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Great Sightseeing For Little Money in Shibuya - 3 Choice Spots & Activities

Last updated: 17 August 2020

Shibuya, Tokyo's neighborhood of fashion and youth culture, doesn't have to be expensive to explore. From a planetarium to a garden, colorful Shibuya has many spots to offer that you can enjoy for very little money. Let's look at the three best, unbelievably cheap sightseeing spots!

Shibuya is home to the Fureai Botanical Garden Center, said to be the smallest of its kind in all of Japan. That doesn't make the botanical garden not worth seeing, however - around 500 different kinds of plants inhabit the downtown park. Throughout the year, you can look forward to exploring a lush, green wonderland of nature, filled with tropical plants, succulents, carnivorous plants, and herbs. For an entry fee of 100 yen per person, this botanical garden is open for exploration!
One highlight of the Shibuya Fureai Botanical Garden Center is the "Green Garden" greenhouse. Relax next to the little streams, where the pink banana blooms and the baobab trees grow. The blue fish tank in the center showcases animals that once inhabited the area of Shinjuku, such as the killifish or the loach.

The second floor is home to the "learning area" and its book section, where over 700 different books on plants, gardening, insects, and more can be used freely by every visitor! Pick the one you like and relax in the green oasis in the middle of Shibuya.
Also, make sure to stop by the herb garden on the third floor? You'll be surprised by how aromatic and fresh the air smells!
Of course, the Shibuya Fureai Botanical Garden Center is an indoor facility and thus a great choice especially on rainy days.

Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (entry until 5:30 p.m.)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday), New Year's (December 29 to January 3), temporary holiday possible
Entry: 100 yen

Cosmo Planetarium Shibuya is just a short 5-minute walk away from the busy Shibuya Station and lets you explore the universe in the middle of the metropolis. Adults only pay 600 yen for the full planetarium experience, which is a steal compared to a lot of other such facilities.

A dome of 17 meters in diameter displays breathtaking images of a starry sky. Here, different screening programs are held, ranging from scientific explanations about the galaxy to entertainment-focused shows to relax at. The program changes every season, so look forward to new content every time you visit!
If you need a break from shopping and sightseeing, the Cosmo Planetarium Shibuya definitely is the place to go.

Hours:
1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. on weekdays
11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays
Each projection lasts 40 minutes. (30-minute projections at 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays)
Entry from 5 minutes before the projection starts.
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday)

The quiet and calm Nabeshima Shoto Park is a 10-minute walk away from Shibuya and is perfect for spending a relaxed time. Plenty of benches and playground equipment all around the pond invite to forget the hustle and bustle of the big city for a while, and the atmospheric water mill seems to be in a wonderfully stark contrast with the skyscrapers around the park. Maple and camellia trees provide cool shade in the summer, while the many cherry trees blossom beautifully in spring. The scenery is always worth the visit!

Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (entry until 7:30 p.m.)