Ebisu, an oasis of Shibuya Ward in Tokyo

Ebisu is a sweet little area of Tokyo. Located only two train stations away from a busy Shibuya station, Ebisu is an oasis of the Shibuya Ward, the busiest crossing of** Japan. Compared to the neighboring Shibuya, Ebisu offers a relatively calm and mature atmosphere. There are many unique, specialized small shops and restaurants as well as Ebisu Garden Place, which is a huge leisure complex located right next to JR Ebisu station. If you are overwhelmed with the high energy of Shibuya, Ebisu** is definitely a great alternative to spend a day. 

Ebisu Garden Place

The landmark of Ebisu is Ebisu Garden Place which is well known for its beautiful designs such as the gentle slope promenade, the spacious Central Square, and the chateau restaurant of Joel Robuchon, the legendary French chef. The Ebisu Garden Place was opened in 1994 as a large-scale leisure complex and was selected as one of the 100 best urban landscapes by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. It is conveniently connected to JR Ebisu station by a travelator called ‘skywalk’, which makes the access smooth. Inside the complex, you can enjoy many famous shops, restaurants, Tokyo photography museum, Ebisu Garden Place arthouse cinema, and Yebisu beer memorial hall.

Yebisu Beer Memorial Hall

Yebisu Beer Memorial Hall is an amusement facility unique to Ebisu, the birthplace of Yebisu beer. Here, you can enjoy Yebisu beer with all your senses. You can tour the gallery for free, but if you like beer, I recommend the ‘Yebisu Tour’, which is a paid tour that lasts about 40 minutes. During the ‘Yebisu Tour’, you are not only taught the history and delicious drinking methods, but you can also enjoy a tasting where you can compare the two types of Yebisu beers. There is also a tasting salon in the memorial hall where Yebisu beers, cocktails and light meals are available.

Hemp Cafe Tokyo

In Ebisu, you can also have an extraordinary gastronomical experience. Among the many unique, specialized restaurants in Ebisu, one can find a hemp-focused restaurant called Hemp Cafe Tokyo. Recently, hemp food has been attracting attention in Europe and the United States as superfoods. Hemp food is known for its high nutritional value, and apparently, it is a miracle ingredient that is effective for beauty and health.  All dishes at Hemp Café Tokyo contain hemp products, 100% vegan, and no animal products, and their kitchen also supports customers’ gluten-free and sugar restriction requests. Hemp Café Tokyo’s dishes are original, and you cannot find them elsewhere.

Drink menu at Hemp Café Tokyo is also unique. They offer many original home-made drinks, such as enzyme alcohols and non-alcohol drinks as well as organic wines and bubbles. Detox charcoal is one of a kind, containing roasted brown rice, hemp charcoal, banana and soy milk. You can even get a hemp beer called “Cannabia” at Hemp Café Tokyo, perfectly matching with their hemp dishes.    

Quite different from other parts of Tokyo in that it is really laid back, Ebisu is an oasis and a refreshing break from the chaos of Shibuya Ward. It is more of a residential area, even though it is near bustling spots such as Shibuya. Among other things, here you can explore Ebisu Garden Place, visit Yebisu Beer Memorial Hall and experience Tokyo’s unique gastronomical culture at Hemp Café Tokyo.