Miyashita Park

The heart of Shibuya surrounding the JR station is undergoing major transformations, and has now acquired several modern high-rise buildings with infinite glass walls, such as Hikarie, Scramble Square and Shibuya Stream. Another kind of complex, both spreading horizontally and in the outdoor, opened in 2020 under the name "Miyashita Park," in reference to the former green space that used to be on Tokyo’s rooftops in the 1950-1960s.

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On Tokyo’s rooftops

Miyashita urban park is spreading on about 330 meters, along the railway connecting Harajuku and Shinjuku to the north of Shibuya. It is actually more of a boardwalk lined with restaurants and clothing stores than a green park. Concrete is indeed a great part of the scenery despite visible efforts to add vegetation to the mix; a few years more are necessary before the plants grow enough to cover the park’s arches and gazebos completely and become the initially intended canopy.

Walking the rooftop

Visitors can currently enjoy window shopping and take a break between 2 shops seating on one of the many benches available outdoor. Miyashita Park is a convenient place to relax, or to wait for someone, alone or with friends. In the nights of the Holiday Season, the place is lit up thanks to the Decorté Purple Lightup. Other characteristics of the rooftop include:

• Sport facilities: a climbing wall, a beach volley sand ground, a skate-park and a skating rink in winter;
• Popular statues, especially the Hachiko replica and an installation dedicated to Doraemon;
• A small Starbucks and a couple of food trucks for a quick snack.

Miyashita Park’s rooftop is more lively in summer, when the sport facilities are largely used. Note that the districts inhabitants have priority of use, upon registering, and with a paid reservation. On summer time, concerts and open-air film projections are also offered.

Shopping mall and food court

The floors below the park harbor a rather classical shopping mall with retail and leather shops on the luxury side, including Japanese and international brands. The 90 shops are managed by Rayard Mitsui Shopping Park. A "sequence" hotel 🏨 is also part of the project, operated by the Mitsui Fudosan Group.

A large food court provides a wide range of fast foods (Chinese food, tacos, salad bar, etc.), which makes the place convenient and friendly for an indoor meal at anytime of the day.

At the ground floor, along the road, Miyashita Park’s visit ends at the Shibuya Yokocho and its lovely retro izakaya pubs. Even if it lacks the patina of time as it was recently built, a lot of thought has been put into the vintage decoration and the recreation of the old drinking districts. The international patrons can therefore enjoy a yokocho both modern and exuding the charms of old times Japan with its many paper lanterns 🏮 alight. Tables are also laid out on an outdoor terrace, for a comforting drink in the early evening after a day of shopping or work.