Yurakucho

Conveniently located within a five minutes walk of the popular high-class shopping district of Ginza and within 10 minutes of Tokyo station, Yurakucho is one of the busier stops along the Yamanote Line. The area is brewing with a mix of students outfitted in their school uniforms, salarymen, shoppers and commuters.

Begin your exploration at the large Bic Camera located next to the station — a brightly-lit hub for for shoppers looking to pick up the latest in electronic goods. Nearby you’ll find the Marui department store, which stocks a mixture of Japanese and international brands. Right next door is another department store, Lumine, that does, well, pretty much the same thing.

Looking for something more intellectual? Yurakucho is also packed with cultural venues. The Tokyo Kokusai Forum Hall and Takarazuka Theater offer a bit of Broadway in the city. Yurakucho is also a gathering place for cinemas; the Yurakucho Center Building complex features seven movie theaters and convention halls.

The station is also located just two blocks away from the elegantly designed Hibiya Park.

Do not leave Yurakucho without paying a visit to one of the many Japanese-style yattai (outdoor food stands), drinking bars, izakayas and restaurants that are all wedged against each other underneath the railway tracks, extending out in multiple directions. The endless options to choose from make it especially favored by Japanese salarymen as a popular hangout after work — and therefore an excellent place to make local friends.