Top Japanese Drama Filming Locations in Tokyo

An overhead shot of the famous Shibuya Crossing as seen in the 2010 J-drama Sunao ni Narenakute (Hard to Say I Love You).

Shibuya is one of Tokyo's wards or neighborhoods but the term also usually refers to the central business district which surrounds Shibuya Station, one of Tokyo's busiest railway stations. The scramble crossing, located in front of the Shibuya Station Hachiko Exit is a famous Tokyo pop culture landmark / attraction. This intersection is heavily decorated with neon advertisements and giant video screens and gets flooded with pedestrians each time the crossing light turns green. You've surely seen it before as it's been featured in Japanese movies like Hachiko Monogatari and dramas. Even international movies and TV series (like Heroes, The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift and Lost in Translation to name a few) have scenes filmed here. The above photo, a scene from the 2010 Jdrama Sunao ni Narenakute shows an overhead shot of a running Nakajima Keisuke (Eita) crossing the intersection in dire hopes to avert a tragedy.

How to get there: Shibuya Station is on the Ginza Subway line, the Hanzomon Subway line, the JR Yamanote Line, the JR Saikyo line and the Keio Inokashira line. Take the Hachiko Exit to get to the crossing. View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from Sunao ni Narenakute, copyright owned by Fuji TV.

Ebisu Garden Place Clock Tower Square as seen in the 2005 Jdrama Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) season 1.

Ebisu (or Yebisu) is a neighborhood in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan conveniently situated near Roppongi and central Shibuya. Its main attraction is the Ebisu Garden Place, a "city within the city" consisting of roughly a dozen buildings and skyscrapers and features a large array of restaurants and shops including a Mitsukoshi department store, the Westin Tokyo hotel, offices, residential spaces and a couple of museums. Ebisu Garden Place has been the location for many Japanese dramas and movies including Tokyo Friends, Mop Girl, Sunao ni Narenakute, and more. Most notably, the Marionette Clock Square was featured in the wildly popular Hana Yori Dango (2005) as the site where Domyouji Tsukasa (Jun Matsumoto) waited in the rain for hours for his and Makino Tsukushi's (Mao Inoue) first date. The Ebisu Clock Tower Square was also the site for their wedding in the Hana Yori Dango movie (2008).

How to get there: Yebisu Garden Place is a 5 minute walk from Ebisu Station, one station south of Shibuya Station on the JR Yamanote Line or JR Saikyo Line. It is connected with the station by the well marked "Yebisu Skywalk". View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from Hana Yori Dango, copyright owned by TBS.

The LOVE sculpture in Shinjuku, Tokyo as seen in the 1998 J-drama Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO).

LOVE is a sculpture by American artist Robert Indiana which has been on exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Art since 1975. The sculpture has been recreated in multiple versions and a variety of colors and is on display around the world. The Love sculpture in Tokyo is located at the Shinjuku I-LAND Tower in the Nishi-Shinjuku office district. It is a famous meeting place in Shinjuku and has also been featured in many Jdoramas like Kamen Rider, Unfair, Densha Otoko and Brother Beat to name a few. The scene above shows wacky and unconventional teacher Eikichi Onizuka (Takashi Sorimachi) waiting for a student who has conned him into paying for her "services" in an episode of the 1998 live-action adaptation of the Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO) shounen manga and anime.

How to get there: Shinjuku I-Land Tower is at 6-5-1 Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 163-1339. It's a 10-minute walk from the JR Shinjuku Station (West Exit) or a 2-minute walk from the Marunouchi Line Nishi-shinjuku Station. View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO), copyright owned by Fuji TV.

Tokyo Tower as seen in the opening sequence for the 2009 J-drama Mr. Brain.

The Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower located in Shiba Park, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations. Looming at 332.5 metres (1,091 ft), it is the second tallest artificial structure in Japan and is a prominent fixture in the backdrop of many Tokyo-based Japanese drama series. It can be seen in the opening sequence for the renzoku drama Mr. Brain and as a setting or in the background for many others such as Unfair, Kisarazu Cat's Eye, Manhattan Love Story, Top Caster, Sunao ni Narenakute, Atasinchi No Danshi, Kamen Rider Kabuto and the aptly titled Tokyo Tower.

How to get there: Tokyo Tower is a less than 10-minute walk from the following stations: Akabanebashi Station (Akabanebashi Gate), Kamiyacho Station Exit No.1, Onarimon Station Exit No. A1, and Daimon Station Exit A6. View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from Mr. Brain, copyright owned by TBS.

Fuchunomori Park as seen in the 2005 Jdorama 1 Litre of Tears.

Fuchu-no-mori Park (or Fuchu Forest Park is famous for its beautiful Cherry Blossom tree-lined walkways and greenery. It has museums, a planetarium, and a water play center for kids. You can stroll though the 13-hectare vast grounds and enjoy wildflowers throughout the seasons. This park, particularly the pathway that leads to the huge, round fountain in the middle has provided a scenic backdrop for many a Jdrama series including Gokusen, Nodame Cantabile, Stand Up!, Unfair, Love Shuffle, Yukan Club, First Kiss, and so much more. The photo above is a scene from 1 Litre of Tears's 2nd episode that shows Haruto Asou (Ryo Nishikido) and Aya Ikeuchi (Erika Sawajiri) caring for a stray dog they found in the park.

