One day in Harajuku & Omotesando: forest paths, Cat Street and Japanese tea

This is Restaurant Yoyogi inside Meiji Jingu’s FOREST TERRACE, not a similarly named restaurant near Yoyogi Station. Its main advantage is location: after the wooded shrine approach, you can sit down to a Japanese lunch before returning to the busy shopping streets.

Start with the tempura set or soba set. The former suits a preference for crisp seafood and vegetables; the latter puts noodles at the centre. Accompaniments follow the current menu, and seasonal sets should not be treated as permanent offerings.

I would suggest it for travellers with older companions or anyone wanting a seated meal. A 09:00 shrine visit precedes the restaurant opening: visit the optional garden first, or choose lunch at the next station rather than waiting simply to complete the list.

Lunch starts at 11:00. Shrine closing varies seasonally; leave time to walk out afterwards.

FOREST TERRACE Meiji Jingu, 1-1 Yoyogi Kamizonocho, Shibuya, Tokyo

AFURI is known for citrus fragrance and a lighter style of broth. For a first visit, consider yuzu shio ramen: taste the broth before combining it with noodles and toppings. A soy-sauce direction is another choice if that better suits your palate.

This guide selects the Harajuku branch north of the station, with a Sendagaya address. It is distinct from AFURI Karakurenai, the spicy-series branch in Jingumae. Check the exact branch and menu before navigating.

It suits a solo or two-person lunch before or after Takeshita Street. Allow 30–45 minutes plus peak queues. Broth and toppings may contain meat, seafood and wheat; a light taste does not mean vegetarian or allergen-free.

Harajuku is fully cashless; bring an accepted card or electronic payment method.

Grandeforesta 1F, 3-63-1 Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo

For a simple, shareable meal around Cat Street, consider Harajuku Gyozaro. Dumplings are the focus: pan-fried ones offer a crisp base, while boiled ones highlight the wrapper and filling. Two diners can compare a plate of each.

The official menu offers versions with or without chives and garlic, plus shiso dumplings. Confirm your choice when ordering if a later tea tasting makes garlic less appealing. Add rice or bean sprouts with meat miso for a fuller meal; the six-dumpling price is not a complete set-meal price.

Allow 30–45 minutes plus queues, with the expectation of continuing your walk afterwards. Decide how long you are willing to wait at busy times; nearby cafés are flexible alternatives, not a requirement to consume every recommendation.

Specify fried or boiled and whether you want the no-chive/no-garlic option; that does not remove other allergens.

Okajima Building 1F, 6-2-4 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo

Turn off the boulevard into the lanes for Maisen’s Aoyama main restaurant if you want a full seated meal. Tonkatsu, rice and crisp coating are the focus; you can start with the cut of pork without first studying every premium breed.

Rosu, or loin, generally has more noticeable fat, while hire, or fillet, is leaner. Choose by preference, then check portion size and set contents. Similar-looking photographs do not mean identical servings.

Allow 45–60 minutes plus lunch or dinner queues. Afterwards, return to Omotesando for architecture and browsing. Avoid squeezing a slow meal against Nezu Museum’s last admission if time is tight.

On weekends and holidays, official reservations are restricted to banquet courses; that is not an ordinary tonkatsu table booking.

4-8-5 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo