Ebisu, Shibuya

Ebisu 恵比寿
Major district of Special ward
Location of Ebisu in Tokyo
Ebisu
Coordinates: 35°38′48.12″N 139°42′36.44″E / 35.6467000°N 139.7101222°ECoordinates: 35°38′48.12″N 139°42′36.44″E / 35.6467000°N 139.7101222°E
Country	Japan
Region	Kantō
Prefecture	Tokyo
Ward	Shibuya-ku
Time zone	Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

View overlooking Ebisu from the Westin Hotel

Statue of Ebisu in front of Ebisu Station

Yebisu Garden Place as seen from Tokyo Tower

Ebisu (恵比寿) is major district of Shibuya-ku in Tokyo, Japan. It was developed on the site of a former brewery and is now home to Yebisu Garden Place. It is renowned for its high concentration of bars and restaurants.

Geography and transportation

Ebisu is a major district and neighborhood of the Special Ward of Shibuya-ku. It is located south of Shibuya and north of Meguro.^[1]

Ebisu is accessed by the JR Yamanote Line and Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line via Ebisu Station.

History

Ebisu was founded around 1928 as a community developed around the Japan Beer Brewery Company (now Sapporo Breweries Limited) facilities which began brewing Yebisu Beer in 1890.^[2]

After the breweries were moved to Chiba in 1988, the area underwent a major urban development resulting in the construction of Yebisu Garden Place, which opened to the public in 1994.^[3] Following the construction of Yebisu Garden Place in 1994, the area around Ebisu Station developed rapidly.^[3]

The district and railway station of Ebisu takes its name from the Yebisu Beer brand, which in turn was named after Ebisu (one of the Japanese Seven Gods of Fortune). The spelling "Yebisu" is intentionally archaic. With or without the "y" the pronunciation is the same as "Ebisu".^[2][4]

Sightseeing and attractions

Food and drink

Ebisu is renowned for food and drink, with a high concentration of restaurants, cafés, izakaya, ramen shops, bars and old-fashioned tachinomi ("stand and drink") bars.^[3][5][6]

Yebisu Garden Place

Yebisu Garden Place is a shopping and cultural centre located in Ebisu. It has a sloped promenade leading to a large central plaza covered by a wide glass arch. The area regularly hosts events and markets on weekends.^[4][7][8]

It is accessible via the Ebisu Skywalk (a fast-moving covered walkway) from JR Ebisu Station East Exit, which takes approximately 5 minutes on foot.^[9]

The complex contains the following attractions:^[10][11]

• Sapporo Breweries headquarters;
• Museum of Yebisu Beer;
• Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography;^[12]
• Château Restaurant Joël Robuchon, a replica of a Louis XVI French château which houses three Michelin-starred restaurants (L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon - 2 stars, La Table de Joël Robuchon - 2 stars, and Le Chateau de Joël Robuchon - 3 stars);^[13]
• Yebisu Garden Place Tower, a skyscraper with "sky dining" restaurants on the top 38th and 39th floors with panoramic views over Tokyo;^[4]
• Atre shopping arcade;
• Glass Square, a self-enclosed shopping centre; and
• Mitsukoshi department store.

Businesses

The publication The Diplomat has its headquarters in the Ebisu MF Building.^[14]

References

1. "Eibisu (Ebisu)". www.exploringtokyo.com. exploringtokyo.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
2. "Yebisu Garden Place". www.japan-guide.com. JapanGuide.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
3. "Ebisu/Daikanyama/Meguro Area". www.jnto.go.jp. Japan National Tourism Office. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
4. "Yebisu Garden Place Tower". www.servcorp.co.jp. ServCorp. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
5. "Introducing Ebisu and Meguro". www.lonelyplanet.com. Lonely Planet. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
6. "Tokyo: 10 Things to Do". www.time.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
7. "Yebisu Garden Place". www.lonelyplanet.com. Lonely Planet. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
8. "Tokyo Guide: Yebisu Garden Place". www.japanvisitor.com. japanvisitor.com. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
9. "Ebisu Garden Place". www.tokyometro.jp. Tokyo Metro. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
10. "Yebisu Garden Place". www.timeout.jp. Time Out. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
11. "Yebisu Garden Place". www.gardenplace.jp. Sapporo Real Estate Co., Ltd. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
12. "Southern and Western Tokyo". www.roughguides.com. Rough Guides. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
13. "Locations - Ebisu". www.robuchon.jp. Joel Robuchon. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
14. "Contact Us." The Diplomat. Retrieved on June 10, 2013. "The Diplomat 701 Ebisu MF Bldg. 4-6-1 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0013 Japan"

External links

• Ebisu travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Yebisu Garden Place
• The History of Sapporo Breweries
• Ebisu :: Tokyo Essentials :: Tokyo Tourist Guide
• Tokyo Food Page Restaurant Listings - Ebisu
• Metropolis Magazine Visitors Guide—Ebisu/Hiroo/Daikanyama