Beer Terminal!
Recently my train line – the Toyoko-sen – was tragically re-routed through Shibuya station to make way for five long years of renovation on the circling-the-drain Tokyu Department Store. The transfer from the Toyoko line to any other remotely useful train line has become so arduous, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone was inspired to build a “Commuter Quest” RPG.
But right now, if the weary pilgrim manages to make it as far as the old terminus, there’s an oasis where you can replenish your life force and even grab a few extra lives! The Beer Terminal!
Yes, some enterprising outfit has managed to set up a watering hole of epic proportions right on Platform 4! And judging by the line – which had reached Disneyland-like proportions by 5:30 on the day I was there – it’s such a success they ought to consider doing away with the idea of rebuilding the department store altogether and just put in a record number of taps instead.
The beer terminal is long gone, but if you’d like to visit Shibuya the next time you’re in Tokyo, directions are on my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had.
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Jonelle Patrick View All
Writing mystery books set in Tokyo is mostly what I do, but I also blog about the odd stuff I see every day in Japan. I'm a graduate of Stanford University and the Sendagaya Japanese Institute in Tokyo, and a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters In Crime. When I'm not in Tokyo, I live in San Francisco. I also host a travel site called The Tokyo Guide I Wish I'd Had, so if you're headed to Japan and want to check out the places I take my friends when they're in town, take a look!