Gakugei-daigaku is a relaxed neighborhood just a few stops from Shibuya — close enough for a quick trip, far enough to feel like local Tokyo. It’s also where you’ll find shisha bar IORI, a small hookah bar and café 30 seconds from the station. Here’s how to get there from Shibuya, step by step.
Why Gakugei-daigaku?
Gakugei-daigaku is a relaxed residential neighborhood, away from the crowds of central Shibuya, yet only a few minutes away by train. It’s an easy detour if you want a quieter evening, a place to sit down with your laptop in the afternoon, or a hookah bar where regulars treat the lounge as an extension of everyday life.
The short version
- Line: Tokyu Toyoko Line (東急東横線)
- From: Shibuya → To: Gakugei-daigaku (学芸大学)
- Time: about 7 minutes
- Train type: Local (各停) or Express (急行) — Limited Express and Commuter Limited Express trains pass through
- Exit: East Exit (東口)
- Then: walk about 30 seconds to the Gakugei-daigaku Front ONE Building; shisha bar IORI is on the 3rd floor (top floor)
Step 1: Find the Tokyu Toyoko Line at Shibuya
Shibuya is a huge station with several railway companies, so look for signs that say Tokyu Toyoko Line or 東急東横線. The Toyoko Line platforms are underground, shared with the Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line, whose trains run straight through onto the Toyoko Line.
Follow the signs down and head for trains bound for Yokohama or Motomachi-Chukagai.
Step 2: Pay with an IC card (or buy a ticket)
The easiest way to ride is with a Suica or PASMO card, or a transit card in your smartphone wallet. Just tap in at the ticket gate at Shibuya and tap out at Gakugei-daigaku.
If you don’t have an IC card, buy a ticket from the machines near the gates before you go through.
Step 3: Take a Local or Express train
Local (各停 / 各駅停車) and Express (急行) trains both stop at Gakugei-daigaku. Limited Express (特急) and Commuter Limited Express (通勤特急) trains pass through, so check the train type on the platform display or on the side of the train before you board.
On a Local train, Gakugei-daigaku is about 7 minutes from Shibuya. The stops on the way are Daikanyama, Naka-meguro and Yutenji, then Gakugei-daigaku. On an Express, Gakugei-daigaku is the next stop after Naka-meguro.
If you board a Limited Express or Commuter Limited Express by mistake, don’t worry: get off at Naka-meguro, its first stop, and change to a Local or Express train.
Step 4: Leave via the East Exit
At Gakugei-daigaku, follow the signs for the East Exit (東口) and go through the ticket gates.
Step 5: Walk 30 seconds to shisha bar IORI
From the East Exit, the Gakugei-daigaku Front ONE Building is about 30 seconds on foot. shisha bar IORI is on the 3rd floor, which is the top floor of the building. At night, look for our lit sign at the entrance.
Search “shisha bar IORI” in Google Maps to see the pin on the building, or check our access page for photos and more details.
Getting back to Shibuya
Going back is just as simple. At Gakugei-daigaku, go through the ticket gates and take a train toward Shibuya (渋谷方面). Only Local trains stop at Gakugei-daigaku, so any train that stops there will take you to Shibuya in about 7 minutes.
Coming from somewhere else?
Approximate riding times to Gakugei-daigaku on the Tokyu Toyoko Line (not including transfers or waiting):
- Naka-meguro: about 3 minutes (Local)
- Yutenji: about 2 minutes (Local, the next station)
- Jiyugaoka: about 4 minutes (Local)
- Musashi-Kosugi: about 12 minutes (Local; Express trains also stop at Gakugei-daigaku)
- Yokohama: about 30 minutes (Express, direct to Gakugei-daigaku)
Before you visit
- Hours: Tue–Thu 3 PM – 1:30 AM (last order 12 AM); Fri 3 PM – 5 AM and Sat 1 PM – 5 AM (last order 3:30 AM); Sun 1 PM – midnight; closed Mondays. Public holidays: open from 1 PM, until 5 AM if the next day is a weekend or holiday, otherwise until midnight. Days before holidays: open until 5 AM. Closed the day after a public holiday.
- Ages 20+ only — bring photo ID; a passport is the safest choice.
- Cashless only — cards, Apple Pay / Google Pay, Suica/PASMO, PayPay, Alipay+, WeChat Pay and more. No cash.
- Book ahead: we have only 10 indoor seats. Send us a direct message on Instagram (@iori_shisha); English is fine.
First time trying hookah? Read Hookah in Tokyo: What to Expect before you go. See you in Gakugei-daigaku!
