Due to its central location and residential feel, Daikanyama is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Tokyo to live and stay.
From Daikanyama, you can walk to Shibuya Station, Daikanyama Station, and Ebisu Station. Between these three stations, you’ll have access to almost all of the major train lines in Tokyo.
Daikanyama’s quiet streets hold some of Tokyo’s trendiest restaurants, coffee shops, and stores. You can spend days exploring the neighborhood’s many hidden gems, or easily step out and access the rest of Tokyo.
In this Tokyo neighborhood guide, I’ll share my favorite places in Daikanyama.
What are the highlights of Daikanyama, Tokyo?
Best Hotels In Daikanyama
Sandwiched between the popular neighborhoods of Shibuya and Ebisu, the hotel selection in Daikanyama is somewhat limited. However, I think Daikanyama offers one of the most convenient and quaint areas from which to explore Tokyo.
The two hotel options below are worth considering as a home base during your visit to Tokyo. They are within walking distance of Shibuya Station, yet in relatively quiet areas with many local restaurants and shops.
Best Restaurants And Bars In Daikanyama
GARDEN HOUSE CRAFTS
📍〒150-0034 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Daikanyamacho, 13−1 LOG ROAD DAIKANYAMA5号棟
The spacious and modern GARDEN HOUSE CRAFTS is a perfect brunch or afternoon coffee spot. They serve Western-style food and baked goods in their stylish indoor area or outdoor terrace.
Sputnik
📍2 Chome-18-6 Ebisunishi, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0021, Japan
When you imagine a cool, retro cafe and bar, Sputnik should come first to mind. This understated locale has delicious coffee, drinks, and Italian nibbles and desserts. Sputnik fills with patrons on weekend nights, but during the day on weekdays is largely empty and perfect for relaxing with a book.
Beans Garage Coffee
📍17-9 Uguisudanicho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0032
This quiet coffee shop tucked away on a backstreet in Daikanyama is a great cafe for remote working. Beans Garage Coffee has a small outdoor terrace and a play area for dogs.
Green Thumb
📍28-9 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0031, Japan
Green Thumb is a wonderful local bakery selling fresh bread, sandwiches, and pastries. It’s a popular destination for local office workers to pick up a quick lunch. I particularly enjoy their country bread, a thick yet airy, European-style loaf fairly unique in Tokyo.
Urth Caffe
📍〒150-0033 Tokyo, Shibuya City, 渋谷区Sarugakucho, 8−9 NTT渋谷ビル
The Daikanyama location of the trendy Californian cafe group Urth Caffe offers a large interior and exterior dining area perfect for reading, catching up with friends, or working remotely. They offer a variety of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options.
Tableaux Lounge
📍11-6 Sarugakucho, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0033, Japan
This swanky lounge, restaurant, and cigar club regularly features live musical performances. The venue is moody, painted in dark colors and surrounded by shelves of books. This is a great date or special-occasion spot in Daikanyama.
Best Activities In Daikanyama
Kyu Asakura House
This early 20th-century mansion is an under-the-radar destination in Tokyo. You can spend an enjoyable hour wandering through the two-story house. The mansion wraps around a traditional Japanese garden that offers magnificent views year round, but particularly in the spring and autumn. You need to remove your shoes before entering the house.
Kyu Asakura House is generally free from crowds and is a great, low-key sightseeing destination in Daikanyama.
DAIKANYAMA T-SITE
DAIKANYAMA T-SITE is a must-visit bookstore in the neighborhood. This massive, three-building complex sells nearly every type of book imaginable. Specialty topics include architecture, automotive vehicles, art and design, and fiction books.
I particularly enjoy visiting this store to find beautiful coffee table books, books in English, or special hobbyist books that I can gift to friends and family.
Several cafes, including a large Starbucks, surround DAIKANYAMA T-SITE. Take a break from browsing the bookshelves with a cup of coffee and a magazine.
Daikanyama Sports Plaza
Daikanyama Sports Plaza is a Shibuya City sports facility with a large indoor pool. Since the facility is operated by the city, it is extremely inexpensive to access. For ¥400 (or ¥500 with a towel rental), you can swim for up to two hours.
To use the pool, you’ll need to remove all jewelry, have no tattoos, and wear athletic swimwear (goggles, swim cap, and athletic swimsuit).
The pool has several swim lanes that you can use for exercise along with a dry sauna and showers. Bring a ¥100 coin to use their lockers.