How to get there: The park is a 10-minute walk from Higashi Fuchu Station on the Keio Line and a short walk from the Tenjin-cho 2-chome bus stop on the Keio bus route bound for Fuchu Station (via Ippongi) starting from JR Chuo Musashikoganei Station. View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from 1 Litre of Tears, copyright owned by FujiTV.

An overhead shot of Akihabara's main street as seen in the 2005 Jdorama Densha Otoko.

Akihabara (or Akiba) is a major shopping area for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods, including new and used items. The bright and lively main street, ChuoDori is littered with shop after shop of mobile phones, cameras, computers, DVDs, manga, toys & action figures, specialty restaurants and Maid Cafes. Many Japanese movies and dramas have scenes filmed in this popular Tokyo attraction, most notably Densha Otoko (or Train Man), a true-to-life story of an otaku and his romance with a beautiful woman he rescues on board a train. Other dramas with scenes in Akiba include Ikebukuro West Gate Park, Detective School Q, Kamen Rider Kabuto, and Kisarazu Cat's Eye World Series.

How to get there: Akihabara is centered around Akihabara Station, located on the JR Yamanote, Keihin-Tohoku, and Chuo Local lines. Just take the conveniently labeled Akihabara Electric Town exit to get into the middle of the action. View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from Densha Otoko, copyright owned by FujiTV.

Ueno Zoo as seen in the 2005 Jdorama Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) season 1.

Ueno Zoo (or Ueno Zoological Gardens was founded on March 20, 1882 and is Japan's oldest and most famous zoo. Currently it is home to over 2600 animals from 464 different species and has expanded its area to 14.3 ha (35.2 acres). It is a famous Japanese tourist attraction and has been featured in popular J-dramas such as Attention Please and, as seen in the photo above, Hana Yori Dango.

How to get there: Located in Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo, the zoo is 5-10 minutes' walk from JR Ueno Station, Subway Ueno Stations (Ginza-line or Hibiya-line), Keisei Ueno Station, or Subway Nezu Station (Chiyoda-line). View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from Hana Yori Dango season 1, copyright owned by TBS.

Sumida River Terrace as seen in the 2008 J-drama Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend).

The Sumida River Terrace (or Sumidagawa Terrace is a paved walkway along both sides of the banks of the Sumida River in Tokyo. The promenade and bridges are illuminated at nighttime so the area is bright and safe enough for pleasant evening strolls by the riverbanks. Every summer, a fireworks festival is held by the river, you can check the Sumidagawa Hanabi website for schedules and information. Dramas that have been filmed on the promenade include Hero, Love Song, Nobuta wo Produce, Kamen Rider Hibiki, and Absolute Boyfriend (Zettai Kareshi). The scene above shows Riko (Aibu Saki) walking by the river with the brilliant blue Eitai Bridge behind her.

How to get there: You can access the Sumida River Terrace by subway. Take the Tozai Line / Oedo Line to Monzen-nakacho Station or the Hibiya Line / Tozai Line to Kayabacho Station. View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from Absolute Boyfriend, copyright owned by FujiTV.

Yoyogi National Gymnasium as seen in the 2009 J-drama Buzzer Beat.

Yoyogi National Gymnasium, also known as the Yoyogi National Stadium is an arena in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo that was built between 1961and 1964 to house swimming and diving events in the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics. The stadium is instantly recognizable for its suspension roof design which was designed by prize-winning Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. The distinct architectural landmark has provided a backdrop and venue for Japanese dramas such as Stand Up!, Sailor Moon, Tokyo Tower, and in the above photo, Buzzer Beat. The scene shows Shirakawa Riko (Keiko Kitagawa) and Head Coach Kawasaki Tomoya (Ito Hideaki) having a heart-to-heart discussion on the stadium grounds.

How to get there: Located in the Yoyogi Park near the Meiji Jinguu Shrine, the stadium is a 5-minute walk from Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote Line or a 5-minute walk from Meiji-jingumae Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line. View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from Buzzer Beat, copyright owned by FujiTV.

Sensoji Temple as seen in the 2007 Jdrama Hanazakari no Kimitachi e (Hana Kimi).

Sensoji (also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple) is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, the center of the shitamachi. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant and popular tourist attractions. It has been featured in Jdoramas, namely Mop Girl, Orange Days, Friends, Ando Natsu and others including the popular Hanazakari no Kimitachi e. Following the scene above, Ashiya Mizuki (Maki Horikita) is seen accompanying her visiting parents around the temple.

How to get there: From Tokyo Station, take the JR Yamanote Line to Kanda Station and transfer to the Ginza Subway Line for Asakusa. View map here.

Photo credit: screen shot from Hana Kimi Japan, copyright owned by FujiTV.