucks building across the road. To the right of it runs "Fire Street," which, if you walk all the way up, will take you to Harajuku in 15-20 minutes.

Two blocks up Fire Street, there is a fork in the road, with Fire Street continuing on straight and (Koen-dori Avenue) ("Park Avenue") veering left. Go all the way up Park Street and you will reach NHK Studio Park, which is the headquarters of Japan's national broadcaster.

Jinnan is the area between Park Street to the west and Fire Street to the east. (Or, more properly, as far east as the stretch of Yamanote Line that runs one block east of, and parallel to, Fire Street.

"Chome" (cho-may) means "neighborhood number" and is how districts in Japan are divided up, using numbers. Jinnan 1-chome is full of station-side Shibuya shopping. Further north, Jinnan 2-chome encompasses the Japan Broadcasting Corporation headquarters and the event and sporting section of Yoyogi Park.

Bicycle parking in front of a Jinnan fashion store, Shibuya, Tokyo

Modescape recyled fashion store, Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo

History

Jinnan has been around since 1928, with the pronunciation changing to its present form in 1963. The name means "south of Meiji Jingu Shrine", with the "Jin" from Meiji Jingu and the "nan" meaning "south." Meiji Jingu is in Yoyogi Park, so Jinnan is directly south of Yoyogi Park.

Jinnan Shopping (Jinnan 1-chome)

Jinnan, like the rest of Shibuya, is mostly about shopping. But, Jinnan shopping is generally more youth fashion designer oriented than in the rest of Shibuya. The main concentration of fashionable Jinnan stores is between Park Street and Fire Street.

Jinnan shopping resembles the shopping in Omotesando, with lots of big plate glass architecture and spot lighting, but maybe with a touch more of the nightlife/clubber fashion vibe that Shibuya is known for.

Margaret Howell is a contemporary British clothing label whose store in Jinnan has the added appeal of a cafe.

Beauty & Youth United Arrows is a stand-alone plate-glass-walled bastion of chic that is collaboration between Beauty & Youth and United Arrows. Aimed at those in their twenties and thirties, displaying numerous different fashion brands for women on the first floor and for men on the second.

Ships is another store offereing a selection of fashion brands, but from as young as teens up to those in their 30s: a whole five floors of fashion, from B1 to 4F, from casual to business-friendly attire.

Freak's Store specializes in American casual, with brands like Levis, Dickies, and Champion.

Beams Men and Beams Women are two separate stores across from each other, but both stock a wide range of different fashion brands from Japan and overseas, of all different styles.

Urban Research is a glass-clad three-floor store with lots of greenery throughout, and offering not only fashion (men's on the 1F, women's on the 2F) but items for daily living on the 3F as well as a cafe. The labels here include their own brand, plus numerous other designers known for their simple elegance.

Luke's sidewalk cafe, Jinnan, Shibuya, Tokyo.

Atmosphere

Jinnan is part of Shibuya, which means it shares the somewhat garish, slightly anarchic edge that characterizes the greater area. However, compared with the grungy upper reaches of the Udagawacho district just across Koen-dori, Jinnan is decidedly the more elegant turf.

NHK Studio Park (Jinnan 2-chome)

Domo-kun, NHK Studio Park, Jinnan 2-chome, Shibuya, Tokyo

NHK Studio Park belongs to Japan's national broadcaster, NHK, and is located in the grounds of the NHK headquarters, at the top of Koen-dori Avenue. NHK Studio Park is where the public can get a look behind the scenes at NHK television productions, experience an 8K Super High Vision theater, and much more for a small entrance fee. The dozens of attractions also include how animations are made, how nature documentaries are filmed, even watch live television or radio broadcasts on certain days. An on-site store sells NHK souvenirs. Look for the big brown cubic Domo-kun mascot at the entrance of the grounds.

Open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (last entry 5:30 p.m.) every day.

200 yen for adults, free for children

2-2-1 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8001; tel. 03 3485 8034

NHK Hall & NHK Fureai Hall

NHK Fureai Hall, Jinnan 2-chome, Shibuya, Tokyo

NHK Hall and, next to it, NHK Fureai Hall, are both performance spaces. NHK Hall features the more major events, such as tours by famous acts, is the home ground of the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and the venue for the famous New Year show, Kohaku Utagassen. (Note that it will be closed March 2021 to June 2022 for renovation.) On the other hand, the NHK Fureai Hall next to it is more community-oriented, with minor acts and participation-style events.

Yoyogi National Gymnasium

Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Jinnan 2-chome, Shibuya, Tokyo

The Yoyogi National Gymnasium is Tokyo's most stylish gymnasium, designed by the famous Japanese architect Kenzo Tange for the 1958 Asian Games and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The unique suspended roof design gives spectators uninterrupted vision, and the roof's stylish exterior contours make it an attraction in its own right.

The adjacent Yoyogi National Gymnasium No.2 is somewhat smaller, but it, too, is distinctive in design with its conical roof and UFO-like shape.

Yoyogi Event Plaza

Dancing in front of the outdoor stage, Yoyogi Event Plaza, Jinnan 2-chome, Shibuya, Tokyo

Right next to the Yoyogi National Gymnasium is the Yoyogi Event Plaza, where all sorts of different events and festivals take place almost every day. Weekends are busiest and typically feature an event celebrating one of Tokyo's many foreign communities, with music and dance performances at the Yoyogi Park Outdoor Stage, surrounded by dozens of food, drink and other stalls.

Huge Yoyogi Park is just across the road.

Yoyogi National Gymnasium No.2, Jinnan 2-chome, Shibuya, Tokyo

Access

Jinnan is most easily accessed from the Hachiko Exit (i.e., the Shibuya Scramble side) of Shibuya Station. Just go up Fire Street (to the right of the silver-gray Tsutaya/Starbucks building). You can either keep going up, in which case, the shopping is in the area to your left. Or, from Shibuya Scramble and up Fire Street, you can take the second street on your left, which is Park Street, in which case the shopping is on your right.

From Harajuku and Omotesando, you can easily access Jinnan via Cat Street. When you come out at the end of Cat Street, go left as far as Miyashita Koen intersection, and turn right. Go under the railway line, and you are in Jinnan. The trendy shopping is up to your right.

Jinnan Map

See Jinnan's shopping, entertainment, sporting and other attractions on a Google Map.

Accommodation in Jinnan

The following are recommended budget, mid-range, and higher-end accommodation options in Jinnan.

The Millenials Shibuya is the ultimate in capsule hotel chic, combining budget accommodation with luxury hotel-style decor. Nothing has been spared here in terms of appearance and service to make the capsule guest feel comfortable, rested, clean and welcome. Secure lockers, and you can even rent pajamas!

Hotel Emit Shibuya is a spotlessly clean, perfectly located hotel that fully expresses the Jinnan vibe in its very up-to-date, creative decor. Quiet in spite of being so central, with an on-site cafe and restaurant, and all the facilities you need for a relaxing, style-conscious stay. Smallish but comfortable rooms, and boasts a beautiful outdoor balcony.

Dormy Inn Premium Shibuya-jingumae is a suberbly well-equipped business hotel just across the railway line from Jinnan. As well as a bathroom/toilet in every room, there is a Japanese-style public spa bath for guests to enjoy, plus a coin-operated launderette and drink vending machines onsite. Non-smoking. Vegetarian meals available. Free WiFi.

Start of Cat Street at the Shibuya end, for easy access to Jinnan from Harajuku/Omotesando

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